Organic Chemistry

Chapter 18: Terms

Jöns Jakob Berzerlius

suggested classifying substances as either organic or inorganic based on their source

Friedrich Wöhler

disproved the idea that the term “organic” applied to only living things

organic chemistry

branch of chemistry that deals with substances that are compounds of carbon

octet rule

carbon satisfies what rule?

carbon

forms more chemical compounds than any other element

isomers

compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures and properties

Lewis structures

show how valence electrons are related to the element

structural formula

representation of a molecule that shows the bonding relationships of atoms

condensed structural formula

shorter but more detailed way of writing the structural formula

functional group

chemically reactive group of atoms and bonds that give identifiable physical and chemical properties to any molecule in which they are found

hydrocarbons

organic compounds that contain only hydrogen and carbon

acyclic

type of hydrocarbons that are not in a cyclic shape (an open chain of hydrocarbons)

cyclic

type of hydrocarbon in a ring-like structure

alkanes

acyclic hydrocarbons containing only single bonds between carbon atoms

alkenes

hydrocarbons containing at least one double bond

alkynes

hydrocarbons containing at least one triple bond between carbon atoms

aliphatic hydrocarbons

collective term for alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and simlar cyclic hydrocarbons

saturated

describes hydrocarbons that contain only single carbon-carbon bonds (therefore, more atoms do not fit)

unsaturated

describes hydrocarbons that contain double or triple bonds

paraffin series

another name for the alkane series; means “little attraction” or “little affinity” in Latin

alkyl group

molecular fragment obtained by removing an H atom from a simple alkane

parent hydrocarbon

the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms

combustion

burning

olefin series

another name for the alkene series

cis-

prefix used for compounds with the carbon groups on the same side of the “line”

trans-

prefix used for compounds with the carbon groups on the opposite sides of the “line”

addition reactions

when molecules are added to unsaturated hydrocarbons by breaking the double or triple bond

hydrogenation

adding hydrogen through an addition reaction

halogenation

adding a halogen by addition reaction

hydrohalogenation

adding hydrogen and a halogen by addition reaction

ethyne

simplest alkyne used to produce hot flames and plastics

combustion and addition reactions

alkynes undergo _____ and _____

aromatic hydrocarbons

class of cyclic hydrocarbons that have delocalized electrons in the ring

benzene (C₆H₆)

simplest aromatic hydrocarbon, composed of a hexagonal ring of carbon atoms with six delocalized electrons

graphite

common and familiar carbon allotrope that consists of flat sheets of carbon atoms

fullerenes

group of carbon allotropes consisting of spherical molecules of carbon, such as buckminster fullerene (C₆₀)

carbon nanotubes

tubular fullerenes that are the strongest filaments known

petroleum

complex mix of different types of hydrocarbons that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust and is used to manufacture different products, including plastics, fuel, and lubricants

refineries

huge industrial complexes where petroleum is distilled and refined into useful products

fractional distillation

separates raw petroleum into fractions using a fractionating column

cracking

process in which heavier petroleum distillates are broken into smaller molecules by heating them under pressure in the absence of air and in the presence of a catalyst

greenhouse effect

natural phenomenon in which gases in the atmosphere absorb heat radiated from the earth and radiate it back to the surface, helping keep the earth’s temperature range suitable for living things

Kyoto Protocol

treaty drafted in December 1997 that calls for mandatory CO₂ cutbacks for developed nations while exempting developing nations from restrictions

