L32 - Organic

Flashcards on Organic Chemistry Functional Groups

What is an alcohol?

A carbon-containing group attached to an -OH group.

What distinguishes primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols?

Primary: One carbon-containing group attached to the carbon bonded to the -OH. Secondary: Two carbon-containing groups. Tertiary: Three carbon-containing groups.

Why are alcohols polar?

Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon and hydrogen, leading to polar bonds and partial charges.

How does the polarity of alcohols affect their physical properties?

Alcohols can participate in hydrogen bonding, leading to higher boiling points and better solubility in polar solvents like water.

What products are generated from the oxidation of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols?

Primary alcohols can be oxidized to aldehydes and further to carboxylic acids. Secondary alcohols can be oxidized to ketones. Tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized.

What are carboxylic acids?

Weak acids that are stronger than alcohols.

What is the acid component of vinegar?

Ethanoic acid.

Why are carboxylic acids stronger acids than alcohols?

Due to resonance stabilization of the conjugate base, where the negative charge can be delocalized across two oxygen atoms.

What is an ester?

A carbon double-bonded to an oxygen, with another oxygen attached to that carbon, which is then bonded to another carbon-containing group.

How are esters made?

Reacting a carboxylic acid with an alcohol, typically requiring a catalyst.

How can the formation of esters be favored?

By either removing the other product (water) or by adding an excess of one of the reactants (carboxylic acid or alcohol).

How are esters named?

Look at the number of carbons in the group attached to the single-bonded oxygen and in the group containing the carbonyl carbon.

What is an amide?

A carbon double-bonded to an oxygen, with a nitrogen atom attached to that carbon.

How are amides typically formed?

By reacting a carboxylic acid with thionyl chloride to form an acyl chloride, then reacting the acyl chloride with an amine.

When reacting with water, what do acid chlorides, esters, and amides produce?

Acid chloride + water -> Carboxylic acid + HCl.
Ester + water -> Carboxylic acid + Alcohol.
Amide + water -> Carboxylic acid (or its conjugate base) + Amine (or its conjugate acid).