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Aromatic Compounds: Overview

Aromatic Compounds: Overview

In general, the term ‘aromatic’ indicates a pleasant smell or fragrance from fresh flowers, freshly prepared coffee, etc. In the early history of organic chemistry, many benzene derivatives were isolated from the pleasant odor oils of the plants. For example, vanillin was isolated from the oil of vanilla, methyl salicylate from the oil of wintergreen, and cinnamaldehyde from the oil of cinnamon. They all had a pleasant odor; hence the name aromatic was given.
In 1825, Faraday isolated benzene...

Five-Membered Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds: Overview

Five-Membered Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds: Overview

Heterocyclic aromatic compounds are cyclic compounds that are aromatic and have one or more heteroatoms—atoms other than carbon, in the ring. Depending upon the number of atoms present in the ring, they can be either five or six-membered. Examples of five-membered heterocyclic aromatic compounds include pyrrole, furan, thiophene, and imidazole. Pyrrole consists of one nitrogen atom having one lone pair of electrons. Furan and thiophene have one oxygen and one sulfur heteroatom, respectively.

The Fossil Record

The Fossil Record

The fossil record documents only a small fraction of all organisms that have ever inhabited Earth. Fossilization is a rare process, and most organisms never become fossils. Moreover, the fossil record only exhibits fossils that have been discovered. Nevertheless, sedimentary rock fossils of long-lived, abundant, hard-bodied organisms dominate the fossil record. These fossils offer valuable information, such as an organism's physical form, behavior, and age. Studying the fossil record helps...

Aromatic Hydrocarbon Anions: Structural Overview

Aromatic Hydrocarbon Anions: Structural Overview

Neutral hydrocarbons like cyclopentadiene with an odd number of carbon atoms and one intervening CH2 group in the ring are not aromatic. Cyclopentadiene with 4 π electrons does not satisfy the 4n + 2 π electron rule. Additionally, the intervening CH2 group is sp3 hybridized and lacks a vacant p orbital, thereby interrupting the overlap of p orbitals in a continuous manner and preventing the delocalization of π electrons throughout the ring.
Due to the absence of continuous overlap of p...

NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds

NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds

Aromatic compounds can be identified or analyzed using proton NMR and carbon‐13 NMR. Typically, aromatic hydrogens or hydrogens directly bonded to the aromatic rings are strongly deshielded by the aromatic ring current. Therefore, they absorb in the range of 6.5–8.0 ppm in proton NMR spectra. For instance, aromatic hydrogens directly bonded to the benzene ring absorb at 7.3 ppm. However, aromatic hydrogens of larger rings absorb farther upfield or downfield than the ideal range. Consider...

Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids (BPCA)

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids (BPCA)

Published on: May 16, 2016

Sedimentary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: the historical record.

R A Hites, R E Laflamme, J W Farrington

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|November 25, 1977

Summary

Researchers analyzed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Buzzards Bay sediment. The findings indicate that PAHs in this area mainly originate from burning fossil fuels.

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Geochemistry
Organic Chemistry

Background:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds formed during incomplete combustion.
Sediment cores provide a historical record of environmental conditions.
Understanding PAH sources is crucial for environmental monitoring and risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.
To establish a historical record of PAH deposition in the region.
To determine the primary contributors to sedimentary PAH levels.

Main Methods:

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatographic spectrometry.
Examination of three distinct sections from a dated sediment core.

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A Modified QuEChERS-HPLC Method for Detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Fine Particulate Matter

A Modified QuEChERS-HPLC Method for Detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Fine Particulate Matter

Published on: June 13, 2025

On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes

On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes

Published on: August 5, 2016

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Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids (BPCA)

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids (BPCA)

Published on: May 16, 2016

A Modified QuEChERS-HPLC Method for Detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Fine Particulate Matter

A Modified QuEChERS-HPLC Method for Detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Fine Particulate Matter

Published on: June 13, 2025

On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes

On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes

Published on: August 5, 2016

Application of analytical chemistry techniques for compound identification and quantification.

Main Results:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in all analyzed sediment sections.
Distinct PAH profiles were observed, indicative of specific source inputs.
The composition of PAHs suggests a dominant anthropogenic origin.

Conclusions:

Sedimentary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Buzzards Bay are predominantly derived from the anthropogenic combustion of fossil fuels.
The findings highlight the significant impact of human activities on the local aquatic environment.
This study provides valuable historical data for understanding PAH pollution dynamics.