M4 Chapter 11 - Basic Concepts of Organic Chemistry

Question 1

What is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 1

A compound containing carbon and hydrogen only; examples include but-2-ene and propyne.

Question 2

What is a saturated hydrocarbon?

Answer 2

A saturated hydrocarbon has single bonds only. Eg: Methane

Question 3

What is an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

Answer 3

An unsaturated hydrocarbon contains C=C bonds (Ie: Carbon-Carbon multiple bonds). Eg: But-2-ene or Propyne.

Question 4

What is a homologous series?

Answer 4

A family of organic compounds with similar chemical structures and properties whose successive members differ by the addition of a -CH2 group.

Question 5

What is the simplest Homologous Series?

Answer 5

The Alkanes.

Question 6

What are alkanes?

Answer 6

Alkanes contain only C-C single bonds.

Question 7

What is a Functional Group?

Answer 7

A functional group is the part of the organic molecule that is largely responsible for the molecule’s chemical properties.

Question 8

How do different functional groups form?

Answer 8

Carbon being able to bond to other elements like Oxygen, Nitrogen and the Halogens results in the formation of molecules containing different functional groups.

Question 9

How can hydrocarbons be classified?

Answer 9

Aliphatic, Alicyclic and Aromatic

Question 10

What is Aliphatic?

Answer 10

Aliphatic is where Carbon atoms are joined together in an unbranched (straight) or branched chains, or non-aromatic rings.

Question 11

What is Alicyclic?

Answer 11

Carbon atoms are joined to eachother to resemble a ring (cyclic) structures, with or without branches.

Question 12

What is aromatic?

Answer 12

Some or all of the carbon atoms found in the benzene ring.

Question 13

Give 3 Aliphatic Hydrocarbon homologous series’.

Answer 13

Alkanes: Containing single carbon-carbon bonds.
Alkenes: Containing at least one double C=C bond.
Alkynes: Containing at least one triple C≡C bond.

Question 14

What are the 3 ways we represent the formulae of organic compounds?

Answer 14

Structural, Displayed and Skeletal.

Question 15

What is the definition of molecular formula?

Answer 15

A molecular formula shows the number and type of atoms of each element present in a molecule. It does not show how the atoms are joined together and different molecules can have the same molecular formula.

Question 16

What is the definition of empirical formula?

Answer 16

The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of the atoms of each element present in a compound.

Question 17

What is the definition of general formula?

Answer 17

The general formula is the simplest algebraic formula for any member of a homologous series. Eg: CnH2n for alkenes.

Question 18

What is the general formula of alkanes?

Answer 18

CnH2n+2

Question 19

What is the general formula of alkenes?

Answer 19

CnH2n

Question 20

What is the general formula of alcohols?

Answer 20

CnH2n+1OH

Question 21

What is the general formula of carboxylic acids?

Answer 21

CnH2nO2

Question 22

What is the general formula of ketones?

Answer 22

CnH2nO

Question 23

What is the displayed formula?

Answer 23

A displayed formula shows the relative positioning of all the atoms in a molecule and the bonds between them.

Question 24

What is the structural formula?

Answer 24

The structural formula uses the smallest amount of detail to show the arrangement of the atoms in a molecule. It shows clearly which groups are bonded together.

Question 25

What is skeletal formula?

Answer 25

A skeletal formula is a simplified organic formula. It only shows a carbon skeleton and any functional groups. Specifically you have; a line representing a single bond; an intersection of two lines representing a Carbon atom; and the end of a line representing a CH3 group.

Question 26

What is Structural Isomerism?

Answer 26

Structural isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae. Eg: C5H12 --> CH3CH2CH2CH3 and CH3CH(CH3)CH3

Question 27

What types of structural isomerism are there?

Answer 27

Chain Isomerism, Positional Isomerism and Functional Group Isomerism

Question 28

What is Chain Isomerism?

Answer 28

Chain Isomerism is when compounds have the same molecular formula but their longest hydrocarbon chain is not the same.

Question 29

What is Positional Isomerism?

Answer 29

Positional Isomerism is when a functional group is at different positions along the hydrocarbon chain.

Question 30

What is Functional Group Isomerism?

Answer 30

Functional Group isomerism is when different functional groups result in the same molecular formula. Eg: Butanol and Ethoxyethane.

Question 31

What is a covalent bond?

Answer 31

A shared pair of electrons between two atoms.

Question 32

How are covalent bonds broken?

Answer 32

Covalent bonds are broken via Homolytic Fission and Heterolytic Fission.

Question 33

What is Homolytic Fission?

Answer 33

When a covalent bond is broken, each of the bonded atoms take one of the shared pair of electrons from the bond. It results in each atom having a single unpaired electron.

Question 34

What is a radicle?

Answer 34

An atom of groups of atoms with an unpaired electron is called a radicle.

Question 35

What is Heterolytic Fission?

Answer 35

When a covalent bond is broken, one of the bonded atoms takes both of the electrons from the bond. The atom taking both electrons becomes a negative ion and the atom not taking the electrons becomes a positive ion.

Question 36

What is a reaction mechanism?

Answer 36

A way of representing how a reaction takes place.

Question 37

What do curly arrows represent in a reaction mechanism?

Answer 37

Curly arrows show the movement of electron pairs when bonds are being broken or made.

Question 38

What are the types of reaction?

Answer 38

Addition, Substitution and Elimination

Question 39

What is an addition reaction?

Answer 39

It is where two reactants join together to form one product.

Question 40

What is a substitution reaction?

Answer 40

In a substitution reaction, an atom or group of atoms is replaced by a different atom or group of atoms.

Question 41

What is an elimination reaction?

Answer 41

An elimination reaction involves the removal of a small molecule from a larger one. Specifically, one reactant molecule forms two products. Eg: Propan1ol + Acid Catalyst --> Propene + Water