organic compound

Definition: An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon.

For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered inorganic elements (inorganic compounds).

It is studied by organic chemistry.

Examples

 hydrocarbons and functional groups

• organic acids

 aliphatic compounds
 aromatic and alicyclic compounds
 polymers
 biomolecules

• nucleic acids (DNA , RNA )
• amino acids and proteins
• carbohydrates (monosaccharides , disaccharides , oligosaccharides , polysaccharides )
• lipids

 small molecule intermediates

• energy production ( Krebs cycle )
• isoprene ( most common hydrocarbon in animals )
  • cholesterol
  • steroid hormone compounds

See also

 long-chain biopolymers

• proteins
• DNA
• RNA
• polysaccharides

 organic reactions
 inorganic elements ( inorganic compounds )