Introduction to Organic Chemistry Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the basics of organic chemistry, including formulae types, nomenclature rules, reaction mechanisms, and isomerism.

Organic Chemistry

The chemistry of carbon compounds.

Friedrich Wöhler

Disproved the idea that organic compounds were produced by living things only by making urea from ammonium cyanate in 1828.

Carbon-Carbon Bond Strength

The relatively strong bond between two carbon atoms, measured at $347\,kJ\,mol^{-1}$.

Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Strength

The strong and relatively non-polar bond between carbon and hydrogen atoms, measured at $413\,kJ\,mol^{-1}$.

Empirical Formula

A formula that shows the simplest ratio of the atoms of each element present in a compound.

Molecular Formula

The formula that shows the actual number of atoms of each element in the molecule.

Displayed Formula

Shows every atom and every bond in the molecule.

Structural Formula

Shows the unique arrangement of atoms in a molecule in a simplified form, without showing all the bonds (e.g., $CH_3CH_3$).

Skeletal Formula

A notation where carbon atoms and C-H bonds are not drawn; straight lines represent carbon-carbon bonds and carbon atoms are assumed to be at the vertices.

Three-Dimensional Structural Formulae

Representations showing the 3D structure of a molecule using wedges for bonds coming out of the paper and dotted lines for bonds going into the paper.

Curly Arrow

A symbol showing the movement of a pair of electrons, starting from a lone pair or a covalent bond and moving toward a positively charged area.

Free Radicals

Fragments of a molecule that have an unpaired electron and are usually extremely reactive.

IUPAC

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; an organization that draws up standards for naming chemical compounds.

Root (Nomenclature)

The part of a systematic name that indicates the length of the longest unbranched hydrocarbon chain or ring (e.g., meth, eth, prop).

Functional Groups

Reactive groups attached to a hydrocarbon chain that react in the same way regardless of the chain length.

Homologous Series

A family of organic compounds with the same functional group and a general formula (e.g., $C_{n}H_{2n+2}$ for alkanes), which differ from each other by $CH_{2}$.

Structural Isomerism

Occurs when molecules have the same molecular formula but different structural formulae.

Positional Isomerism

A type of structural isomerism where the same functional groups are attached to the main chain at different points.

Functional Group Isomerism

A type of structural isomerism where molecules with the same molecular formula have different functional groups.

Chain Isomerism

A type of structural isomerism where the hydrocarbon chain is arranged differently, such as through branching.

Stereoisomerism

A condition where compounds have the same structural formula but differ in the arrangement of the bonds in space.

E-Z Isomerism

A type of stereoisomerism resulting from lack of rotation around a carbon-carbon double bond, where substituents are either on the same side (Z/Zusammen) or opposite sides (E/Entgegen).