Types of Carbon and Types of Hydrogen in Organic Chemistry

 

 

Types of Carbon and Types of Hydrogen in Organic Chemistry

 

1° or primary carbon atoms

2° or secondary carbon atoms

3° or tertiary carbon atoms

4° or Quaternary carbon atoms

1° or primary carbon atoms

A carbon atom either alone or attached to not more than one other carbon atom is called primary carbon denoted by 1° or p.

2° or secondary carbon atoms

A carbon atom which is attached to two other carbon atoms is called secondary carbon denoted by 2° or s.

3° or tertiary carbon atoms

A carbon atom which is attached to three other carbon atoms is called tertiary carbon denoted by 3° or t.

4° or Quaternary carbon atoms

A carbon atom which is attached to four other carbon atoms is called tertiary carbon denoted by 4° or q.

Hydrogen atoms attached to primary, secondary, or tertiary carbon atoms are called primary, secondary or tertiary hydrogen atoms respectively.

 

The hydrogen atoms attached to primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary carbon atoms in alkanes are respectively three, two, one and zero.

If a carbon atom is unsaturated, it is not indicated as p, s, t carbon atom however it is counted for other atoms.