Organic Chemistry

Applied Chemistry

Milbank High School

Organic Chemistry

• Chemistry of compounds that contain carbon– Combine mainly with hydrogen, oxygen, and

nitrogen– Over 10 million compounds made with these 4

elements

• 95% of compounds contain carbon

Properties

• Very Flammable!– Combustion reactions

• Don’t react with other compounds much

Types

• Hydrocarbons

• Alcohols, phenols, ethers

• Carboxylic acids, amines, ketones

Hydrocarbons

• Methane, ethane, propane

• Ethylene

• Acetylene

Alcohols

• Methanol

• Ethanol

• Isopropyl alcohol

Ethanol

– Wines• 12% ethanol

– Champagnes• 14-20% ethanol

– Beers• 4% ethanol

– Whiskey• 50% ethanol

Proof spirit: alcoholic content of a beverage, twice that of the alcohol content by volume (whiskey: 100 proof)

Ethanol Con’t

• Toxic to humans

• Acute poisoning kills several hundred a year (drinking contests)

• Long term poisoning– Most serious drug problem in US– 40 times more addicts than heroin

More alcohols

• Nitroglycerin

• Ethylene glycol

• Identification of alcohols:– Contain an OH group

Alcohol in the Blood

• Ethanol is a depressant, not a stimulant– Diminished judgment and less control of actions

• Does NOT keep you warm in cold weather– Causes blood vessels to dilate– Accelerates the loss of heat loss– ½ of all frostbite victims are legally drunk– Shortens life span by contributing to diseases of the

liver, cardiovascular system, and almost every other organ in the body

Octane Rating

• Amount of octane (isooctane) present in gasoline

• Remainder is heptane

• Catalytic reforming– Change low octane fuels into high octane

fuels

• Additives– Ethers, alcohols

Distillation

• Method of separating chemicals based upon their boiling point

• Crude oil

• Water from salt water etc

• Alcohol

Titration

• Used to determine the concentration of a known reactant

• Indicator– Shows when the solutions are at equilibrium

• Utilizes precise measurements and requires accurate lab skills