Hydrocarbons and Nomenclature

Flashcards covering the key concepts related to hydrocarbons and their nomenclature based on the lecture notes.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

Saturated hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons that lack pi bonds; characterized by single bonds only, such as alkanes.

Alkyl group

A functional group derived from an alkane by removing one hydrogen atom.

IUPAC nomenclature

A systematic method of naming chemical compounds established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Parent chain

The longest continuous chain of carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon.

Substituent

An atom or group of atoms that replaces a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon.

Bicycloalkane

A type of hydrocarbon that contains two fused rings.

Staggered conformation

The spatial arrangement of atoms where they are positioned as far apart as possible, minimizing steric strain.

Eclipsed conformation

The arrangement of atoms where they are aligned with each other, resulting in maximum steric strain.

Chair conformation

The most stable conformation of cyclohexane, minimizing steric strain.

Gauche conformation

Conformation in which bulky groups are adjacent to each other, causing steric strain.

Angle strain

The strain that arises from bond angles deviating from the ideal geometry.

Cyclopropane

A three-membered ring alkane that experiences significant angle strain.

Decalin

A bicyclic alkane composed of two fused six-membered rings.