6 - Organic Chemistry I Flashcards
What is a hydrocarbon?
It is a compound consisting of hydrogen and carbon only.
What does saturated mean?
A hydrocarbon containing single carbon-carbon bonds only.
What does unsaturated mean?
A hydrocarbon containing a C=C double bond.
What is molecular formula?
The formula which shows the actual number of each type of atom in the molecule.
What is empirical formula?
Shows the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound.
What is general formula?
It is the algebraic formula for a homologous series.
What angle is the HCH bond in C2H6? and shape of the molecule?
Tetrahedral. 109.5°
What is a homologous series?
Families of organic compounds with the same functional group and same general formula.
What is a functional group?
An atom or a group of atoms which when present in different molecules, causes them to have similar chemical properties.
Functional group of aldehydes?
COH
functional group of carboxylic acids?
COOH
functional group of ketones?
CO (with carbons on either side of the carbon with the oxygen bonded to it).
functional group of esters?
COO
What is the prefix for alcohol groups?
hydroxy-
What is a structural isomer?
They are molecules with the same molecular formula but with different structures.
What are the different types of structural isomers?
- chain isomerism
- position isomerism
- functional group isomerism.
What are chain isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures of the carbon skeleton.
What are position isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures due to different positions of the same functional group on the same carbon skeleton.
What are functional group isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but with atoms arranged differently to give different functional groups.
What is an example of a functional group isomer?
alkene and cycloalkane with the same number of carbons and hydrogens.
- general formula for alkenes and cycloalkanes are the same.
- cycloalkanes are a functional group isomer of alkenes.
what are stereoisomers?
They are compounds with the same structural formula but have a different spatial arrangement of atoms.
What kind of isomerism can only be exhibited by alkenes?
E-Z steroisomerism
Why does E-Z stereoisomerism occur?
- There is restricted rotation around the C=C double bond.
- There are two different groups/atoms attached to each carbon in the double bond.
Naming E and Z steroisomers?
- if the priority group/atom is on the same side of the double bond, Z (together)
- if the priority group/atom is on opposite sides of the double bond, E (opposite).
If the two priority groups are the same, what are the isomers called instead of E/Z?
- instead of E, trans.
- instead of Z, cis
General formula for alkanes?
CnH2n+2
- they are saturated hydrocarbons.
How are alkane fuels obtained?
They are obtained from the fractional distillation, cracking and reforming of crude oil.
What does crude oil consist of?
A mixture of hydrocarbons with different chain lengths and different boiling points.
What are the stages of fractional distillation?
- crude oil is vaporised
- it is then passed into a fractionating column
- the vapour is cooled as it rises
- hydrocarbons condense at different heights based on boiling points
- mixtures of similar fuels called fractions are collected
What is cracking
The conversion of long chain hydrocarbons to smaller hydrocarbon molecules by the breaking of C-C bonds.
- High Mr alkanes -> smaller Mr alkanes + alkenes.
Economic reasons for catalytic cracking?
- shorter chain hydrocarbons are higher in demand (e.g petrol and naptha) than larger fractions.
- to make use of excess larger hydrocarbons and supply the demand for short chain hydrocarbons.
- products of cracking are more useful and valuable than the starting materials.
What is reforming?
The processing of straight-chain hydrocarbons into branched-chain alkanes and cyclic-hydrocarbons for efficient combustion.
What is complete combustion and what are the products?
- alkanes burn with complete combustion in excess oxygen.
- CO2, H2O.
What is complete combustiinon and what are the products?
- alkanes burn with incomplete combustion in limited amounts of oxygen
- CO/C, H2O
Environmental consequences of CO?
- highly toxic
Environmental consequences of C?
- (soot)
- causes global dimming
- can cause respiratory problems
combustion of sulfur in alkanes?
sulfur-containing alkane fuels produce SO2 when burned.
Environmental consequences of SO2?
- dissolve in atmospheric water and produce acid rain.
- acidic
Combustion of N2? and NO?
- forms NO
- forms NO2
Environmental impact of NO?
- toxic and can form smog.
Environmental impact of NO2?
- toxic, acidic, and forms acid rain.
Environmental consequences of CO2?
contributes to global warming