Organic Chemistry Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing organic chemistry concepts, including alkanes, functional groups, nomenclature, and isomerism.

What elements are organic compounds mainly composed of?

Carbon and hydrogen, possibly with oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus.

What is a condensed structural formula?

Shows all atoms in a molecule with as few bonds as possible.

What does the molecular formula show?

Shows only the number of each atom in the molecule.

What does the Lewis structure show?

Shows complete connectivity with all atoms and bonds.

What do skeletal structures show?

Bonds between carbon atoms as lines; hydrogen atoms are not shown.

What are the simplest organic compounds?

Alkanes

What do alkanes contain?

Only single-bonded carbon and hydrogen.

What does 'hydrocarbon' indicate?

Made up entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

What does 'saturated' indicate about alkanes?

Contain only single bonds.

What is the general formula for an alkane?

CnH2n+2

What are cycloalkanes?

Ring-form alkanes.

How are cycloalkanes named?

Adding 'cyclo' to the alkane name.

What is the simplest cycloalkane?

Cyclopropane.

Are alkanes polar or nonpolar?

Nonpolar.

What are the products of complete alkane combustion?

Carbon dioxide and water.

What are heteroatoms?

Elements other than carbon and hydrogen in an organic compound.

What is a functional group?

A group of atoms bonded in a particular way.

What is the role of the functional group?

The reactive part of an organic molecule.

What does 'R' represent in a functional group structure?

The 'Rest' of the molecule.

What is a carbonyl group?

Carbon double-bonded to an oxygen.

What are alkenes?

Hydrocarbons with carbon-carbon double bonds.

Are alkenes saturated or unsaturated?

Unsaturated hydrocarbons.

How does a double bond compare to a single bond in alkenes?

Shorter and stronger.

What are alkynes?

Compounds with carbon-carbon triple bonds.

Are alkynes common in nature?

Rare due to their high reactivity.

What is an aromatic compound?

Cyclic structure like benzene, often with pleasant aromas.

What is unique about unsaturated cyclic aromatic compounds?

They are unusually stable.

What are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)?

Aromatic compounds with two or more benzene rings.

What roles do fats play in a balanced diet?

Insulators and protective coverings.

What are common sources of fatty acids like lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids?

Coconut, nutmeg, and palm.

What are alkanes not connected in a single continuous chain called?

Branched-chain alkanes.

What does IUPAC nomenclature provide?

Provides a unique name for every organic compound.

How is an alkyl group derived from an alkane?

The one with the same number of carbons, changing '-ane' becomes '-yl'.

What are the three basic parts found in the names of organic compounds?

Parent chain, Substituents and numerical prefixes.

What are the substituent names of halogens in haloalkanes?

Fluoro, chloro, bromo, and iodo.

What are isomers?

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

What characterizes structural isomers?

Different connectivity of atoms.

What are Stereoisomers?

Molecules with the same bonds but different spatial arrangements.

What does 'cis' mean?

Same side.

What does 'trans' mean?

Across.