Families of Organic Compounds

These flashcards cover the essential vocabulary and concepts of organic compounds, their families, and their chemical properties.

Organic Chemistry

The study of carbon-based compounds.

Functional Group

An atom, group of atoms, or bond that gives the molecule a particular set of chemical properties.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Alkane

A saturated hydrocarbon with single bonds, tetrahedral shape, bond angle of 109.5°.

Alkene

An unsaturated hydrocarbon with at least one double bond, trigonal planar shape, bond angle of 120°.

Alkyne

An unsaturated hydrocarbon with at least one triple bond, linear shape, bond angle of 180°.

Heteroatom

Any atom that is not carbon or hydrogen.

Alcohols

Compounds with an –OH group attached to an alkane-type carbon.

Phenols

Compounds with an –OH group attached to an aromatic ring.

Ethers

Compounds with a C-O-C linkage.

Thiols

Compounds with an –SH group attached to an alkane-type carbon.

Sulfides

Compounds with a C-S-C linkage.

Disulfides

Compounds with a C-S-S-C linkage.

Amines

Compounds with a nitrogen atom directly attached to one or more alkane-type or aromatic carbon atoms.

Alkyl Halides

Compounds with a halogen atom attached to an alkane-type carbon atom.

Hydrogen Bond

A strong dipole-dipole attraction between a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom.

London Forces

Weak intermolecular forces arising from temporary dipoles in molecules.

Carbonyl Group

A functional group characterized by a C=O bond.

Ketones

Compounds where a carbonyl group is attached to two other carbon atoms.

Aldehyde

Compounds where a carbonyl group is attached to at least one hydrogen atom.