The term organic chemistry came into use when compounds where basically divided into organic and inorganic compounds. Organic compounds where considered to be compound that could not be synthesized in the laboratory but could be obtain from living organisms e.g. carbohydrates. Today it is known that organic compound could be synthesized in the laboratory and the first organic compound to be synthesized in the lab is urea.

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon containing compounds except carbon dioxide (co₂), hydrogen carbonate (hco₃), calcium carbite (cac₂), calcium carbonate (co^2-₃).