Introduction to Organic Chemistry Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the basics of organic chemistry, including naming conventions for alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes, isomerism, and properties of hydrocarbon chains.

Organic molecules

Carbon-based molecules.

Organic chemistry

The chemistry of carbon-based molecules.

Properties of organic molecules

Stability composed of stable $C-C$ covalent bonds, defined molecular structures, and defined three-dimensional shapes.

Methane

A hydrocarbon with four single covalent bonds and a tetrahedral shape.

Hydrocarbons

Molecules composed of carbon and hydrogen where each carbon atom forms $4$ chemical bonds.

Saturated hydrocarbon

A hydrocarbon where all $C-C$ bonds are single bonds and the molecule contains the maximum number of $H$-atoms.

Alkanes

Another name for saturated hydrocarbons, identified by the suffix "-ane".

Meth-

Prefix indicating $1$ Carbon atom.

Eth-

Prefix indicating $2$ Carbon atoms.

Prop-

Prefix indicating $3$ Carbon atoms.

But-

Prefix indicating $4$ Carbon atoms.

Pent-

Prefix indicating $5$ Carbon atoms.

Hex-

Prefix indicating $6$ Carbon atoms.

Hept-

Prefix indicating $7$ Carbon atoms.

Oct-

Prefix indicating $8$ Carbon atoms.

Non-

Prefix indicating $9$ Carbon atoms.

Dec-

Prefix indicating $10$ Carbon atoms.

Undec-

Prefix indicating $11$ Carbon atoms.

Dodec-

Prefix indicating $12$ Carbon atoms.

Normal alkanes

Alkanes consisting of continuous chains of carbon atoms.

Branched alkanes

Alkanes that are not continuous chains and contain side chains or branches.

Parent chain

The longest continuous chain of carbons in a hydrocarbon used for naming.

Structural isomers

Molecules with the same chemical formulas but different molecular structures and connectivity.

Methyl group

A one-carbon branch represented as $CH_3-$.

Ethyl group

A two-carbon branch represented as $CH_3CH_2-$.

Halogen branch naming

Dropping the "-ine" suffix and adding "-o", such as Bromine becoming Bromo.

Cycloalkane

A hydrocarbon chain that has been joined to make a ring, resulting in the loss of two hydrogen atoms compared to the straight chain.

Angle (ring) strain

Strain resulting from the compression of internal bond angles, being greatest in cyclopropane ($60^{\circ}$) and eliminated in cyclohexane.

Alkenes

Hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond, identified by the suffix "-ene".

Alkynes

Hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon triple bond, identified by the suffix "-yne".

Alkane General Formula

$$C_nH_{2n+2}$$

Alkene General Formula

$$C_nH_{2n}$$

Alkyne General Formula

$$C_nH_{2n-2}$$

Cis isomer

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

Trans isomer

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