Organic Chemistry Flashcards
Optical Isomers/Enantiomers
Pairs of molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other
Chiral
Asymmetric structure such that mirror images are non-superimposable
Condition for a molecule to be chiral
Must have four different substituent groups attached to chiral carbon
Racemate
50:50 mixture of two enantiomers
Measuring Optical Activity
- polarimeter
- polarised light passed through solution containing enantiomers
- rotate plane of polarisation in OPPOSITE directions
Compare enantiomers of a molecule
- same physical/chemical properties (except for with other chiral molecules)
- rotate plane of polarisation in OPPOSITE directions
- different reaction with other enantiomers
Physical Properties of Carbonyl Compounds
- high boiling point due to dipole-dipole forces
- soluble since hydrogen bonds form between lone pair on oxygen and water
- very reactive due to C=O bond which is attacked by nucleophiles
Explain why nucleophilic addition of carbonyl molecules with KCN produces a racemic mixture
- carbonyl molecule is planar
- :CN has equal chance of attacking
- C=O from above or below the plane
Fehling’s Test
- distinguish between aldehyde and ketone
- Fehling’s A = blue solution of copper (II) ions
- Fehling’s B = alkali and complexing agent
- brick red precipitate of copper (I) oxide
Tollen’s Reagent
- distinguish between aldehyde and ketone
- [Ag(NH3)2]+
- silver mirror forms
Reduction of aldehydes and ketones
- nucleophilic addition using hydride :H- ion written 2[H]
- NaBH4 sodium tetrahydridoborate / methanol or water
- LiAlH4 lithium tetrahydridoaluminate / ether or dry
Aldehyde => primary alcohol
Ketone => secondary alcohol
Carboxylic Acids => primary alcohol (only using LiAlH4)
Suggest why NaBH4 does not react with carboxylic acids
Not strong enough to reduce carboxylic acids
Delocalisation of carboxylate ion
- resonance
- negative charge (e-) delocalised between two electronegative oxygen atoms
- more stable
Methods of producing esters
- carboxylic acid + alcohol (strong acid catalyst) by esterification
- acyl chloride + alcohol by acylation
- acid anhydride + alcohol by acylation
Naming Esters
Number carbons from -O- bond
Alcohol name then Acid/Acyl name
Methods of hydrolysis of esters
aqueous ester with
- acid catalyst
- base catalyst
Compare hydrolysis of esters using acid and base catalysts
acid catalyst
- reforms equilibrium mixture of acid and alcohol
base catalyst
- reacts with carboxylic acid forming salt of acid
- reaction goes to completion so equilibrium not established
IUPAC name of glycerol
Propane-1,2,3-triol
Common uses of esters
- solvents
- plasticisers
- perfumes
- food flavourings
Explain why sodium salts produced from hydrolysis of esters can be used in soaps
- sodium salts are ionic and can dissociate to form Na+ and carboxylate ion
- carbon chain is non polar so mixes with grease
- carboxylate ion is polar so mixes with water
Biodiesel
- mixture of methyl esters of long chain carboxylic acids
Triglyceride (Vegetable Oil) + 3 Methanol (NaOH catalyst) -> Fatty Methyl Esters + Glycerol
Acylation
Process by which acyl group ( R-C=O) is introduced into another molecule
Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Compounds that can be converted to carboxylic acids via acidic/basic hydrolysis (acyl group + Z group)
Examples of Acid Derivatives
- ester
- acyl chloride
- acid anhydride
Order of reactivity for addition-elimination reactions with any chlorides and acid anhydrides
Primary amine ( = N substituted amine)
Ammonia ( = Amide)
Alcohol ( = Ester)
Water ( = Carboxylic acid)
Advantages of ethanoic anhydride over ethanoyl chloride in the manufacture of aspirin
- cheaper
- forms ethanoic acid rather than hydrogen chloride
- safer / less corrosive
Order of boiling points for functional groups with similar Mr
Carboxylic Acids - hydrogen bonding dimerise
Alcohols - hydrogen bonding (+ primary have larger surface area so more contact points therefore more van der Waals)
Ketones - stronger dipole-dipole due to two electron donating alkyl groups around C=O group
Aldehydes - dipole-dipole
Alkanes - only van der Waals
Flaws in Kekulé model of benzene
- should undergo electrophilic addition but rarely does
- reaction with bromine should give rise to three isomers but only one produced
- hexagon should not be symmetrical but x-ray diffraction shows it is a perfect hexagon
- thermochemical data for hydrogenation implies lower in energy so more stable than thought (shows reaction is less exothermic than predicated based on cyclohexene)
Suggest how to differentiate benzene from cyclohexene
Bromine water - benzene does not decolourise since it rarely undergoes electrophilic addition
Explain the stability of benzene
- resonance (lower energy state)
- delocalised electrons in p orbitals above and below the plane of the aromatic ring
Suggest why benzene has a higher boiling point than hexane
- flat structure rather than puckered
- molecules can pack closer together so stronger vdw
Suggest why reactions with benzene are most likely to be electrophilic substitutions
- delocalised e- prone to attack by electrophiles
- aromatic ring is very stable so often remains in tact
Suggest why a smoky flame is an indication of an aromatic compound
Benzene ring has a high carbon:hydrogen ratio
Conditions for nitration of benzene
- concentrated sulphuric acid
- concentrated nitric acid
- 20-60 degrees C
Suggest how reaction between sulphuric acid and nitric acid creates nitronium electrophile
H2SO4 + HNO3 -> NO2+ + H2O + HSO4-
- sulphuric acid is stronger acid so donates H+ to nitric acid
- sulphuric acid is catalyst
Describe what would happen if nitration of benzene occurred above 55 degrees C
Multiple points of substitution (nitration)