Ode to the Chemical Element Carbon

Abstract

If an element deserves praise, then this element is carbon. Its nucleus, along with N and O, catalyzes the fusion of H into He in the sun and sun-like stars. Its minor stable isotope allows chemical structure to be elucidated by ¹³C-NMR, along with ¹H-NMR. Its long-lived radioisotope ¹⁴C allows radiocarbon dating, and reaction mechanisms or bioactivities of medicines to be understood by isotopic labeling. Its short-lived radioisotope ¹¹C is used for PET scans. The 16th part of its atomic weight serves as unified atomic mass unit, also called “dalton”. Its allotropes (diamond, graphite, fullerenes) have extremely useful properties. And this above all: it is the element that life is based upon, the central element of organic chemistry, and the element that is present in most of the 7 × 10⁷ substances registered till now. Due to this fact and to the multiple uses of carbon compounds, although it is now known that they do not differ from inorganic compounds, Organic Chemistry is still a distinct part of chemistry. Because carbon atoms form molecules with covalent bonds that can be represented by hydrogen-depleted molecular graphs, this makes molecular structure search the best scientific documentation among all sciences. Substantial consideration is dedicated to carbon allotropes and to derived hydrocarbon fragments such as diamondoids and benzenoids, emphasizing the author’s theoretical contributions to these research fields.