Organic chemistry is an important part of everyday life, as its compounds are present in items that are found in people’s houses. Compounds are present in foods as well, since the flavors and odors of various edible items are caused by them. Besides food, they are present in other objects, such as painkillers and drugs. Moreover, organic compounds are divided into different functional groups, such as ketones, aldehydes, amines and carboxylic acids. The following text will mention five examples of organic compounds in people’s daily environments and the groups said compounds belong to, including the aforementioned ones.
Acetone is a commonly used solvent, as it helps remove multiple different organic substances. This organic compound belongs to the ketone and aldehyde group, as its scientific name is dimethyl ketone. Another example of this group is formaldehyde, which is a colorless gas used as a reactant in the synthesis of polymers for making fabrics, carpeting and pressed wood (Chemistry Link to the Environment). One of the defining features of ketones and aldehydes is that these compounds are not soluble in water. However, they can be dissolved with the help of alcohol.
Metylamine is the third example of a chemical compound, which can be found in fish. It belongs to amines and this specific group appears as a result of protein decay having an unpleasant and repulsive odor. Two other examples of organic compounds are acetic acid and citric acid. The former can be found in vinegar and the latter is present in lemon juice. These compounds belong to carboxylic acids and are responsible for the sour tastes of vinegar and some juices (Chemistry Libretexts, 2022). Moreover, they can be included in various foods to give a sharp flavor. In conclusion, functional groups of organic compounds can help define some of their features, such as dissolution, odor, and a specific flavor.
References
Chemistry LibreTexts. (2022). 15.3: Physical properties of carboxylic acids. Chemistry Link to the Environment.