Keynotes in Organic Chemistry

Abstract

ORGANIC compounds at present known and characterized represent an impressive collection numbering several hundred thousand. The really staggering possibilities may be illustrated by -some figures given by Henze and Blair (Jour. Am. Chem. Soc. 53: 3042 and 3077, 1931). In the group of saturated hydrocarbons having twenty carbon atoms there are possible 366,319 isomers, while the formula C40H82 fits 62,-491,178,805,831 isomeric forms. Substitution of one functional group for one hydrogen atom in the twenty carbon atom series results in approximately a sixteen-fold increase in the number of compounds. That is, there are 5,622,109 isomeric alcohols represented by the formula C20H41OH and a like number of carboxylic acids with the formula C20H41COOH. Formation of simple esters between these alcohols and acids would result in about 3 X 1018 compounds. © 1945 Oxford University Press.