Origen of organic chemistry

                 Origen of organic chemistry                                                                                      Around 1800, chemical substances were divided into two groups.

The substances derived from animal, plants and other living sources were called organic substances. Amongst these were table sugar from sugarcane and urea from the urine of mammals.

The substances obtained from the non-living sources such as rocks and minerals were grouped as inorganic substances. Sulpher, salt (NaCl), marble (CaCO₃) belongs to this type.

Vital force theory

According to this theory, it was widely believed that the animals, plants and other living sources contain a mysterious life principle or a natural forced which can’t be created by human being . It was under the influence of this vital force that organic substances were formed. Thus it was considered impossible to prepare them by ordinary laboratory methods.

Failure of vital force theory

A German chemist Friedrich Wohler who discarded this theory. He accomplished the preparation of urea by simply heating of ammonium cyanide (NH₄OCN), a purely inorganic salt, in the laboratory.

                                       

                     

After this organic compound preparation millions of substances are formed in organic laboratories.