Introduction
Organic chemistry originally meant the chemistry of compounds obtainable from plants and animals – living organisms. Organic chemistry is that branch of chemistry that deals with the structure, properties, and reactions of compounds that contain carbon. In other word, organic chemistry is defined as the chemistry of carbon compounds.
Organic molecules = Molecules containing carbon.
Vitalism = Belief in a life force outside the jurisdiction of chemical/physical laws.
Early 19th century organic chemistry was built on a foundation of vitalism because organic chemists could not artificially synthesize organic compounds. It was believed that only living organisms could produce organic compounds.
Mechanism = Belief that all natural phenomena are governed by physical and chemical laws.
Pioneers of organic chemistry began to synthesize organic compounds from inorganic molecules. This helped shift mainstream biological thought from vitalism to mechanism.
For example, Friedrich Wohler synthesized urea in 1828; Hermann Kolbe synthesized acetic acid…
Read more below-
