Organic Chemistry Functional Groups

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, halogen, sulfur, and benzene-bearing functional groups, as well as carboxylic acid and carbonyl derivatives.

Alkene

A carbon-bearing functional group containing a carbon-carbon double bond, which can be categorized as internal (inside the chain) or terminal (at the end of the chain).

Alkyne

A carbon-bearing functional group containing a carbon-carbon triple bond, which can be categorized as internal (inside the chain) or terminal (at the end of the chain).

Alcohol

An oxygen-bearing group with the formula $R-OH$. It is classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on the number of carbons attached to the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group.

Ether

An oxygen-bearing functional group with the general structure $R-O-R$.

Aldehyde

An oxygen-bearing carbonyl group with the structure $R-CHO$.

Ketone

An oxygen-bearing carbonyl group with the structure $R-CO-R$, where the carbonyl carbon is bonded to two carbon groups.

Carboxylic Acid

An oxygen-bearing functional group characterized by the structure $R-COOH$.

Ester

An oxygen-bearing group with the structure $R-COOR$, derived from a carboxylic acid.

Halide

A halogen-bearing group ($R-X$) specifically named as fluoride, chloride, bromide, or iodide; they can be primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Amine

A nitrogen-bearing group that can be primary ($R-NH_2$), secondary ($R_2-NH$), tertiary ($R_3-N$), or quaternary ammonium ($R_4-N^+$).

Amide

A nitrogen-bearing compound containing a carbonyl group linked to a nitrogen; categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Nitrile

A nitrogen-bearing group characterized by a carbon-nitrogen triple bond ($R-CN$).

Nitro Group

A nitrogen-bearing functional group with the structure $-NO_2$.

Thiol

A sulfur-bearing functional group with the structure $R-SH$, which can be primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Thioether (Sulfide)

A sulfur-bearing group with the structure $R-S-R$.

Thioester

A sulfur-bearing derivative with the structure $R-COSR$.

Phenyl Group

A benzene-bearing group where the benzene ring is directly attached as a substituent.

Benzyl Group

A benzene-bearing group where a benzene ring is attached to a methylene ($CH_2$) group, which is then attached to the rest of the molecule.

Acyl Chloride

A carboxylic acid derivative with the structure $R-COCl$.

Anhydride

A carboxylic acid derivative with the structure $R-CO-O-COR$.

Imide

A nitrogen-bearing derivative with two acyl groups bound to nitrogen.

Carbonic Acid

A carbonyl derivative with the structure $HO-CO-OH$.

Carbonate

A carbonyl derivative with the structure $RO-CO-OR$.

Carbamic Acid

A carbonyl derivative with the structure $NH_2-CO-OH$.

Carbamate

A carbonyl derivative with the structure $NH_2-CO-OR$.

Urea

A carbonyl derivative with the structure $NH_2-CO-NH_2$.

Hydrate

A carbonyl derivative where two hydroxyl groups are attached to the same carbon ($R-C(OH)_2-R$).

Hemi-acetal

A carbonyl derivative with one hydroxyl ($-OH$) group and one ether ($-OR$) group attached to the same carbon.

Acetal

A carbonyl derivative with two ether ($-OR$) groups attached to the same carbon ($R-C(OR)_2-R$).

Imine

A nitrogen-containing derivative featuring a carbon-nitrogen double bond ($C=N$).

Enamine

A nitrogen-containing derivative featuring an amine linked to a carbon-carbon double bond.