Introduction To Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What are the the two main group chemical compounds are divided into?
Organic compounds and inorganic compounds
What are organic compounds?
Compounds made from carbon atoms, together with atoms such as hydrogen, oxygen and the halogens
Which carbon based compounds are considered to be inorganic compounds?
Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonates and hydrogen carbonates
What is organic chemsitry?
The study of all carbon-based compounds
What is inorganic chemistry?
The study of compounds made from atoms other than carbon
Why are carbon atoms the basis of organic chemistry?
- carbon is in group 4 with the electronic configuration 1s22s22p2
- has four electrons available for bonding.
- they have the ability to make strong covalent bonds with other carbon atoms and with other non-metal atoms
- chains of atoms in carbon polymers can reach thousands of atoms long and can include single and double bonds
- carbon can also join together to form ring and stage structures
- it is carbon’s ability to form strong links with itself and other non-metals that accounts for the incredibly varied and often great complexity of carbon-based structures
What are the mean bond enthalpies for carbon single, double and triple bonds?
- C-C: 347 KJ mol-1
- C=C: 612 KJ mol-1
- triple bond: 838 KJ mol -1
What structure does a carbon atom have?
The four covalent bonds around a carbon atom form a tetrahedral structure
What is the empirical formulae?
Gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element in a molecule
What does the molecular formula show?
It tells you how many of each type of atom is used to make a molecule
What are the types of formulae commonly used in organic chemistry?
- general formula
- structural formula
- displayed formula
- skeletal formula
- empirical formula
- molecular formula
What is the general formula?
A general formula allows you to find the formula of a particular molecule by substituting values for n. The general formula for an alcohol is CnH2n+1OH
What is the structural formula?
It gives the numbers and types of atoms used to make a new compound. But it also shows the sequence in which the atoms bond together. E.g. the structural formula for propene is CH3CH=CH2
If there is a methyl group brackets are used to represent this: 2-methylpropane: CH3CH(CH3)CH3
Structural formulae can also use lines to show the bonds between atoms. E.g. propane CH3-CH2-CH3
What is the displayed formula?
It shows every bond and every atom in a compound
What is the skeletal formula?
All the hydrogen atoms have been removed, leaving a carbon skeleton with functional groups attached. The carbon atoms are not shown.
In a skeletal formula There is:
• a carbon atom at every bond juction in the chain plus one at the end of each bond
• enough hydrogen atoms attached to each carbon to make the total number of bonds on that carbon up to four
The skeletal formula or butan-2-ol is:
\/\
I
OH
What is a functional group?
The reactive part of the molecule, all organic compounds with the same functional group will behave in a similar way chemically
What is a homogolous series?
A group of organic compounds with the same functional group and same general formula
What does the size of an alkene molece affect?
It’s physical characterisitics such as melting point and boiling point
What’s the functional group of alkanes?
C-H
What’s the functional group of alkenes?
C=C
What’s the functional group of Haloalkanes?
-X
What’s the functional group of alcohols?
-OH
What’s the functional group of aldehydes?
H
I
-C = O
What’s the functional group of ketones?
C=O