Families of Organic Compounds

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to the families of organic compounds.

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 type of hydrocarbon with a tetrahedral shape and bond angle of 109.5^{\circ}.

Alkene

A type of hydrocarbon with a trigonal planar shape and bond angle of 120^{\circ}.

Alkyne

A type of hydrocarbon with a linear shape and bond angle of 180^{\circ}.

Heteroatom

Any atom that is not carbon or hydrogen.

Alcohols

Families containing single bonds to Oxygen with an –OH group attached to alkane-type carbon.

Phenols

Families containing single bonds to Oxygen with an –OH group attached to an aromatic ring.

Ethers

Families containing single bonds to Oxygen with a C-O-C linkage.

Thiols

Families containing sulfur with an –SH group attached to alkane-type carbon.

Sulfides

Compounds with a C-S-C linkage.

Disulfides

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

Amines

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

Alkyl Halides

Families containing halogens, where a halogen atom is attached to an alkane-type carbon atom.

Carbonyl Group

A C=O bond, found in compounds like ketones and aldehydes.

Ketones

Compounds with a carbonyl group attached to two other carbon atoms.

Aldehyde

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

London Forces

Intermolecular forces arising from temporary dipoles in molecules.

Hydrogen Bond

A type of attractive interaction between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom.

Dipole-Dipole Interactions

Interactions between polar molecules that occur due to dipoles.

Aromatic Compounds

Organic compounds that contain a benzene ring or other ring systems with similar electronic properties.

Carboxylic Acid

Families containing a carbonyl group bonded to an –OH group, often written as -COOH.

Ester

Families containing a carbonyl group bonded to an –OR group, where R is another carbon chain.

Amide

Families containing a carbonyl group bonded to a nitrogen atom.

Nitrile

Families containing a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom (-C \equiv N).