Chemistry 331 - Organic Compounds Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from Chemistry 331, Chapter 3: An Introduction to Organic Compounds, focusing on nomenclature, physical properties, and representation of structure.

Organic Chemistry

The chemistry of carbon-based compounds from living sources, and their derivatives.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds composed of C, H, and O, found in sugars, grains, exoskeletons, and involved in immune response.

Proteins

Organic compounds composed of C, H, O, and N, forming muscle tissue, organs, hormones, enzymes, skin, and hair.

Fats/Lipids

Organic compounds composed of C, H, and O, found in cholesterol, insulation, hormones, brain matter, soap, and gasoline.

Nucleic Acids

Organic compounds including DNA, RNA, and genes.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds made of only carbon (C) and hydrogen (H).

Alkanes

Hydrocarbons containing only single bonds, with the general formula CnH2n+2.

Isomers

Different compounds with the same molecular formula.

Constitutional Isomers

Compounds with the same molecular formula but differing in the order in which the atoms are connected.

Substituents

Groups which branch off from the main hydrocarbon chain, named with the same prefix and ending in '-yl'.

Methyl group

A -CH3 substituent.

Ethyl group

A -CH2CH3 substituent.

Propyl group

A -CH2CH2CH3 substituent.

Cyclic Alkanes (Cycloalkanes)

Alkanes in a ring structure with fewer hydrogens than an acyclic alkane, general formula CnH2n.

Angle Strain

Stress on bonds due to smaller than ideal bond angles, making 3- and 4-membered rings less stable.

Newman Projections

A way to represent different conformations of the same molecule by viewing down a specific carbon-carbon bond.

Eclipsed Conformation

A conformation where substituents on adjacent carbons directly align, resulting in higher potential energy.

Staggered Conformation

A conformation where substituents on adjacent carbons are spaced apart, resulting in lower potential energy.

Anti Conformation

A type of staggered conformation where the largest substituents on adjacent carbons are 180 degrees apart, minimizing steric strain.

Gauche Conformation

A type of staggered conformation where the largest substituents on adjacent carbons are 60 degrees apart, leading to some steric strain.

Steric Strain

Repulsion between the electron clouds of two close, but unbonded atoms.

Chair Conformation

The most common and stable conformation of cyclohexane, with bond angles close to the ideal tetrahedral angle of 109.5°.

Axial bonds

Bonds on a cyclohexane chair conformation that are straight up or straight down, perpendicular to the general plane of the ring.

Equatorial bonds

Bonds on a cyclohexane chair conformation that are leaning out away from the ring, parallel to ring bonds.

Boat Conformation

A less stable conformation of cyclohexane than the chair, further destabilized by steric strain from 'flagpole hydrogens'.

Flagpole Hydrogens

Sterically interacting hydrogens at the 'bow' and 'stern' of a cyclohexane boat conformation.

Chair-Chair Transformation (Ring Flip)

A conformational change in cyclohexanes where all axial bonds become equatorial and vice versa.

1,3-diaxial interactions

Steric strain between an axial substituent and axial hydrogens on the same side of the ring (at the 1 and 3 positions), typically making axial substituents less stable than equatorial ones.

cis- (isomer)

A descriptor for isomers where two substituents are on the same side of a ring or double bond.

trans- (isomer)

A descriptor for isomers where two substituents are on opposite sides of a ring or double bond.