Organic Chemistry Reactions

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to organic chemistry reactions.

Activation Energy (ΔG‡)

The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Addition Reaction

A reaction where two reactants add together to form a single product without any atoms left over.

Elimination Reaction

A reaction in which a single reactant splits into two products, often yielding a small molecule like water or HBr.

Substitution Reaction

A reaction where two reactants exchange parts to form two new products.

Rearrangement Reaction

A reaction in which a single reactant undergoes a reorganization of bonds and atoms to yield an isomeric product.

Mechanism

A complete description of a chemical reaction detailing how bonds are broken and formed.

Nucleophile

An electron-rich species that donates an electron pair to an electron-poor atom (electrophile) in a reaction.

Electrophile

An electron-poor species that accepts an electron pair from a nucleophile to form a bond.

Transition State

A high-energy intermediate state during a chemical reaction where reactants are transformed into products.

Carbocation

A positively charged carbon ion that can act as an electrophile in chemical reactions.

Radical Reaction

A reaction that involves species with an odd number of electrons and is less common than polar reactions.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases heat to the surroundings, leading to a negative enthalpy change (ΔH).

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs heat from the surroundings, resulting in a positive enthalpy change (ΔH).

Gibbs Free Energy Change (ΔG)

The energy difference between the reactants and products that indicates whether a reaction is favorable.

Equilibrium Constant (Keq)

A mathematical expression that defines the ratio of product concentrations to reactant concentrations at equilibrium.

Polar Reaction

A reaction involving nucleophiles and electrophiles where electron pairs are transferred.

Polarizability

The ease with which the electron cloud around an atom can be distorted, affecting its reactivity in a polar reaction.