10 Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What is catenation and what is its role in organic chemistry?
This enables it to form long chains of carbon atoms, and hence an almost infinite variety of carbon compounds are known
The tendency of identical atoms to form covalent bonds with each other and hence form chains is known as catenation
What bonds can carbon form?
Carbon always forms four covalent bonds which can be single, double or triple bonds
What is a functional group and what is its role?
A functional group is a specific atom or group of atoms which confer certain physical and chemical properties onto the molecule
Organic molecules are classified by the dominant functional group on the molecule
What is a homologous series and how do compounds in one differ?
Organic compounds with the same functional group, but a different number of carbon atoms, are said to belong to the same homologous series
Every time a carbon atom is added to the chain, two hydrogen atoms are also added
What are the characteristics of a homologous series (5)?
Things we can say about a homologous series:
- each member has the same functional group
- each member has the same general formula
- each member has similar chemical properties
- each member differs by -CH2 -
- members have gradually changing physical properties, for example, boiling point, melting point and density
What happens as a homologous series ascends?
As a homologous series is ascended, the size of the molecule increases
This has an effect on the physical properties, such as boiling point and density
What is the boiling point graph for the first 8 alkananes?
increasing linearly with plateau
Why does boiling points increase with ascending homologous series for alkanes?
The broad trend is that boiling point increases with increased molecular size
Each additional -CH2 - (called the homologous increment ) adds 8 more electrons to the molecule
This increases the strength of the London Dispersion Forces
Stronger LDF leads to a higher boiling point
These trends are followed in other homologous series
What 4 formula can represent organic compounds?
Empirical Formulae
Molecular Formulae
Structural Formulae
Condensed Structural Formulae
What do empirical formulae show?
The empirical formula shows the simplest possible ratio of the atoms in a molecule
What is the molecular formula?
The molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms in a molecule
e.g. C4H10
What is the structural formula?
The structural formula shows the spatial arrangement of all the atoms and bonds in a molecule
This is also known as the displayed formula or graphical formula.
full drawing of molecule
What is the CONDENSED structural formula?
In a condensed structural formulae enough information is shown to make the structure clear, but most of the actual covalent bonds are omitted
How are condensed structural formulas shown?
Only important bonds are always shown, such as double and triple bonds
Identical groups can be bracketed together
Side groups are also shown using brackets
Straight chain alkanes are shown as follows:
What are structural isomers?
Structural isomers are compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structural formulae
Eg. propene and cyclopropane
What are the 3 different types of STRUCTURAL isomerism?
There are three different types of structural isomerism:
Branch-Chain isomerism
Positional isomerism
Functional group isomerism
What is branch-chain isomerism?
Branch-Chain isomerism is when compounds have the same molecular formula, but their longest hydrocarbon chain is not the same
This is caused by branching
Eg. pentane and 2,2-dimethylpropane
What is positional isomerism?
Positional isomers arise from differences in the position of a functional group in each isomer
The functional group can be located on different carbons
For example, butan-1-ol and butan-2-ol
What is functional group isomerism?
When different functional groups result in the same molecular formula, functional group isomers arise
The isomers have very different chemical properties as they have different functional groups
For example, butanol and ethoxyethane
What are saturated hydrocarbons?
Saturated hydrocarbons are hydrocarbons which contain single bonds only resulting in the maximum number of hydrogen atoms in the molecule
What are unsaturated hydrocarbons?
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are hydrocarbons which contain carbon-carbon double or triple bonds
What are hydrocarbons?
Hydrocarbons are compounds containing hydrogen and carbon only
What are the 4 families of hydrocarbons?
There are four families of hydrocarbons you should know: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and arenes
What are the features of alkanes?
Alkanes have the general molecular formula CnH2n+2. They contain only single bonds and are said to be saturated
What is the general formula of alkenes?
Alkenes have the general molecular formula CnH2n
Are alkenes saturated/unsaturated?
They are said to be unsaturated
How are alkenes named?
Alkenes are named using the nomenclature rule alk + ene
In molecules with a straight chain of 4 or more carbon atoms, the position of the C=C double bond must be specified
The carbon atoms on the straight chain must be numbered, starting with the end closest to the double bond
The lowest-numbered carbon atom participating in the double bond is indicated just before the -ene:
What is the difference between the functional group and the name of the family for alkenes?
There is a distinction to be made between the name of the functional group and the name of the family
The name of the family is alkene, but the name of the functional group is alkenyl
What is the general formula of alkynes? Are they (un)saturated?
Alkynes have the general molecular formula CnH2n-2
The triple bond makes them unsaturated molecules
How are alkynes named?
Alkynes are named using the nomenclature rule alk + yne
As with alkenes, in molecules with a straight chain of 4 or more carbon atoms, the position of the triple bond must be specified
The carbon atoms on the straight chain must be numbered, starting with the end closest to the triple bond
The lowest-numbered carbon atom participating in the triple bond is indicated just before the -yne:
What is the name of the functional group for alkenes?
The name of the functional group is alkynyl
What is an arene?
Arene is the collective name given to compounds with one or more rings with pi electrons that are delocalised throughout the ring(s)
What are compounds with rings called?
Compounds with this feature are said to be aromatic
This doesn’t mean they are necessarily smelly, although a lot of naturally occurring arenes do have distinctive smells!
What is benzene and what is its functional group, v. brief?
Benzene, C6H6, is the only aromatic hydrocarbon that is covered in IB Chemistry and is dealt with in Section 10.1.12
The functional group in benzene is known as a phenyl group when attached to other molecules
What is the general formula of halogenoalkanes?
Halogenoalkanes or Haloalkanes have the general molecular formula, CnH2n+1X, where X represents a halogen
How are halogenoalkanes named?
Haloalkanes are named using the prefix chloro-, bromo- or iodo-, with the ending -ane
In molecules with a straight chain of three or more carbon atoms, the position of the halogen atom must also be specified
The carbon atoms on the straight chain must be numbered, starting with the end closest to the halogen atom
The number of the carbon atom attached to the halogen is indicated before the prefix
How are halogenoalkanes named if they have more than one halogen?
The position of all halogens in dihaloalkanes except those with one carbon atom must be specified.
If there is more than one of the same type of halogen atom on the molecule, the di (two), tri (three) or tetra (four) prefixes must also be used
What are alcohols i.e. functional group?
Alcohols are a family of molecules that contain the hydroxyl functional group, -OH