Organic Chemistry Exam 1 Review

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers fundamental organic chemistry concepts including molecular geometry, functional groups, isomerism, and nomenclature based on the Exam #1 review material.

Formal Charge

The charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, such as the $+1$ charge found on the central nitrogen atom in an ammonium ion structure.

Constitutional Isomers

Compounds that have the same molecular formula but differ in the connectivity of their atoms.

Propranolol

An antihypertensive drug containing an oxygen atom with $sp^3$ hybridization, bent molecular geometry, and an approximate bond angle of $109.5^\circ$.

Dipole Moment

A measure of molecular polarity produced by the separation of charges, often used to rank compounds like fluorinated alkenes.

Partial Charges

Non-integer charges represented by $\delta+$ and $\delta-$ that denote the distribution of electron density in a polar bond such as $P-Cl$.

Aspartame

An artificial sweetener used in Equal® and diet beverages containing aromatic, amide, and carboxylic acid functional groups.

Aromatic Group

A functional group characterized by a planar, cyclic ring of resonance-stabilized atoms, identified as Group I in the structure of Aspartame.

Amide

A functional group consisting of a nitrogen atom attached to a carbonyl group ($C=O$), identified as Group II in Aspartame.

Carboxylic Acid

A functional group consisting of a carbonyl group bonded to a hydroxyl group ($-COOH$), identified as Group III in Aspartame.

Bond-line Structure

A representation of molecular structure where lines represent carbon-carbon bonds and carbons are located at every corner and end of a line.

Resonance Structures

Two or more valid Lewis structures for the same compound that differ only in the placement of electrons, as seen in compound $HN_3$.

Brønsted-Lowry Acid-Base Reaction

A reaction characterized by the transfer of a proton ($H^+$) from an acid to a base.

Conjugate Base

The species that remains after a Brønsted-Lowry acid has donated a proton.

Curved Arrows

A notation used in chemistry mechanisms to show the movement of electron pairs, starting from an electron-rich site and moving to an electron-poor site.

Substituent

An atom or group of atoms that branch off from the main parent chain or ring of a molecule.

Hydrogen Bonding

The strongest intermolecular force possible between molecules of alcohols like 1-butanol due to the presence of the $O-H$ group.

London Dispersion Forces

Weak intermolecular forces present between all molecules, including non-polar hydrocarbons.

Chair Structure

A common conformation of cyclohexane used to identify the spatial relationship of substituents as either cis or trans.

cis (configuration)

A relationship where two substituents on a ring structure are positioned on the same side.

trans (configuration)

A relationship where two substituents on a ring structure are positioned on opposite sides.

IUPAC Nomenclature

A systematic method of naming chemical compounds, such as 3,6-dimethyloctane or 1-tert-butyl-3-methyl cyclooctane.

Bicyclo Alkane

A polycyclic compound containing two joined rings, such as bicyclo [4.3.2] undecane.

Newman Projection

A way of looking down a specific carbon-carbon bond (such as the $C2-C3$ bond in butane) to visualize different energy conformations.

Anti-conformation

The lowest energy conformation of a molecule like butane as seen in a Newman projection, where large groups are $180^\circ$ apart.