by Tarek Musslimani

Created on: November 09, 2010

In this article, the subject of unsaturated organic compounds is discussed.  Usually organic compounds are by definition compounds which involve chemical bonding between carbon and hydrogen atoms.  Unsaturation of hydrocarbons refers to the presence of double bonds between two adjacent carbon atoms.  Organic chemicals are mostly naturally occurring in abundant quantities.  The molecular structure of all animals and plants in addition to humans is made of organic compounds that are the basic structure of all the cells in the body such as proteins and DNA molecules. 

Also naturally occurring organic compounds are present in the inner surface of the earth crust in the form of crude oil and natural gas.  These organic compounds are C-H bonds abundant  and are a valuable available source of chemical energy that can be obtained by combustion in the presence of oxygen.  A carbon atom is a very unique atom in nature,  and has remarkable chemical properties.  For example its compounds are very stable thermodynamically and are present in astronomical numbers of organic compounds. Carbon uniqueness is manifested for example by its ability to form polymers that are very stable and that have outstanding chemical and physical properties. 

Carbon itself can be present in nature in two forms that are completely different from its physical properties.  These are the graphite form and the diamond form.  These two structures are also used for completely different purposes.  Carbon chemistry is governed mainly by its electrons that are present in the outermost electronic shell or the valence shell.  In the valence electronic shell of carbon there are only four electrons that are distributed between one s orbital and three p orbitals.  These electrons are the dominating factor in determining the structure and bonding of the carbon atom in its organic compounds with hydrogen.  The highest coordination number of the carbon atoms in organic compounds is four in number.  Lower coordination number is possible for some extremely unstable electron deficient species of carbon atom such as the carbene species which can be generated in reactions in the gas phase as well as from the molecule of chloroform under basic conditions. 

Saturation of organic compounds refers also to the number of hydrogen atoms that are bound to the carbon atom.  Unsaturated organic compounds usually have

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