organic chem

• A functional group is the group of atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a compound.
• A homologous series is a series of organic compounds with the same functional group and with successive members differing by -CH2.
• An alkane is a saturated hydrocarbon with general formula C n H2n+2.
• The molecular, displayed and skeletal formulae of butane are C4H10, Skeletal: The number 2 in but-2-ene signifies that the double bond is between the 2nd and 3rd carbon.
• A halogenoalkane is an alkane where a hydrogen atom has been replaced by a halogen atom, with prefixes fluoro-/ chloro-/ bromo-/ iodo-.
• The molecular, displayed and skeletal formulae of 1-chloropropane are C3H7Cl, The ‘1’ in 1-chloropropane refers to the carbon the halogen atom is bonded to.
• An alcohol is an organic compound with a lone hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to an alkyl group, with general formula C n H2n+1 OH, and suffix -ol.
• For molecules where only single atoms are attached to the carbons in the C=C, the highest priority group has the highest atomic mass.
• For non-complex small groups such as -CH3, look at the atomic mass of the atom attached directly to the C=C.
• The high priority groups are on the same side of the C=C bond.
• The atom with the greatest atomic mass indicates the high priority group.
• In -CH3, this would be the carbon atom since we ignore the hydrogen atoms.
• The high priority groups are on opposite sides of the C=C bond.
• For more complex groups such as CH3CH2Cl, don’t just observe the atomic mass of the carbon as it is directly attached to the C=C, look at what the carbon is directly attached to.
• The ester shown below is derived from the alcohol methanol and the carboxylic acid ethanoic acid.
• Propane-2-ol has a molecular formula of C3H8O and a skeletal formula of CH3CH2OH.
• Alcohols are classified based on the number of carbon atoms bonded to the hydroxyl group, with primary alcohols having one carbon atom bonded, secondary alcohols having two carbon atoms bonded, and tertiary alcohols having three carbon atoms bonded.
• An ester is an organic compound commonly formed from a condensation reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid.
• A primary amine is an amine derivative where one hydrogen atom in ammonia is substituted with an alkyl group.
• A ketone is an organic compound with the RCOR’ functional group.
• An aldehyde is an organic compound with the -CHO functional group.
• A carboxylic acid is an organic compound with the -COOH functional group.
• A dehydration reaction is an example of an elimination reaction since a molecule of water is removed.
• Reduction reactions involve the gain of electrons and lead to a decrease in oxidation number.
• An elimination reaction is a reaction where a small group of atoms are removed from a molecule and not replaced by anything else.
• Oxidation reactions involve the loss of electrons and lead to an increase in oxidation number.
• Atom economy in a substitution reaction is generally less than 100%.
• An addition reaction is a reaction where two reactants react to form one product.
• The atom economy in an addition reaction is 100%.
• A hydrolysis reaction is the splitting of a compound/molecule using water.
• Heterolytic fission is when a covalent bond breaks, one bonding atom receives both electrons from the bonding pair.
• A condensation reaction is the formation of a compound with the release of a small molecule, such as water.
• Homolytic fission is when a covalent bond breaks, each bonding atom receives one electron from the bonding pair, forming two radicals, and these radicals are highly reactive, neutral species.
• An electron pair acceptor is an electron pair acceptor.
• The molecular formula of a compound is C 4 H 6 O 2 and the empirical formula is C 2 H 3 O.
• An electron pair donor is an electron pair donor.
• A nitrile is an organic compound with a -CN functional group, represented by the suffix -nitrile.
• A substitution reaction is a reaction where an atom/group is replaced by another atom/group.
• The three steps in a free radical substitution mechanism are Initiation, Propagation, and Termination.
• An aliphatic hydrocarbon is a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms in which the carbon atoms are arranged in a linear or branched structure.