What is aliphatic vs aromatic?

Here's a breakdown of aliphatic vs. aromatic compounds in markdown format:

Aliphatic vs. Aromatic Compounds

Organic chemistry classifies compounds into two major groups: aliphatic and aromatic. The primary difference lies in their structure and the presence (or absence) of a special ring system.

Aliphatic Compounds:

• Structure: Aliphatic compounds consist of straight or branched chains, or non-aromatic rings (alicyclic) of carbon atoms. These chains can be saturated (containing only single bonds) or unsaturated (containing double or triple bonds).
• Bonding: They primarily feature single, double, or triple bonds between carbon atoms, as well as bonds to hydrogen and other elements.
• Reactivity: Aliphatic compounds generally undergo addition, substitution, or elimination reactions. Their reactivity is largely determined by the functional groups attached to the carbon chain.
• Examples: Alkanes (e.g., methane, ethane), alkenes (e.g., ethene), alkynes (e.g., ethyne), and cycloalkanes (e.g., cyclohexane) are all examples of https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/aliphatic%20compounds.

Aromatic Compounds:

• Structure: Aromatic compounds contain one or more planar rings with delocalized pi electrons. The most common example is the benzene ring.
• Bonding: Aromatic rings exhibit resonance, which results in enhanced stability. All the carbon-carbon bonds within the aromatic ring have an identical bond length between that of a single and double bond.
• Reactivity: Aromatic compounds are known for their stability and tend to undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions, rather than addition reactions.
• Examples: Benzene, toluene, naphthalene, and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are examples of https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/aromatic%20compounds.

Key Differences Summarized:

Feature	Aliphatic	Aromatic
Structure	Straight/branched chains or non-aromatic rings	Planar rings with delocalized pi electrons
Bonding	Single, double, or triple bonds between carbons	Delocalized pi electron system (resonance)
Stability	Generally less stable than aromatic compounds	Relatively high stability due to resonance
Typical Reactions	Addition, substitution, elimination	Electrophilic aromatic substitution
Examples	Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes	Benzene, toluene, naphthalene