Tsis muaj ib qho kev demarcation ntawm cov organic thiab inorganic compounds. Yog vim li cas vim li cas cov organic chemistry tau dhau los ua kev qhuab qhia ywj pheej hauv chemistry yog tias cov organic tebchaw muaj lawv cov kev sib txuas hauv nruab nrab thiab cov khoom.
Cov pa roj carbon nyob rau hauv lub rooj zaum feem ntau ua tiav cov khoom siv hluav taws xob ruaj khov (piv txwv li, tsim cov ntawv cog lus covalent) los ntawm kev sib koom cov khoom siv hluav taws xob sab nraud nrog atoms ntawm lwm cov khoom. Txoj kev no covalent daim ntawv cog lus yog sib cog lus txiav txim cov khoom ntawm cov organic compound. Feem ntau cov organic tebchaw yog tsim los ntawm carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, thiab ob peb kuj muaj halogens thiab cov ntsiab lus xws li sulfur, phosphorus, thiab nitrogen. Yog li ntawd, feem ntau cov organic tebchaw muaj cov khoom xws li cov ntsiab lus melting tsawg, combustible, thiab soluble nyob rau hauv organic solvents, uas txawv heev ntawm cov khoom ntawm inorganic tebchaw.
Nyob rau hauv ib qho organic compound molecule uas muaj ntau cov pa roj carbon atoms, cov pa roj carbon atoms sib xyaw ua ke los ua ib lub pob txha molecular uas cov atoms ntawm lwm cov khoom txuas nrog. Tsis muaj lwm yam nyob rau hauv lub sij hawm lub rooj uas khi rau ib leeg zoo li cov pa roj carbon. Muaj ntau hom molecular skeletons tsim los ntawm carbon atoms, xws li ncaj, branched, cyclical, thiab lwm yam.
Nyob rau theem pib ntawm txoj kev loj hlob ntawm cov organic chemistry, cov khoom tseem ceeb ntawm cov organic chemistry kev lag luam yog tsiaj thiab nroj tsuag lub cev, thiab cov organic chemistry feem ntau kawm txog kev sib cais ntawm cov organic tebchaw los ntawm cov tsiaj thiab cov nroj tsuag lub cev.
Los ntawm nruab nrab ntawm lub xyoo pua 19th mus txog rau thaum pib ntawm lub xyoo pua 20th, cov organic chemical kev lag luam maj mam hloov mus rau thee tar raws li lub ntsiab raw khoom. Kev tshawb pom ntawm cov xim hluavtaws tau ua rau muaj kev vam meej ntawm cov dyeing thiab kev lag luam tshuaj, thiab tau txhawb kev kawm txog cov tshuaj tsw qab thiab cov tshuaj heterocyclic. Tom qab 30s, organic synthesis siv ethylene ua raw khoom tshwm sim. Nyob ib ncig ntawm lub 40s, cov ntaub ntawv raw ntawm cov organic chemical kev lag luam maj mam hloov mus rau roj thiab natural gas, thiab cov hluavtaws roj hmab, hluavtaws plastics thiab hluavtaws fiber ntau industries tau tsim. Raws li cov peev txheej roj tab tom yuav ploj mus, kev lag luam tshuaj lom neeg siv cov thee ua cov khoom siv raw yog khi rau kev txhim kho dua. Ntawm chav kawm, tej yam ntuj tso tsiaj, nroj tsuag thiab microorganisms tseem yog ib qho tseem ceeb ntawm kev tshawb fawb.
Txhawm rau sau cov ntsiab lus tshawb fawb ntawm cov organic chemistry hauv kab lus luv tshaj, nws yog "yuav ua li cas tsim cov pa roj carbon-carbon bonds". Organic chemistry yog chemistry ntawm carbon, thiab cov ntsiab lus ntawm cov organic chemistry yog, muab nws bluntly, kawm txog yuav ua li cas los tsim ib lub tsev (los yog lub tsev me) ntawm carbon atoms. Vim tias cov organic molecules uas muaj txiaj ntsig zoo rau tib neeg feem ntau loj thiab nyuaj, thiab cov khoom siv raw uas tib neeg tuaj yeem pov tseg thiab tau yooj yim tau yog feem ntau me me thiab yooj yim.