Inorganic compound - inorganic compound

Japanese: 無機化合物 - むきかごうぶつ（英語表記）inorganic compound

This refers to compounds other than organic compounds. In other words, it is a general term for compounds that consist only of elements other than carbon, and relatively simple compounds of carbon. Carbon compounds are generally classified as organic compounds, but among them, relatively simple compounds such as oxides such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO _{2 )} , and carbon dioxide (C ₃ O _{2 )} , cyanides such as cyanide (CN) ₂ and potassium cyanide (KCN), cyano complexes such as K ₄ [Fe(CN) ₆ ] and K ₃ [Fe(CN) ₆ ], thiocyanates such as NaSCN and NH ₄ SCN, and carbonates such as K ₂ CO ₃ , KHCO ₃ , and Na ₂ CO ₃ are usually treated as inorganic compounds. However, there are also compounds that can be classified as both, such as oxalates such as Na ₂ C ₂ O ₄ and K ₂ C ₂ O ₄ , and acetates such as CH ₃ COONa, making it difficult to distinguish between them. In addition, simple compounds such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl ₄₎ and carbon disulfide (CS ₂₎ that have organic properties can also be classified as organic compounds, so the distinction is not strict. As for organometallic compounds, rather than classifying them into one or the other, it is thought that it would be better to classify them as a third domain independent of inorganic and organic compounds.

[Nakahara Katsunori]

[Reference items] | Compounds | Organometallic compounds

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

有機化合物以外の化合物をいう。すなわち、炭素以外の元素だけからなる化合物、および炭素の化合物でも比較的簡単なものの総称。炭素の化合物は一般に有機化合物に分類されるが、そのなかでは比較的簡単な化合物、たとえば酸化物の一酸化炭素CO、二酸化炭素CO₂、二酸化三炭素C₃O₂など、シアン(CN)₂やシアン化カリウムKCNなどのシアン化物、シアノ錯塩K₄[Fe(CN)₆],K₃[Fe(CN)₆]など、チオシアン酸塩NaSCN,NH₄SCN、炭酸塩K₂CO₃,KHCO₃,Na₂CO₃などがそうで、これらは無機化合物として取り扱われるのが普通である。ただ、たとえばシュウ酸塩Na₂C₂O₄,K₂C₂O₄や、酢酸塩CH₃COONaなどのように、どちらにも分類されるようなものもあって、区別がむずかしいこともある。また四塩化炭素CCl₄や二硫化炭素CS₂のように簡単な化合物でも、その性質が有機化合物的であるものは有機化合物に分類されることもあり、その区別は厳密なものではない。また有機金属化合物については、これらをどちらに分類するかというよりは、無機化合物と有機化合物とは独立した第三の領域の分類としたほうがよいと考えられてきている。