Chemical Formula Funnies

Chemists seem to have very dry personalities. Working with formulas all day just does something to the mind. But every now and then we can break out with a little touch of humor. Back in the day, which for me was the early 70′s when I was in college, one of my chemistry professors shared a few chemical formula funnies with his class. I don’t know why but they have stuck with me for these many years and still bring a smile to my face when I think of them. Seems strange I know but then, I am a chemist at heart.

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So today I want to share a few of these formulas with you. These all circle around the chemical benzene. Now benzene is a six carbon ring with three double bonds and has a chemical formula of C₆H₆. It is naturally found in crude oil, and is one of the most basic of petrochemicals. Benzene is an aromatic, cyclic hydrocarbon, a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell.

Chemically its formula is drawn like this:
Benzene is the basis for many other compounds, including many resins and plastics. It is used to make nylon as well as many drugs, even one we looked at here before, Aspirin.

Now bear with me on this. The following chemical formulas are derived from benzene but do not exist in the physical world. They are interesting, nonetheless.

The first one is for our German chemists who have a knack for fine engineering.

A high quality compound indeed. Very safe and travels well on the Autobahn.

The next one can be found around the world but was originally seen in public on June 21, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. In its chemical rendition it is a benzene ring with iron atoms in place of the hydrogen (chemical formula C₆Fe₆). Now iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe (from Latin: ferrum) and one of its oxidation states (Fe²⁺) is called Ferrous. This chemical is a fun ride and can give you an exhilarating feeling and a great view from the top.

Another facet of the benzene structure is related to how other branches can link off the main ring when a hydrogen is replaced by a carbon. This is shown in the three possible isomers for xylene, also known as dimethylbenzene. If the two methyl groups are adjacent, then it is called an “ortho-” configuration. If they are diametrically opposed, they are “para-” and if spaced one carbon apart then they are considered in the “meta-” position.

Now consider the atomic positions mentioned above. In the last pair of benzene structures we see two compounds with medical backgrounds. The doctors (MDs) shown form a rather confused medical group.

If I have a choice, I would go to the doctors in the “Orthodocs” group because they are such straight thinkers. The “Paradocs” group scares me a little as I would expect their diagnosis to contradict the other doctors and their treatment plans to defy all reason and logic.

Well so much for a lighthearted look at chemists and a number of unusual chemical structures. Hope they stimulated your neurons enough to produce at least a small chuckle.

Proverbs 17:22a – “A merry heart does good, like medicine. (NKJV)”

Read more at God’s Chemistry Set

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