McMurry (Kap.3,3)

Question 1

What is an alkyl group?

Answer 1

If you imagine removing a hydrogen atom from an alkane, the partial structure that remains is an alkyl group.

The removed hydrogen bond can be bonded to another C-atom, function groups, or other elements or groups.

Question 2

Are alkyl groups stable?

Answer 2

Not by themselves, they are usually bound to other larger compounds.

Question 3

What does the term “primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary mean in organic chemistry?

Answer 3

If we are talking about (citric acid is a tertiary alcohol) - we would mean that the alcohol functional group OH- is bonded to a carbon that is itself bounded to 3 other carbons.

primary carbon = bound to one other carbon

Secondary carbon = bonded to two other carbons.

Tertiary carbon = bonded to three other carbons.

Quaternary carbon = bonded to four other carbons.

Question 4

What does it mean if hydrogen atoms is primary, secondary or tertiary?

Answer 4

Primary hydrogens are attached to primary carbons, secondary hydrogens are bound to secondary carbons, and tertiary hydrogens are bound to tertiary carbons.