Organic Chemistry Lecture: Chapter 4 Overview

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from Chapter 4 of Organic Chemistry, focusing on alkanes, cycloalkanes, their properties, nomenclature, and isomerism.

Alkane

A saturated hydrocarbon with only C-C and C-H single bonds.

Acyclic Alkanes

Alkanes that are open-chain and have the molecular formula CnH2n+2.

Cycloalkanes

Hydrocarbons that contain carbon atoms arranged in a ring with the general formula CnH2n.

sp3 Hybridization

The type of hybridization where each carbon atom in an alkane forms four sp3 hybridized bonds.

Tetrahedral Geometry

The 3-D arrangement of atoms around a carbon in alkanes, characterized by bond angles of 109.5°.

Constitutional Isomers

Different compounds that have the same molecular formula but differ in the connectivity of their atoms.

Primary Carbon (1°)

A carbon atom that is bonded to only one other carbon atom.

Secondary Carbon (2°)

A carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms.

Tertiary Carbon (3°)

A carbon atom that is bonded to three other carbon atoms.

Quaternary Carbon (4°)

A carbon atom that is bonded to four other carbon atoms.

Alkyl Groups

Substituents derived from alkanes by removing one hydrogen atom.

Cis Isomer

An isomer where substituents are on the same side of a double bond or ring.

Trans Isomer

An isomer where substituents are on opposite sides of a double bond or ring.

E/Z Configuration

A system used to describe the stereochemistry of alkenes based on the priority of substituents.

Torsional Strain

Increased energy in a molecule due to eclipsing interactions between bonds.

Steric Strain

Increased energy in a molecule when non-bonded atoms are forced too close to each other.

Angle Strain

Increased energy in cyclic molecules when bond angles deviate from their ideal values.

Chair Conformation

The most stable conformation of cyclohexane that minimizes steric and angle strain.

Ring-Flipping

A conformational change in cyclohexane where axial and equatorial positions swap.

Combustion of Alkanes

An oxidation-reduction reaction in which alkanes are burned in oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.