11 Basic Concepts of Organic Chemistry

Question 1

What is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 1

Only carbon ad hydrogen
Can be saturated or unsaturated

Question 2

What is a homologous series?

Answer 2

A family of compounds with similar chemical properties
Where successive members differ by the addition of a CH2 group

Question 3

What is the general formula of an alkane?

Answer 3

CnH2n+2

Question 4

What is a functional group?

Answer 4

Part of the organic molecule that is largely responsible for the molecule’s chemical properties.
It can contain other elements

Question 5

Name and explain the three classes of hydrocarbons.

Answer 5

Aliphatic- carbon atoms in a chain
Alicyclic- c at Bon atoms in a ring
A romantic- carbon atoms in a benzene ring

Question 6

What are the functional groups and prefixes/suffixes of:
a) alkenes
b) alcohols
c) haloalkanes
d) aldehydes
e) ketones
f) carboxylic acid
g) nitriles
h) amines
i) acyl chloride
j) acid anhydride
k) ester
l) amide

Answer 6

a) C=C ‘ene’
b) O-H ‘hydroxy/ol’
c) F/Cl/Br/I ‘fluoro/chloro/bromo/iodo’
d) O=C—H ‘al’
e) O=C (with c bonded to two other things) ‘oxo/one’
f) O=C—O—N ‘oic acid’
g) C-=C (triple bond) ‘nitrile’
h) H—N—H ‘amino/amine’
i) O=C—Cl ‘oyl chloride’
j) O=C—O—C=O
k) O=C—O
l) O=C—N—H2

Question 7

What is a structural isomer?

Answer 7

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different structure

Question 8

What is a stereoisomer?

Answer 8

Molecules with the same strict so formula but a different spatial arrangement of atoms.

Question 9

Name the two ways covalent bonds can be broken.

Answer 9

Homolytic fission- each bonded atom takes one e-
Heterolytic fission- one atom takes both e-

Question 10

What is a radical?

Answer 10

An atom/group of atoms with an unpaired electron.

Question 11

What are curly arrows used to show?

Answer 11

Movement of a pair of electrons (when bonds are broken/made)

Question 12

What are the 3 types of reaction?

Answer 12

Addition
Substitution
Elimination

Question 13

What are 2 things you need to remember when drawing curly arrows?

Answer 13

(:) for electrons on ions
Delta + and delta - signs

Question 14

What is a positional isomer?

Answer 14

Same chemical formula
Atom/group of atoms in a different position

Question 15

What is an electrophile? (2 marks)

Answer 15

An atom or molecule that seeks an atom or molecule containing a pair of electrons available for bonding.
They accept a pair of electrons.

Question 16

What is a nucleophile? (2 marks)

Answer 16

An electron rich species which can donate a pair of electrons.
They are attracted to positively charged species.

Question 17

What is a radical?

Answer 17

An atom or group of atoms that have at least one unpaired electron.