Which of the following would not be considered an organic compound?

• A. ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ (carbon dioxide)
• B. $C_2{H}_6$ (ethane)
• C. ${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{OH}$ (methanol)
• D. ${\mathrm{CH}}_4$ (methane)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of an organic compound: Organic compounds primarily contain carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, often along with other elements like oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc. The key feature is the presence of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds.
2. Examine each given compound to identify if it contains carbon-hydrogen bonds:
3. 1. \(\mathrm{CO_2}\) (carbon dioxide) contains carbon and oxygen but no hydrogen atoms, so it lacks C-H bonds.
4. 2. \(\mathrm{C_2H_6}\) (ethane) contains carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded together, fitting the definition of an organic compound.
5. 3. \(\mathrm{CH_3OH}\) (methanol) contains carbon bonded to hydrogen and oxygen, with C-H bonds present, so it is organic.
6. 4. \(\mathrm{CH_4}\) (methane) contains carbon bonded to hydrogen atoms, making it an organic compound.
7. Conclude that carbon dioxide (\(\mathrm{CO_2}\)) is not considered an organic compound because it lacks carbon-hydrogen bonds, unlike the other molecules listed.