CH Named Per Se

There are at least 3 functional groups with the formula CH

        Methanetriyl

                http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:29433

        Methanylylidene

                http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:29432

        Methylidyne

                http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:29429

All 3 CH groups bond with at least 1 other functional group. But just the CH part is regarded as a functional group by standard chemical conventions.


There are 2 quantum states of CH that exist as radicals

        Hydridocarbon(3•)

                http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:51383

        Hydridocarbon(•)

                http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=CHEBI:29430

Being radicals, they do not exist for long -- on Earth. But at least Hydridocarbon(•) is common in outer space. Hydridocarbon(3•) is more rare than Hydridocarbon(•) on Earth. I do not know how common Hydridocarbon(3•) is in space.


CH also exists as a polymer: Poly(hydridocarbyne). Natural Poly(hydridocarbyne) is rare on earth. but people can make it in a lab -- with difficulty. The heaviest commercial specimens weigh 1 g. But once you have Poly(hydridocarbyne), it is stable at room temperature.

This picture

        http://smarturl.it/PolyCH_CHBr3

shows a reation that condenses Bromoform (CHBr3) into Poly(hydridocarbyne). The structure at the bottom is Poly(hydridocarbyne). What goes at the end of the 3 open bonds? If the reaction goes well, another CH monomer will be at the end of each bond.

Even a good reaction will not branch forever. What is at the end the 3 open bonds where the polymer stops? In this reaction Bromoform. Which is bad. But there are processes you can use on the initial polymer to convert the Bromoform group into a methyl group (CH3). Which is good.