Organic Chemistry
Study of carbon-containing compounds and their reactions.
Basic Concepts
Types of Organic Reactions
How Organic Molecules Change
Organic chemistry is all about reactions—how molecules transform and combine!
Four Major Reaction Types
- Substitution: One atom or group swaps with another.
- Addition: Atoms add across double or triple bonds.
- Elimination: Atoms are removed, often creating double bonds.
- Rearrangement: The molecule's skeleton is shuffled.
Reaction Conditions
Many reactions need special conditions: heat, light, or catalysts.
Real-World Connections
These reactions are the backbone of creating everything from plastics to pharmaceuticals.
Examples
Making soap from fats involves substitution and elimination reactions.
Polyethylene plastic is made by addition reactions of ethene.
In a Nutshell
Organic reactions let us transform molecules to create new materials and medicines.