Organic Chemistry I Flashcards
what is a hydrocarbon?
compound of hydrogen and carbon only
what is meant by homologous series?
organic compounds with same functional group + general formula
what is meant by functional group?
group of atoms in a molecule responsible for the characteristic reactions of that compound
what is addition?
joining of two or more molecules to make a larger molecule
what is substitution?
one species getting replaced by another
what is hydrolysis?
splitting a molecule into 2 new molecules by adding H+ and OH- derived from water
what is oxidation?
any reaction where a species loses electrons
what is reduction?
any reaction where a species gains electrons
what is the general formula for alkenes?
CnH₂n
what is the general formula for alkanes?
CnH₂n+2
are alkanes and cycloalkanes saturated or unsaturated?
saturated because they have single carbon bonds
what is the general formula for cycloalkanes?
CnH₂n
are alkenes and cycloalkenes saturated or unsaturated?
unsaturated because the double bond which allows them to make bonds with extra atoms in addition reactions
what test is used to identify the presence of a C=C bond?
-shake alkene with brown bromine water
and it should quickly decolourise
-this is because bromine is added across the double bond to form colourless dibromoalkane
halogen + alkene?
dihalogenoalkane
what is an electrophile?
electron-pair acceptors (electron poor so attracted to electron rich areas)
what is a nucleophile
electron-pair donors (electron rich so attracted to electron poor areas)
what is a radical?
-species with an unpaired electron (in mechanisms represented with a single dot)
-result of homolytic fission of a covalent bond
what is an isomer?
molecules with the same molecular formula but are arranged differently
what are the types of structural isomerism?
chain, positional, functional group
what is a chain isomer?
carbon skeleton can be arranged differently e.g. straight or branched
what properties are similar or different in chain isomers?
physical properties are different (e.g. boiling point) ,, branched chains do not pack closely together so intermolecular forces are weaker– lower bp
chemical properties are similar
what is a positional isomer?
functional group is attached to a different carbon atom
what properties are similar or different in positional isomers?
both chemical and physical properties are different
what is a functional group isomer?
when the same atoms are arranged into different functional groups
what properties are similar or different in functional group isomers?
both have very different physical and chemical properties
can atoms rotate around c-c bonds?
yes,, don’t be fooled something that looks like an isomer may not actually be one if the function group is attached to the same carbon in a different position
what is stereoisomerism?
have the same structural formula but a different arrangement in space,, only in double bonds
can double bonds rotate c=c?
no, because of the overlap of the p orbitals in an alkene to form a pi bond
what is cis isomerism?
Z,, on the same side (double bond only)
what is trans isomerism?
E,, opposite side (double bond only)