2. Tetravalence of carbon : Shapes of organic compounds

TETRAVALENCE OF CARBON: SHAPES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Carbon is a unique element and it can form a large number of compounds due to the following reasons:

1. Tetravalency of carbon: In all of its compounds, the valency of carbon is four. Carbon has 4 electrons in its valency shell and requires 4 more electrons to complete the octet. So it attains the octet configuration by forming 4 covalent bonds.

2. Ability to form single bond and multiple bonds: C can form single bond and multiple bond (double or triple bond) with itself and also with other elements like oxygen, nitrogen etc. This is possible by sp³, sp² or sp hybridisation.

3. Catenation: Carbon shows catenation. It is the self linking property of an element to form long chains and rings.

4. Isomerism: Carbon compounds can show isomerism. It is the phenomenon in which compounds having same molecular formula but different structural formula or spatial arrangement of atoms.