iv.4. Saturated and Unsaturated Carbon and its Compounds: Exploring the Structure and Diversity
- One of the compounds formed between carbon and hydrogen is ethane with a formula of C2H6.
- Structure: In order to arrive at the structure of simple carbon compounds, the first step is to link the carbon atoms together with a single bond C——C.
- Hydrogen: Using the hydrogen atoms to satisfy the remaining valencies of carbon is the next step.
- Chains, Branches and Rings: In the earlier section, we have seen the carbon compounds methane, ethane and propane, containing respectively 1, 2 and 3 carbon atoms.
- Such ‘chains’ of carbon atoms can contain many more carbon atoms.
- Carbon and its compounds exhibit a remarkable diversity in structures, allowing for the formation of chains, branches, and rings. These configurations contribute to the vast array of organic compounds, showcasing the versatility of carbon in creating intricate molecular arrangements.
Formulae and structures of saturated compounds of carbon and hydrogen