Final answer:
The family of organic compounds that are soluble in organic solvents but insoluble in water are known as lipids. These compounds, which can include fats, oils, and waxes, are characterized by their hydrophobic nature, low melting points, and low boiling points.
Step-by-step explanation:
The family of organic compounds that are soluble in organic solvents but not in water are generally referred to as lipids. These compounds exhibit low solubility in water due to their largely hydrophobic (non-polar) nature but have high solubility in nonpolar solvents. Lipids include a variety of molecules such as fats, oils, waxes, certain vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E, and K), hormones, and most of the non-protein membrane components.
Lipids are notable for their low melting points and low boiling points, characteristics that are common among organic compounds with non-polar bonds. The structure of lipids, which often includes long chains of hydrocarbons, makes them insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents like dichloromethane.
Not all organic compounds, however, are lipids. Some, like glucose are highly polar and therefore soluble in water despite being organic. Others include different families of organic compounds such as hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and arenes), halogen-substituted hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing compounds (such as alcohols, ketones, and carboxylic acids), and nitrogen-containing compounds (like amines and nitriles).