Guide Note:Organic Chemistry deals with the study of the properties and compositions of chemical compounds. It was erroneously thought that organic compounds dealt with life processes when in fact they are metabolized by processes involving no life whatsoever. Multi-carbon compounds have distinct properties that show large diversity and have a large range of application of organic compounds. The history of Organic Chemistry dates back to the early 19th century. In 1816 Michel Chevreul conducted a study of soaps separating the different acids that produced the soap with a combination of alkili. He showed that it was possible to produce new compounds, without vitalism. A great step in Organic Chemistry came in 1828 with the Wohler Synthesis. In 1856, William Henry Perkin accidentally manufactured Perkin's mauve, an organic dye. In 1858 Friedrich August Kekule and Archibald Scott Couper suggested that a carbon lattice could be formed by the linking of tetravalent carbon atoms. Another breakthrough was the first commercialized total synthesis by Gustaf Komppa. Carbon compounds are important components to many products in everyday life such as food, paint, plastics and drugs.
Fast Facts:
- Origins: Early 19th century (Michel Chevreul)
- Main compounds studied: carbon and hydrogen
- Other compounds of interest: nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorous
- Main classification: hydrocarbons
- Major category: Biomolecular Chemistry
- Current trends: green chemistry and microwave chemistry,
