• Question: What's so special about organic compounds? How are they different to normal ones?

    Asked by laurenfisher to Roy on 10 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Roy Adkin

      Roy Adkin answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Hi Lauren…good question. And quite a complicated one too…
      Well they’re not ‘special’ as such (although I find them far more interesting because of the reactions the do) but they are the molecules you can make in the lab to any shape, size and for any purpose you like…and it’s all because of the carbon atoms in the molecules. Organic compounds also make up us and every living thing.
      Almost all the drug molecules you can take are organic and have been designed to interact with your body to make you better. Take neurofen for example…the molecule goes into your body and stops it from swelling and hurting…it was designed to do that.
      If you are interested in how these things work you can Google ‘lock and key theory of how drugs work’.
      As for how they are different…the simple answer is that they contain a lot more carbon. anything that does not contain carbon is called inorganic.
      I hope that answers your question 🙂

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