20. The Variety of Organic         Compounds   Previous PageNext Page
        Introduction



If the chemistry of carbon were limited to the hydrocarbons discussed in Chapter 19, it would be of relatively minor interest.

What we have been examining, however, is only the framework upon which all of the interesting chemistry can be hung.

Hydrocarbons by themselves are notably unreactive. But once the halogen derivatives have been made, these then can enter into a great variety of chemical reactions that lead to compounds with almost any desired properties.

This chapter is an introduction to the most important of these compounds.


Right: Amyl valerate, an ester which has the characteristic smell of apples.

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