Paris Agreement

calls for severe reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; does not exempt developing nations

substituted hydrocarbons

hydrocarbons that have one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by different atoms or functional groups

hydroxyl group (-OH)

found in an alcohol

alcohol

substituted hydrocarbon that has had one or more hydrogen atoms replaced by an -OH functional group

methanol (CH₃OH)

simplest alcohol; used as a solvent

ethanol (C₂H₅OH)

alcohol formed in the fermentation of corn or other grain

propan-2-ol (C₃H₇OH; aka isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol)

major ingredient in rubbing alcohol

diols

alcohols with 2 hydroxyl groups

glycerol

an important nontoxic trihydroxy alcohol (triol)

phenols

aromatic alcohols in which one or more -OH groups are attached directly to a benzene ring

aldehyde

substituted hydrocarbon that contains the -CHO functional group

ketone

organic compound that contains a carbonyl group bonded to any atom other than hydrogen

carboxylic acids

substituted hydrocarbons that contain the carboxyl (-COOH) group

esters

substituted hydrocarbons that contain the functional group (-CO-O-) bonded to atoms other than hydrogen

esterification

reaction in which the hydroxyl group of a carboxylic acid reacts with the hydroxyl group of an alcohol to form water and an ester

hydrolysis

reverse reaction of esterification in which an ester reacts with water to form an alcohol and a carboxylic acid

amines

organic compounds that contain only hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen

alkaloids

amines that occur naturally in plants; heterocyclic compounds

amide

substituted hydrocarbon in which the -OH group of a carboxylic acid is replaced with an amine group

polymers

large molecules made by linking together hundreds or even thousands of small molecules

monomers

small molecules that link together with other small molecules to form a polymer

polymerization

process by which many monomers are linked into a single polymer molecule

vinyl polymers

relatively simple polymers formed from monomers having double bonds between carbon atoms

polyesters

polymers that contain repeated ester groups

polyamides

synthetic polymers containing the amide functional group

aramids

aromatic polyamides which are very strong because they have delocalized electrons

silicones

group of polymers composed of silicon oxygen chains with hydroxyl or hydrocarbon groups attached

biochemistry

study of the chemistry of living things

proteins

organic polymers of amino acids used to build and maintain living cells

amino acids

molecules containing an amine group and a carboxylic acid group that are both attached to the same carbon atom

Zwitterion

a molecule that contains both cationic and anionic parts but has no overall charge

peptide bond

bond formed when the amine group of one amino acid reacts with the carboxyl group of another amino acid to form water and an amide functional group

fibrous proteins

proteins with a fairly straight structure

globular proteins

proteins that are folded into an intricate 3-dimensional shape

carbohydrates

most important energy-producing compounds in the body

carbohydrates

aldehydes and ketones that contain multiple hydroxyl groups and compounds dervied from such aldehydes and ketones

monosaccharides (simple sugars)

simplest carbohydrates with a carboxyl group on one carbon atom and one hydroxyl group on each of the other carbon atoms

stereoisomers

isomers with similar structural formulas but different arrangements of bonds around individual atoms

oligosaccharide

polymer of 2 to 10 simple sugar molecules

disaccharides

polymers containing only 2 simple sugars

polysaccharides

polymers of more than 10 simple sugar molecules

starch

used for short-term glucose storage in plant cells

glycogen

used by man and animals for glucose storage

cellulose

structural polysaccharide found in cell walls of plants

lipids

diverse group of biological compounds characterized by insolubility in water

fatty acid

lipid consisting of a carboxylic acid with an unbranched chain of 12 to 24 carbon atoms

triglyceride

molecule formed from the esterification reaction of 3 fatty acids with glycerol

saponification

basic hydrolysis of a fat or oil

soaps

fatty acid salts produced from hydrolysis of a fat or oil

micelles

tiny, spherically shaped emulsified droplets of grease or oil suspended in water

phospholipids

molecules that consist of a glycerol molecule attached to 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group and are an important component of cell membranes

steroids

group of lipids characterized by a structure consisting of four rings

cholesterol

steroid used in humans and animals to manufacture all other steroids

nucleic acids

group of biomolecules that are polymers of nucleotides

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

stores the hereditary “blueprints” of the cell

RNA (ribonucleic acid)

nucleic acid that serves a variety of functions within the cell

nucleotides

biological molecules that consist of a nitrogen-containing base, a sugar molecule, and a phosphate group