Basic concepts of organic chemistry

• hat does modern organic chemistry study?

  The structure, properties, composition, reactions and preparation of carbon-containing compounds
• Where are organic compounds used?

  pharmaceuticals, detergents, dyes and pigments, cosmetics, plastics, agricultural chemicals
• How are the vast majority of of organic materials produced?

  fractions of crude oil as fuels in domestic central heating systems, for electrical generation and to power many forms of transport
• Why is carbon special?

  4 electrons in its outer shell

  each carbon atom can form 4 covalent bonds to other atoms - can be single, double and even triple

  carbon atoms can bond to other carbon atoms to form long chains
• What is a hydrocarbon

  a compound containing carbon and hydrogen only
• What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated?

  Saturated hydrocarbons have single bonds only

  Unsaturated hydrocarbons contain carbon-to-carbon multiple bonds
• What is a homologous series?

  a family of compounds with similar chemical properties whose successive members differ by the addition of a -CH2- group
• What is a functional group?

  the part of the organic molecule that is largely responsible for the molecule's chemical properties. In addition to hydrogen, carbon can bond to other elements
• What is meant by aliphatic?

  carbon atoms are joined to each other in an unbranched (straight) or branched chain
• What is meant by alicyclic?

  carbon atoms are joined to each other in ring (cyclic) structures
• What is meant by aromatic?

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

  alkanes - containing single carbon-to-carbon bonds

  alkenes - containing at least one double carbon-to-carbon bond

  alkynes - containing at least one triple carbon-to-carbon bond
• what does the stem of the name indicate?

  the number of carbons in the longest continuous chain in the molecule
• why is a prefix added?

  to indicate the presence of side chains or functional groups
• why is a suffix added?

  to indicate functional groups
• How do we name aliphatic alkanes?

  1. all alkanes have the suffix -ane
  2. indentify the longest continuous chain
  3. identify any side chains attached to the parent chain - alkyl groups (name added as a prefix to name of parent chain)
  4. add numbers before any alkyl groups to show the position of the alkyl group on the parent chain
• meth - methyl

  eth - ethyl

  prop - propyl

  but - butyl

  pent - pentyl

  hex - hexyl

  hept - heptyl

  oct - octyl

  non - nonyl

  dec - decyl
• What do we add when naming alicyclic alkanes?

  Cyclo-
• alkene?

  functional group - C=C

  Suffix = -ene
• Alcohol?

  Functional group = -OH

  prefix = hydroxy-

  suffix = -ol
• Haloalkane?

  Functional group = -Cl, -Br, -I

  Prefix = chloro-, bromo-, iodo-
• Aldehyde?

  Functional group = -CHO

  Suffix = -al
• Ketone?

  Functional group = -C(CO)C-

  suffix = -one
• Carboxylic acid?

  Functional group = -COOH

  suffix = -oic acid
• What does the molecular formular show?


  the number and types of atoms of each element present in a molecule. It does not show how the atoms are joined together and different molecules can have the same molecular formula
• What does Empirical formula show?

  the simplest whole number ration of the atoms of each element present in a compound
• What does the general formula show?

  the simplest algebraic formula for any member of a homologous series. You can use the general formula to generate the molecular formula for any member of that homologous series.
• General Formulas?

  alkane - CnH2n+2

  alkene - CnH2n

  alcohol - CnH2n+1O2

  carboxylic acids - CnH2nO2

  ketones - CnH2nO
• What does displayed formula show?

  shows the relative positioning of all the atoms in a molecule and the bonds between them
• What does structural formula show?

  Uses the smallest amount of detail necessary to show the arrangement of the atoms in a molecule. It shows clearly which groups are bonded together.
• What does skeletal formula show?

  a skeletal formula is a simplified organic formula. You remove

  all of the carbon and hydrogen labels from carbon chains

  any bonds to hydrogen atoms

  leaves just the carbon skeleton and any functional groups

  In a skeletal formulae:

  a line represents a single bond

  an intersection of two lines represents a carbon atom

  the end of a line represents a -CH3 group