Chapter - 4

Carbon and its compounds Notes

The Covalent Bond

→ Carbon always forms covalent bond.

→ The bond formed by sharing of electron pair between two atoms are
known as covalent atoms.

• Noble gas configuration of Carbon(having 8 electron in outermost

shell)

→ Carbon is tetravalent, it does not form ionic bond by either losing four
electrons (C4+) or by gaining four electrons (C4-). It is difficult to hold four
extra electron and would require large amount of energy to remove four
electrons. So, carbon can form bond by sharing of its electrons with
the electrons of other carbon atom or with other element and attain noble
gas configuration.
The atoms of other elements like hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen,
chlorine also form bonds by sharing of electrons.
H – H single bond

O = O double bond

N ≡ N triple bond

Water molecule has single covalent bond between one oxygen and
two hydrogen atoms
Physical Properties of Covalent Compounds

→ Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points as they have

weak intermolecular force.

→ They are generally poor conductor of electricity as electrons are shared

between atoms and no charged particles are formed

Versatile Nature of Carbon

Catenation: Carbon can link with carbon atoms by means of covalent

bonds to form long chains, branched chains and closed ring by single,

double or triple bonds. Sulphur also has this property but up to 8 atoms

also the bonds are not very stable and thus reactive.

Tetravalency: Carbon has 4 valence electrons. Carbon can bond with four

carbon atoms, monovalent atoms( like hydrogen), oxygen, nitrogen and

sulphur.

Hydrocarbon

→ Compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon are called hydrocarbon.

→ There are two types of Hydrocarbons.

• Saturated Hydrocarbons

→ Single bond between carbon atoms.

→ ㅡCㅡCㅡ

→ Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons.

General Formula: CnH2n+2

• Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

→ Double or triple bond between carbon atoms.

→ Alkenes and Alkynes are unsaturated hydrocarbons.

→ Alkenes: ㅡC＝Cㅡ

General formula: CnH2n

→ Alkynes: ㅡC≡Cㅡ

General Formula: CnH2n-2

Electron Dot Structure

Ethane C2H6

Ethene (C2H4)

Ethyne (C2H2)

Carbon Compounds on the Basis of Structure

(i) Straight (unbranched) chain

Example: C3H8

ㅡCㅡCㅡCㅡCㅡCㅡ

(ii) Branched

→ These three above compounds has same molecular formula but

different structures are called structural isomers and phenomenon is

structural isomerism.

(iii) Cyclic

Example: C6H12

Functional Groups
These heteroatom or group of atoms which make carbon compound

reactive and decides its properties are called functional groups.

Homologous Series

→ It is series of compounds in which the some functional group substitutes

for the hydrogen in a carbon chain.

Example: Alcohols – CH3OH, C2H5OH, C3H7OH, C4H9OH

• They have same general formula.

• Any two homologues differ by – CH2 group and difference in molecular

mass is 14µ.

• They have same chemical properties but show gradual change in physical

properties( as physical properties like boiling point melting point depend on

mass )

Nomenclature of Carbon Compounds

(i) Identify the number of carbon atoms in compounds.

(ii)Functional group is indicated by suffix or prefix.

Chemical Properties of Carbon Compounds

(i) Combustion

• Carbon and its compounds are used as fuels because they burn in air

releasing lot of heat energy.

• Saturated hydrocarbon generally burn in air with blue and non-sooty

flame.

• Unsaturated hydrocarbon burns in air with yellow sooty flame because

percentage of carbon is higher than saturated hydrocarbon which does not

get completely oxidized in air.

ii) Oxidation

Alcohols can be converted to carboxylic acid in presence of oxidizing agent

alkaline KMnO4 (potassium permangnate) or acidic potassium dichromate.

(iii) Addition Reaction

Vegetable oils are converted into vegetable ghee using this process.

It is also called hydrogenation of vegetable oils.

(iv) Substitution Reaction

Important Carbon Compounds: Ethanol and Ethanoic acid

Properties of Ethanol

• Colourless, pleasant smell and burning taste. Low boiling point , volatile

compound

● • Soluble in water.

● Act as a good solvent and thus used in making cough syrups,

eyedrops

Chemical Properties of Ethanol

(i) Reaction with Sodium

2Na + CH3CH2OH → 2CH3CH2ONa+ + H2

(Sodium ethoxide)

This reaction is used as a test for ethanol by evolution of H2 gas (Burn with

pop sound).

(ii) Dehydration

Physical Properties of Ethanoic acid

Colourless liquid having sour taste

5% solution of ethanoic acid in water forms vinegar

• it is also called glacial acetic acid because it freezes at room temperature

as its melting point is very low

Chemical Properties

(i) Esterification

Sweet smelling ester is formed.

When we add base to ester sodium salt of carboxylic acid(soap) is formed ,

this reaction is also called saponification reaction

ii) Reaction with base

NaOH + CH3COOH → CH3COONa + H2O

iii) Reaction with carbonates and hydrogen carbonates :

2CH3COOH + Na2CO3 → 2CH3COONa + H2O + CO2

CHH2COOH + NaHCOH2 → CH3COONa + H2O + CO2

Soaps and Detergents

• Soap is sodium or potassium salt of long chain carboxylic acid. Example:

+
C17H35COONa

• Soaps are effective only in soft water.

• Detergents are ammonium or sulphonate salt of long chain of carboxylic acid.

• Detergents are effective in both hard and soft water.

Soap molecule has:

(i) Ionic (hydrophilic) part , water loving part

(ii) Long hydrocarbon chain (hydrophobic) part , water repelling

Cleansing Action of Soap

• Most dirt is oily in nature and hydrophobic end attaches itself with dirt and the

ionic end is surrounded with molecule of water. This result in formation of a radial

structure called micelles.

• Soap micelles helps to dissolve dirt and grease in water and cloth gets cleaned

• The magnesium and calcium salt present in hard water react with soap

molecule to form insoluble product called scum. This scum create difficulty in

cleansing action.

• By use of detergent, insoluble scum is not formed with hard water and cloths

get cleaned effectively.