Organic compound

Organic compound

 - see Organic Chemistry

A molecule containing carbon. Note, however, that the oxides of carbon, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are generally not regarded as organic compunds.

The dividing line between organic and inorganic is somewhat controversial and historically arbitrary, but generally speaking, organic compounds have carbon-hydrogen bonds, and inorganic compounds do not. Beyond carbides and compounds containing the allotropes of carbon, compounds generally regarded as inorganic that contain carbon-carbon bonds are, at best, rare.

The chemistry of the carbon's allotropes can be considered inorganic chemistry as is the study of the oxides of carbon mentioned above, as well as the study of salts including carbon-centered ions, such as carbonate and cyanide. Calcium carbonate (lime), gold cyanide, cyanoferrates (eg, Prussian Blue) are all inorganic, despite the presence of carbon.