Topic 1: Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from the Introduction to Organic Chemistry lecture covering carbon bonding, formula representations, functional groups, IUPAC nomenclature, and isomerism.

Organic Chemistry

The branch of chemistry dedicated to the study of carbon compounds.

Functional Group

A reactive group of atoms or bonds within a molecule that dictates its chemical and physical properties and is responsible for most of its reactions.

Primary Carbon Atom ($1^\bullet$)

A carbon atom in an organic molecule that is bonded to only one other carbon atom.

Secondary Carbon Atom ($2^\bullet$)

A carbon atom in an organic molecule that is bonded to two other carbon atoms.

Tertiary Carbon Atom ($3^\bullet$)

A carbon atom in an organic molecule that is bonded to three other carbon atoms.

Quaternary Carbon Atom ($4^\bullet$)

A carbon atom in an organic molecule that is bonded to four other carbon atoms.

Molecular Formula

A formula showing the exact number of atoms of each element present in a compound without showing how the atoms are connected.

Empirical Formula

A chemical formula expressing the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element present in a molecule.

Displayed Formula

A full structural formula (also known as Kekulé structure) that clearly shows all atoms and all covalent bonds connecting them in a molecule.

Condensed Structural Formula

A simplified structural formula written on a single line of text without displaying individual vertical or horizontal single bonds.

Skeletal Structural Formula

A molecular representation showing only the carbon skeleton as lines, where carbon atoms are assumed at line ends and bends, and hydrogen atoms attached to carbon are omitted.

Perspective Drawing

A three-dimensional representation of a molecule using solid lines, wedge bonds, and dashed/hatched bonds to illustrate actual bond angles and spatial shape.

Wedge Bond

A bond drawing style representing a chemical bond directed towards the viewer, pointing out of the page plane.

Hatched Bond

A dashed or hatched bond drawing style representing a chemical bond directed away from the viewer, pointing into the page plane.

Homologous Series

A family of organic compounds sharing the same functional group and general formula, exhibiting similar chemical properties, and differing from adjacent members by a $-CH_2-$ unit.

IUPAC Prefix

The prefix portion of an IUPAC organic compound name that specifies the identity and position of atoms or substituent groups attached to the parent carbon chain.

IUPAC Base

The central stem of an IUPAC compound name that denotes the number of carbon atoms in the longest continuous parent carbon chain.

IUPAC Suffix

The ending part of an IUPAC organic name determined by the principal functional group present in the molecule.

Constitutional Isomers

Isomers that possess the same molecular formula but different structural formulas due to different atomic bond connectivities.

Stereoisomers

Isomers that have the same molecular formula and bond connectivity, but differ in the three-dimensional spatial orientation of their atoms.

Conformational Isomers

Stereoisomers that can interconvert freely by rotation around a single carbon-carbon bond.

Chair Conformer of Cyclohexane

A non-planar, low-energy conformational stereoisomer of cyclohexane shaped like a chair.

Boat Conformer of Cyclohexane

A non-planar conformational stereoisomer of cyclohexane shaped like a boat.

Optical Isomers

Stereoisomers containing at least one chiral carbon atom that differ in their ability to rotate plane-polarized light.

Chiral Carbon Atom

A carbon atom bonded to four completely different atoms or groups of atoms, creating non-superimposable mirror images.

Geometrical Isomers

Cis-trans stereoisomers resulting from restricted bond rotation around double bonds or ring structures, where each carbon atom involved is attached to two different groups.