Displayed formulae
- Organic Chemistry is the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds.
- Organic compounds are those which contain carbon
- For conventional reasons metal carbonates, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are not included in organic compounds
- Many of the structures you will be drawing are hydrocarbons
- A hydrocarbon is a compound that contains only hydrogen and carbon atoms
- Organic compounds can be represented in a number of ways:
- Displayed Formulae
- General Formulae
- Structural Formulae
The displayed formula shows the spatial arrangement of all the atoms and bonds in a molecule
- For example:
- This displayed formula tells us several things about the compound
- It has 5 carbon atoms
- It has 12 hydrogen atoms
- It has only single bonds
Examiner Tip
It's really important to show ALL the bonds between atoms in displayed formulae.
For example, in the -OH group for an alcohol, the bond between the oxygen and hydrogen atom must be shown.
