compounds. After observing the structures and elements of organic compounds, they defined organic compounds as compounds of carbon. Therefore, organic chemistry is totally allotted to carbon compounds.
Allotting completely one special branch in chemistry to compounds
of only one element. Is it justified when there are so many elements
and their compounds but not with any special branches?
We understand that all molecules that make life possible - carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, hormones, and vitamins contain carbon. The chemical reactions that take place in living systems are of carbon compounds. Food that we get from nature, various medicines, cotton, silk and fuels like natural gas and petroleum almost all of them are carbon compounds. Synthetic fabrics, plastics, synthetic rubber are also compounds of carbon. Hence, carbon is a special element with the largest number of compounds.
Catenation
Another peculiar behaviour of carbon is its ability to form longest chains with its own atoms. If any element forms bonds between its own atoms to give big molecules we call that property as catenation property. Carbon has the ability to form longest chains containing millions of carbon atoms in molecules like some proteins. Sulphur, phosphorus and some other non metals have this property but to a very less extent. You have understood that carbon can form:
a) Four single covalent bonds,
a) Four single covalent bonds,