[constant thinker]

Now I'm kind of wondering here. For something to be organic does it only have to have carbon in it. That is what someone told me once. I use to think it was anything found naturally, but I see substances that have been labeled organic and don't have any carbon in them. I've also never heard anyone call oil (or any other hydrocarbon) organic only that they originate from organic compounds.

What are the credentials for something to be considered organic?

[Garneck]

Now I'm kind of wondering here. For something to be organic does it only have to have carbon in it. That is what someone told me once. I use to think it was anything found naturally, but I see substances that have been labeled organic and don't have any carbon in them. I've also never heard anyone call oil (or any other hydrocarbon) organic only that they originate from organic compounds.

What are the credentials for something to be considered organic?

Here's what I think:

• anything that has a C-H bond
• anything that has a C-O or C=O bond (besides carbon dioxide)
• anything that has a C-N bond (besides cyanides)
• anything that has a N-N or N=N bond

Correct me if I'm wrong. ;)

[786mine]

Organic Chemistry: the study of carbon compounds...
organic compounds contain the elements C, H, N, O, S, Cl, Br, etc.
Organic compounds were originally thought to come only from living
organisms...thus the term organic (until about 1830)

This is what I remember from my introduction to o-chem.

[dexangeles]

Organic --- used to be anything derived from living things (organic matter)

Organic farming -- use of fertilizer or pesticides from animal or plants

Organic Chemistry --- Carbon based compounds

in all honesty I always thought organic had somethin to do with poop fertilizer lol, so wen i took organic chemistry guess what i was expecting....

[constant thinker]

Intresting thoughts. I had assumed that it had something to do with C, O, and N all basic compounds of life (yes there are many more, but this is middle school when I first came across the term). Thanks for the opinions.

[Garneck]

Organic Chemistry --- Carbon based compounds

What about hydrazine?

[Mitch]

Sure, hydrazine can count as being Organic too.

[constant thinker]

Hyrdrazine is carcinogenic right? Intresting that it's considered organic. Ok I think I understand now.

[movies]

There a lots of carcinogenic molecules that are considered organic!  Lots of poisons too.  Strychnine is a good example.

[dexangeles]

benzene is carcinogenic  

but I thought hydrazine an inorganic compound used in a wolff-kishner reaction or rocket fuel