Carbon-hydrogen bond

A carbogen, also known as a C-H bond, is a single bond between carbon and hydrogen atoms, most commonly found in organic compounds ^[1]. Carbon-hydrogen bonds have a bond length of 1.09 Å (1.09 × 10^-10 m) and a bond energy of 413 kJ/mol. Using Pauling's scale--C (2.5) and H (2.1)--the electronegativity difference between these two atoms is 0.4. The bond type this electronegativity difference determines is generally regarded as being non-polar.

Compound classes consisting solely of C-H bonds and C-C bonds are alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and arene compounds.

The C-H bond in general is very unreactive; in structural formulas of molecules, the hydrogen atoms are in fact omitted. In several compound classes, collectively called carbon acids, the C-H bond can be sufficiently acidic for proton removal. Unactivated C-H bonds participate in radical substitution. Another reaction type involving C-H bonds is so-called C-H bond activation mediated by metals and carbene C-H insertion.

See also

• Hydrocarbon

References