Catenation

The idea

Catenation is carbon's unique ability to bond with other carbon atoms, forming long chains, branched chains or rings; because the carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable, no other element shows catenation to this extent.

Carbon joined to carbon

Carbon atoms can bond with other carbon atoms. A bond has two ends, so one carbon atom can hold on to another, and that one to another.

What shapes can carbon atoms make this way?

• Only pairs of carbon atoms
• Long chains, branched chains and rings
• Only short straight chains

Chains, branches and rings

Open every tab. Only the carbon atoms are drawn.

A special talent of carbon

Linking carbon to carbon in long chains, branches and rings lets carbon build very large molecules.

Catenation is carbon's unique ability to bond with other carbon atoms, forming long chains, branched chains or rings. The carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable, and no other element shows catenation to the extent seen in carbon.

Notes

Catenation is carbon's unique ability to bond with other carbon atoms, forming long chains, branched chains or rings. The carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable, and no other element shows catenation to this extent.

Check yourself

What is catenation?

Which of these can carbon atoms form with one another?

Why can carbon form so many compounds with many carbon atoms linked together?

Silicon forms chains of up to seven or eight atoms with hydrogen. What is said about these compounds?

• The ability of carbon to bond with other carbon atoms, forming chains and rings — correct. Yes!
• The ability of carbon to burn in oxygen. Burning is a chemical reaction of carbon. Catenation is about carbon atoms bonding with carbon atoms.
• The ability of carbon to form ions. Carbon does not easily gain or lose electrons. Catenation is about carbon atoms bonding with carbon atoms.
• Only a chain of two atoms. Carbon atoms form long chains, branched chains and rings.
• Branched chains — correct. Yes!
• Only nuclei without bonds. Carbon atoms bond with one another to form long chains, branched chains or rings.
• The carbon-carbon bond breaks easily. The book says the carbon-carbon bond is very strong and hence stable.
• Carbon atoms cannot bond with each other. Carbon atoms do bond with each other. This is called catenation.
• The carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable — correct. Yes!
• They are very reactive — correct. Yes!
• They are more stable than carbon chains. The carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable, while the silicon compounds are very reactive.
• They show catenation to a greater extent than carbon. No other element exhibits catenation to the extent seen in carbon compounds.