ABSTRACT
Most carbon-containing compounds are organic chemicals and are addressed by the subject of organic chemistry. Organic chemistry is a vast, diverse discipline because of the enormous number of organic compounds that exist as a consequence of the versatile bonding capabilities of carbon. Such diversity is due to the ability of carbon atoms to bond to each other through single (two shared electrons) bonds, double (four shared electrons) bonds, and triple (six shared electrons) bonds in a limitless variety of straight chains, branched chains, and rings (Figure 12.1).
