Organic Chemistry: Structural Formulae

Vocabulary flashcards covering structural formulae, condensed structural formulae, and functional group notation in organic molecules.

Structural Formula

A formula that reveals two main features of a molecule: the arrangement of its constituent atoms and the type of functional group present.

Condensed Structural Formula

A structural formula that indicates the relative positions of all atoms in a molecule without showing single covalent bonds, depicting each carbon atom with its attached hydrogen atoms.

Brackets in Condensed Structural Formulae

Notation used to show side chains, branches, functional groups, and repeating groups attached to the specific carbon atom in organic compounds.

Condensed Structural Formula of Acetic Acid

$\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}$, which shows that three hydrogen atoms are bonded to the first carbon atom and identifies the carboxyl group ($\text{COOH}$) as the functional group.

Limitations of Molecular Formulae

The inability to identify functional groups or display the detailed pattern of bonding between atoms in organic molecules.