Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Xptboy on May 30, 2010, 05:00:29 PM
-
How am I able to tell if one molecule is organic or inorganic?
-
Burn it.
-
Organic molecules must contain carbon and hydrogen at the very least (diamond is not organic) although many organic molecules contain oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur among others. Organic molecules are linked by covalent bonds, generally. Ionic bonds are more typical in organic reagents.
-
thanks... I'll try ask a question that's a little harder next time lol...
-
Generally organic compound should contain at least one C-H bond. Only HCN is sometimes listed as inorganic but its hydrolysis leads to HCOOH which is without no doubt organic compound.
-
@AWK: Are CFCs and hexachlorobenzene and compounds like these regarded as inorganic too?
-
There is no sharp bordeline between inorganic and organic compounds. You may be dubious about many carbon compounds do not contain C-H bond, eg CCl4, CO, CO2, C3O2, C12O9, C60O, CO(NH2)2, HN=CO, HO-CN, HO-N=C and so on . Note - urea is treated as organic about 200 years