Basic Concepts

• saturated hydrocarbon


  single bonds only
• unsaturated hydrocarbon


  carbon to carbon multiple bonds
• homologous series


  family of compounds with similar chemical properties whose family of compounds with similar chemical properties whose successive members differ by the addition of a CH2 group
• alkanes


  single carbon to carbon bonds

  CnH2n+2
• three classifications of hydrocarbons

  aliphatic

  alicyclic

  aromatic
• aliphatic


  carbon atoms are joined to each other in unbranched or branched chains, or non-aromatic rings
• alicyclic


  carbon atoms are joined together in cyclic structures, with or without branches
• aromatic


  some or all of the carbon atoms are found in a benzene ring
• three homologous series of aliphatic hydrcocarbons

  alkanes

  alkenes

  alkynes
• alkanes


  single carbon-carbon bonds
• alkenes


  at least one double carbon-carbon bond
• molecular formula


  shows the number and type of atoms of each element are present in a molecule
• empirical formula


  shows simplest whole number ratio of the atoms of each element present in a compound
• general formula


  simplest algebraic formula for any member of the homologous series
• displayed formula


  relative positioning of all of the atoms in a molecule and the bonds between them
• structural formula


  smallest amount of detail necessary to show the arrangement of atoms in a molecule
• skeletal formula


  carbon skeleton and any functional groups

  a line represents a single bond, intersection of two lines represents a carbon atom, the end of a line represents a CH3 group
• structural isomers


  compounds with same molecular formula but different structural formulae
• homolytic fission


  when a covalent bond breaks through homolytic fission, each of the bonded atoms takes one of the shared pair of electrons from the bond
• radical


  an atom or group of atoms with an unpaired electron
• heterolytic fission


  when a covalent bond breaks by heterolytic fission, one of the bonded atoms takes both of the electrons from the bond
• heterolytic fission


  the atoms that takes both electrons becomes a negative ion, the atom that does not take the electrons becomes a positive ion
• curly arrows


  used to show the movement of electron pairs when bonds are broken or made
• addition reaction


  two reactants join together to form one product
• substitution reaction


  an atom or group of atoms is replaced by a different atom or group of atoms
• elimination reaction


  removal of one small molecule from a larger one. one reactant molecule forms two products