Why Carbon Dioxide Isn't an Organic Compound

If organic chemistry is the study of carbon, then why isn't carbon dioxide considered to be an organic compound? The answer is because organic molecules don't just contain carbon. They contain hydrocarbons or carbon bonded to hydrogen. The C-H bond has a lower bond energy than the carbon-oxygen bond in carbon dioxide, making carbon dioxide more stable/less reactive than the typical organic compound. So, when you're determining whether a carbon compound is organic or not, look to see whether it contains hydrogen in addition to carbon and whether the carbon is bonded to the hydrogen. Make sense?

Intro to Organic Chemistry | List of Organic Compounds

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