Ocroszr 4, 1918] 
ORGANIC SYMBOLS 
THE idea to assign an individual symbol to 
each organic compound, of which over 110,000 
are known, seems absurd, impractical and too 
complicated for a student to master. It would 
even put the Chinese characters in the back- 
ground as far as the number of symbols is 
concerned. Nevertheless a system of organic 
symbols is not only possible and practical, but 
also simple and efficient and offers a time- 
and space-saving device for modern chemistry. 
In a recent paper! such a system of symbols 
was outlined and some of its advantages have 
been pointed out. Each symbol represents the 
structure of the organic compound and indi- 
eates furthermore the optical activity, iso- 
meric form and chemical type of a definite 
organic compound. 
The system of symbols is based upon the 
four elements, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and 
carbon, while all the other elements entering 
into a compound are represented by their 
ordinary chemical symbols. The atoms of 
these four elements are thought to be points 
in the symbols, these points to be determined 
by lines terminating (H), meeting (O and N) 
or crossing (C). Accordingly hydrogen is a 
point from which one line radiates, oxygen a 
point from which two lines radiate, nitrogen 
three and carbon four lines, radiating respec- 
tively. The lines are therefore the bonds or 
valeneies of the respective elements and we 
have: 
’ x ‘ 
’ . ‘ 
Sy eee 
Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen Carbon 
Thus a hydrogen atom is assumed to exist 
wherever a line ends. Oxygen is supposed to 
stand wherever a line makes an angle or two 
lines come together. Nitrogen exists at the 
point where three lines meet or arise, and 
carbon is thought to be at a point where 
two lines cross or four lines radiate. The 
length of the lines is immaterial. They are 
straight when representing single bonds and 
1 Canadian Chemical Journal, Vol. 2, p. 135, 
May, 1918. 
SCIENCE 
333 
curved when representing double bonds. 
With these simple principles all organic 
structure-formulas can be accurately and ex- 
actly reproduced and the resulting geomet- 
rical figures or “organic symbols” offer cer- 
tain advantages worthy of notice: 
1. Compactness, for the structure has been 
brought to a very narrow compass, enabling 
the extensive use of the symbols where space 
is limited, e. g., in abstracts and catalogs. 
2. Exactness, for each symbol represents 
only one definite organic compound of a defi- 
nite structure and isomeric form. 
8. Accuracy, for it is impossible to write 
for a given compound a structure symbol 
which is not theoretically correct, provided the 
simple rule regarding H, O, N and C is fol- 
lowed. 
4, Clearness, for the design of the symbols 
of certain types of compounds is distinct and 
helps the student to remember the character- 
istic. structure of a group of compounds or a 
radical like —COOH, ete. 
Fic. 1. The Organic Symbol for Benzene. 
5. Simplicity, for with a very few rules 
thousands of compounds can be constructed 
and readily understood. 
In Fig. 1 the comparatively simple trans- 
formation of the structural formula of ben- 
zene to its organic symbol is schematically 
represented, while Fig. 2 shows a comparison 
Fig. 2. 
The Organic Symbol for Morphine. 
