CHE 210 Chapter 1 Study Notes Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering organic chemistry hybridization, bonding, functional groups, formal charge, resonance, structural representations, and biomolecules from CHE 210 Lectures 1a & 1b.

sp³ Hybridization

A hybridization state characterized by tetrahedral geometry, bond angles of $109.5^\circ$, and four hybrid orbitals formed from single bonds or lone pairs.

sp² Hybridization

A hybridization state characterized by trigonal planar geometry, bond angles of $120^\circ$, three sp² hybrid orbitals, and one unhybridized p orbital.

sp Hybridization

A hybridization state characterized by linear geometry, bond angles of $180^\circ$, and hybrid orbitals involved in triple bonds.

Sigma ($\sigma$) Bond

A covalent bond formed by the head-on overlap of atomic orbitals.

Pi ($\pi$) Bond

A covalent bond formed by the side-by-side overlap of atomic orbitals.

Condensed Formula

A structural representation that writes atoms in sequential groups (such as $CH_3CH_2CH_3$) showing hydrogen atoms while omitting explicit bond lines.

Bond-Line Structure

The standard drawing method in organic chemistry where carbon atoms are implicitly located at endpoints and vertices, hydrogen atoms attached to carbon are omitted, and heteroatoms are explicitly shown.

Heteroatom

Any atom in an organic molecule that is not carbon or hydrogen, such as $O$, $N$, $S$, $F$, $Cl$, $Br$, or $I$.

Alkene

A functional group containing a carbon-carbon double bond ($C=C$).

Alkyne

A functional group containing a carbon-carbon triple bond ($C\equiv C$).

Aromatic / Arene

A functional group containing an aromatic ring, such as a benzene-type ring.

Alkyl Halide

A functional group where a carbon atom is attached to a halogen atom ($F$, $Cl$, $Br$, or $I$).

Alcohol

A functional group containing a hydroxyl group attached to a carbon atom ($C-OH$).

Phenol

A functional group featuring a hydroxyl group ($-OH$) directly attached to an aromatic ring.

Thiol

A functional group containing a sulfhydryl group ($-SH$).

Ether

A functional group in which an oxygen atom is single-bonded between two carbon atoms ($C-O-C$).

Amine

A functional group containing nitrogen bonded into the carbon skeleton without being attached directly to a carbonyl carbon.

Nitrile

A functional group containing a carbon-nitrogen triple bond ($C\equiv N$).

Ketone

A functional group containing a carbonyl group ($C=O$) with carbon groups attached to both sides.

Aldehyde

A functional group containing a terminal carbonyl group ($C=O$) where the carbonyl carbon is attached to at least one hydrogen atom.

Carboxylic Acid

A functional group containing a $-CO_2H$ group (or $-C(=O)OH$).

Ester

A functional group containing a $-C(=O)-O-$ linkage.

Amide

A functional group where a nitrogen atom is directly bonded to a carbonyl carbon ($-C(=O)-N-$).

Formal Charge

The calculated charge on an atom given by the formula: $\text{FC} = \text{valence electrons} - [\text{nonbonding electrons} + \frac{1}{2}(\text{bonding electrons})]$.

Electronegativity

An atom's intrinsic ability to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond toward itself.

Bond Dipole

The non-uniform distribution of electron density in a covalent bond caused by differences in electronegativity between the bonded atoms.

Resonance Structures

Multiple valid Lewis structures for a single molecule that differ only in the placement of valence electrons while maintaining identical atom positions.

Resonance Hybrid

The true, single composite structure of a molecule representing the blend of all resonance contributors, most closely resembling the lowest-energy contributor.

Delocalized Electrons

Electrons whose electron density is spread across multiple atoms or bonds rather than restricted to a single atom or bond.

Curved Arrow

A symbolic arrow representing the movement of an electron pair, originating at a region of high electron density and pointing toward a region of low electron density.

Major Contributor

The more stable resonance structure that makes the largest contribution to the actual resonance hybrid.

Minor Contributor

The less stable resonance structure that makes a smaller contribution to the actual resonance hybrid.

Vinylic Position

An atom or group directly attached to one of the carbon atoms involved in a double bond ($C=C$).

Allylic Position

The carbon position located immediately adjacent to a double-bonded carbon atom ($C-C=C$).

$\alpha$-Amino Acid

An organic compound containing an amine group and a carboxylic acid group that serves as the monomeric building block of proteins.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that serve as the basic structural units and monomers for carbohydrates and polysaccharides.

Nucleotide

The structural monomer unit that builds nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA.