Organic Chemistry: Alkanes, Isomers, and Nomenclature

These flashcards cover key concepts in organic chemistry related to alkanes, isomers, naming conventions, and molecular interactions as discussed in the lecture notes.

What are alkanes?

Alkanes are hydrocarbons that contain only single bonds between carbon atoms.

How do you recognize a homologous series in alkanes?

Members of a homologous series differ by one CH2 group.

What are constitutional isomers?

Constitutional isomers have the same molecular formula but different connectivity of atoms.

What happens when hydrogen is removed from an alkane?

It results in an alkyl substituent.

What suffix is used for naming alcohols?

The suffix 'ol' is added to the name of the parent hydrocarbon.

How do you determine the naming for alkyl halides?

The structure of an alkyl halide is the same as an alkane but with a halogen replacing one hydrogen atom.

What is the correct way to assign numbers to substituents in nomenclature?

Substituents should be assigned the lowest possible numbers.

What defines the stability of a cyclohexane conformer?

The stability is affected by the spatial arrangement of substituents; equatorial positions are more stable than axial positions.

How does an increase in carbon number affect solubility in water for alkanes?

The more carbons, the less soluble the compound is in water.

What is the main factor that influences the melting point of alkane compounds?

The packing of molecules; odd-numbered alkanes pack less tightly than even-numbered ones.

What bonding interaction is the strongest in terms of boiling points?

Hydrogen bonds are the strongest interactions, leading to higher boiling points.

What are the classifications of amines based on the number of R groups attached to nitrogen?

Amines are classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary based on the number of R groups bonded to the nitrogen.

How to distinguish between cis and trans fused cyclohexane rings?

Trans fused rings have both substituents in equatorial positions, making them more stable than cis fused rings.

Why is the chair conformer of cyclohexane the most stable form?

It has all bond angles at 111 degrees and adjacent bonds staggered, minimizing strain.

What is the consequence of having substituents in the axial position on cyclohexane?

Eclipsing interactions lead to lower stability compared to when substituents are positioned equatorially.

Identify the functional group present in alcohols.

The hydroxyl group (-OH) is the functional group present in alcohols.

What are ethers and how are they named?

Ethers contain an oxygen atom bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups and are named by replacing 'yl' with 'oxy'.