Question

Explain the following term with example.
Hetero atom in a carbon compound

Answer 1

Hetero atom is any atom which is not carbon or hydrogen. These are non-carbon, hydrogen atoms which replace carbon in the back bone of the molecular structure, usually found in heterocyclic compounds. Typical hetero atoms are nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine, bromine and iodine.

For example: Oxygen is hetero atom in ethanol ( C₂H₅-O-H)
Similarly, Nitrogen is the hetero atom in Ethyl amine ( CH₃-CH₂-NH₂)  

Pyridine is a heterocyclic compound with hetero atom nitrogen, furan with hetero atom oxygen.