Basics of Organic Chemistry

Question 1

what is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 1

a compound containing C and H only

Question 2

what is saturated?

Answer 2

a compound containing only single C-C bonds

Question 3

What is unsaturated?

Answer 3

a compound containing multiple bonds, can accept more hydrogen

Question 4

what is catenation?

Answer 4

• carbon’s unique ability to make long chains of C atoms

Question 5

What are the prefixes?

Answer 5

meth = 1C, eth = 2C, prop = 3C, but = 4C, pent = 5C, hex = 6C, hept=7C,
oct=8C, non=9C & dec=10C

Question 6

what are isomers?

Answer 6

molecules with the same molecular formulae but different structures

Question 7

What is empirical formula?

Answer 7

the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element present in the compounds

Question 8

What is molecular formula?

Answer 8

the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule

Question 9

What is the functional group of a compound?

Answer 9

The group of atoms responsible for the characteristics of a compound

Question 10

what are the functional groups?

Answer 10

-Alkanes
-Alkenes
-Alcohols
-Aldehydes (H-C=O)
-carboxylic acids
-Ketones (O=H)
-Haloalkanes (Br,Cl,I)

Question 11

which of the groups will have hydrogen bonding between molecules?

Answer 11

Alcohol and carboxylic acid

Question 12

What is a homologous series?

Answer 12

Family of organic compounds with the same functional group with each successive member differing by CH2

Question 13

What is general formula?

Answer 13

simplest algebraic formula of a member of a homologous series

Question 14

What is the homologous series for Alkanes?

Answer 14

CnH2n+2

Question 15

What is the homologous series for Alkenes/Cyclohexane?

Answer 15

CnH2n

Question 16

What is the general formula for alcohols?

Answer 16

CnH2n+2O

Question 17

what is structural formula?

Answer 17

minimal detail showing the arrangement of the atoms in the molecule e.g. CH3 (CH2)2 CH3 (butane)

Question 18

What is displayed formula?

Answer 18

shows the relative positioning of atoms and bonds between them

Question 19

what is the skeletal formula?

Answer 19

simplified organic formula by removing H atoms from C chains leaving just a C skeleton and the associated functional groups

Question 20

What are aliphatic compounds?

Answer 20

Compounds containing carbon and hydrogen joined together in straight or branched chains or non-aromatic rings

Question 21

what are alicylic compounds?

Answer 21

Aliphatic compounds arranged in non-aromatic rings, with or without side-chains

Question 22

what are a aromatic compounds?

Answer 22

compounds containing benzene rings

Question 23

What must be considered to name organic compounds?

Answer 23

Prefix
Stem
Suffix

Question 24

What is the prefix?

Answer 24

the front part of the name; identifies the other functional groups including branches) and the carbon atoms they are attached to.

Question 25

What is the suffix?

Answer 25

the end of the name, identifies the most important functional group.

Question 26

What is the stem?

Answer 26

the main part of the name, generated by identifying the longest carbon chain or parent chain

Question 27

What is the the order of priority for some of the functional groups?

Answer 27

-carboxylic acid
-ester
-aldehyde
-ketone
-alcohol

Question 28

how do we name aliphatic compounds?

Answer 28

-identify the longest chain that contains the main functional group
-Number the longest carbon chain so that the main functional group has the lowest possible number
-any side chains or less functional groups are added as prefixes at the start of the name

Question 29

what are the branches on organic molecules?

Answer 29

Alkyl groups

Question 30

what is an alkyl group?

Answer 30

And alkane molecule that has lost a hydrogen to enable it to join to another carbon

Question 31

what is the general formula for an alkyl group?

Answer 31

CnH2n+1

Question 32

what are haloalkanes named by?

Answer 32

A prefix rather than a suffix
(fluoro, chloro, bromi, iodo)

Question 33

what is an acyclic hydrocarbon named by?

Answer 33

-using the prefix cyclo- which appears directly in front of the stem, indicating the number of carbon atoms in the ring

Question 34

what are structural isomers?

Answer 34

Have the same molecular formula, but a different structural formula

Question 35

what are the three types of structural isomers?

Answer 35

-Chain
-Position
-Functional Group

Question 36

when does chain occur?

Answer 36

when the variations in the carbon chain (when there are four or more carbon atoms)

Question 37

when does position occur?

Answer 37

When the functional group is on a different carbon

Question 38

When does functional group occur?

Answer 38

When the atoms are arranged in a different functional group

Question 39

What are the two ways a bond can break?

Answer 39

Heterolytically or homolytically

Question 40

what is homolytic fission?

Answer 40

-The covalent bond breaks equally so each product receives one of the shared pair of electrons to form radicals

Question 41

what is heterolytic fission?

Answer 41

where the covalent bond brakes unequally, so one product gets both electrons from the shared pair and the other gets nothing