The Chemical Diversity of Organic Molecules

In addition to their elaborate geometries, organic compounds are noted for their sheer number and diverse chemical behavior. Several million of these compounds are known, and thousands more are discovered or synthesized each year. This incredible diversity is also founded on atomic and bonding behavior and is due to three interrelated factors  

CHAPTER 15 Organic Compounds and the Atomic Properties of Carbon 

The structural complexity of organic compounds arises from carbon s small size, intermediate EN, four valence electrons, ability to form multiple bonds, and absence of d orbitals in the valence level. These factors lead to chains, branches, and rings of C atoms joined by strong, chemically resistant bonds that point in as many as four directions from each C. The chemical diversity of organic compounds arises from carbon s ability to bond to many other elements, including O and N, which creates polar bonds and greater reactivity. These factors lead to compounds that contain functional groups, specific portions of molecules that react in characteristic ways. 

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