Organic Chemistry

SOURCE: IB CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK

What is the study of organic chemistry about?

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-based compounds.

What is catenation?

The process where many identical atoms are joined together by covalent bonds, making straight, branched or cyclic structures.

Examples of organic compounds include… [THREE]

…any from:

• Fuels.

• Paints/Dyes.

• Alcohol.

• Plastics.

• Industrial solvents.

• Drugs and medicine.

• Food.

• Pesticides and fertilisers.

Molecular formula vs. empirical formula, e.g. butane.

Molecular formula = The actual number of atoms present in the molecule, e.g. (butane) C₄H₁₀

Empirical formula = The simplest ratio of number present in a molecule, e.g. (butane) C₂H₅

[TABLE] Full, condensed and skeletal formula examples.

NAME	FULL STRUCTURAL FORMULA	CONDENSED STRUCTURAL FORMULA	SKELETAL FORMULA
Propane	[GOOGLE: ‘Propane full structural formula’]	CH3CH2CH3	/\
Propan-2-ol	[GOOGLE: ‘Propan-2-ol full structural formula’]	CH3CH(OH)CH3	OH I / \
Propanal	[GOOGLE: ‘Propanal full structural formula’]	CH3CH2CHO	O /\//
Propanone	[GOOGLE: ‘Propanone full structural formula’]	CH3C(O)CH3	O II / \
Propene	[GOOGLE: ‘Propene full structural formula’]	CH3CH=CH2 or CH3CHCH2	/\\

PLEASE NOTE: I tried to do the full structural formulas, but they won’t work (the spaces don’t save).

[PRACTICE QUESTION] Which of these molecular formulas are also empirical formulas?

1. C₂H₆O

2. C₂H₄O₂

3. C₅H₁₂

YES (1 and 3):

• C₂H₆O = There is only one O, you can’t have ½ an oxygen atom, that’s just a lithium atom.

• C₅H₁₂ = There is no common factor to divide by.

NO (only 2):

• C₂H₄O₂ = Common factor of 2, the empirical formula is CH₂O.

What is a functional group?

An atom, or group of atoms, that give organic compounds their specific physical and/or chemical characteristics.

[TABLE] Summary of the functional groups.

NAME	SUFFIX	CLASS	EXAMPLE
Halogeno (fluro, chloro, bromo or iodo)		Halogenalkanes	Chloromethane (CH3Cl)
Hydroxyl	-ol	Alcohols	Ethanol (CH3CH2OH)
Carbonyl (#1)	-al	Aldehydes	Ethanal (CH3COH)
Carbonyl (#2)	-one	Ketones	Propanone (CH3COCH3)
Carboxyl	-oic acid	Carboxylic acids	Ethanoic acid (CH3COOH)
Alkoxyl		Ethers	Methoxymethane (CH3OCH3)
Amino	-amine	Primary amines	Ethanamine (CH3CH2NH2)
Amido	-amide	Amides	Ethanamide (CH3CONH2)
Ester	-oate	Esters	Methyl ethanoate (CH3CO2CH3)
Phenyl		Aromatics	Methylbenzene (CH3C6H6)