Chemistry 1 Practice Flashcards

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of organic chemistry, including nomenclature, functional groups, and chemical reactions of hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

Organic Chemistry

The chemistry of carbon compounds which includes several million known compounds from nature and synthetic sources.

Functional group

A reactive portion of the molecule that undergoes predictable reaction.

Bonding unit: Hydrogen

Consists of 1 bond and no lone pairs.

Bonding unit: Oxygen

Consists of 2 bonds and 2 lone pairs.

Bonding unit: Carbon

Consists of 4 bonds and no lone pairs.

Bonding unit: Nitrogen

Consists of 3 bonds and 1 lone pair.

Bonding unit: Halogens

Consist of 1 bond and 3 lone pairs.

Tetrahedral geometry

Configuration around a carbon atom with a bond angle of $109.5^{\circ}$.

Trigonal geometry

Configuration around a carbon atom with a bond angle of $120^{\circ}$.

Linear geometry

Configuration around a carbon atom with a bond angle of $180^{\circ}$.

Isomers

Compounds having the same molecular formula but differing in structural formulas.

Saturated Hydrocarbons

Compounds containing only $C$ and $H$-atoms where all the $C$-atoms are $sp^3$ hybridized; examples include Alkanes and Cycloalkanes.

Homologous series

A collection of organic compounds which differ in structure by a $-CH_2-$ (methylene) group, contain the same functional group, and can be represented by the same general formula.

Alkanes

Saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula $C_nH_{2n+2}$.

Cycloalkanes

Saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula $C_nH_{2n}$.

Alkyl group (R)

A substituent formed by removing one hydrogen from an alkane chain, such as methyl ($CH_3$) or ethyl ($CH_3CH_2$).

Alkenes (olefins)

Unsaturated hydrocarbons containing carbon-carbon double bonds ($C=C$) with the general formula $C_nH_{2n}$.

Geometric isomers

Atoms joined in the same way but occupying different relative positions in space due to a lack of rotation about a double bond (e.g., cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene).

Markovnikov's rule

States that in the addition of unsymmetrical addenda to unsymmetrical alkenes, the hydrogen atom of the addendum adds to the alkenic $C$-atom with the more $H$-atoms.

Alkynes

Straight chain acyclic hydrocarbons containing a triple bond ($C \equiv C$) with the general formula $C_nH_{2n-2}$.

Arene

The generic name for aromatic hydrocarbons, of which Benzene ($C_6H_6$) is the parent.

Heterolysis

The breaking of a covalent bond in such a way that both the bonding electrons go to one of the bonded atoms, forming a reactive carbocation ($R^+$) and a weak base ($X^-$).

Alcohols

Organic compounds containing a hydroxyl group ($-OH$) on a saturated carbon atom; general formula $R-OH$.

Phenols

Aromatic alcohols where the hydroxyl group ($-OH$) is directly attached to an arene ring.

Ethers (Alkoxyalkanes)

Non-polar, volatile organic compounds with the general formula $R-O-R$ (symmetrical) or $R-O-R^1$ (unsymmetrical).

Carbonyl group

A highly reactive functional group consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom ($C=O$).

Aldehydes (Alkanals)

Carbonyl compounds where the carbon is bonded to at least one hydrogen; general formula $R-CHO$.

Ketones (Alkanones)

Carbonyl compounds where the carbon is bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups; general formula $R-COR'$.

Tollen's test

A 'silver mirror test' used to distinguish aldehydes from ketones by reducing $Ag^+/NH_4^+$ to metallic silver.

Carboxylic acids (Alkanoic acids)

Organic acids containing the carboxyl group ($-COOH$) with the general formula $R-COOH$.

Esterification

The reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst to form an ester and water.

Saponification

Alkaline hydrolysis of an ester using a base like $NaOH$ to form a soap (carboxylic acid salt) and an alcohol.

Amides

Derivatives of alkanoic acids with the general formula $R-CONH_2$; they are the least reactive derivatives because the $-NH_2$ group is a poor leaving group.

Amines

Organic relatives of ammonia ($NH_3$) where one or more hydrogens are replaced by hydrocarbon groups; categorized as primary ($1^{\circ}$), secondary ($2^{\circ}$), or tertiary ($3^{\circ}$).