Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry: Functional Groups and IUPAC Nomenclature Vocabulary

Flashcards covering essential vocabulary on foundational general chemistry concepts, structural representations, organic functional groups, and IUPAC nomenclature rules.

Valence Electrons

Electrons found in the outermost shell (energy level) of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding and determine reactivity and chemical properties.

Octet Rule

The principle stating that an atom achieves a stable electron configuration when it has 8 electrons in its valence shell, with hydrogen and helium following the duet exception.

Valency

The number of electrons an atom must gain, lose, or share to achieve an octet configuration.

Tetravalent

Describing an element with a valency of 4, such as carbon, which requires sharing or gaining 4 electrons to attain an octet.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of cations and anions, typically between a metal and a non-metal.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms to form a stable electron configuration, typically between non-metals.

Lewis Structure

Also known as an electron-dot structure, a representation of a molecule where lines represent bonding electron pairs and dots represent non-bonding lone pairs.

Expanded Structural Formula

Also known as Kekule or line-bond formula, a representation where all individual atoms and bonds in an organic compound are explicitly written out.

Condensed Structural Formula

A structural formula where single bonds from the Kekule formula are omitted, and parentheses are used to indicate branching or long chain notation attached to an adjacent carbon atom.

Skeletal Formula

A structural representation where carbon atoms are represented by points or junctions, hydrogens attached to carbons are omitted, and hydrogens attached to heteroatoms are shown.

Functional Group

A specific group of atoms that determines how an organic compound behaves and reacts, commonly denoted as an R-group.

Halo Group

The functional group $-X$ (where $X = F, Cl, Br, I$) present in alkyl halides.

Hydroxyl Group

The functional group $-\text{OH}$ present in alcohols.

Alkoxy Group

The functional group $-\text{OR}$ present in ethers.

Amino Group

The functional group $-\text{NH}_2$ (or $-\text{NHR}$, $-\text{NR}_2$) present in amines.

Sulfhydryl Group

The functional group $-\text{SH}$ present in thiols.

Carboxyl Group

The functional group $-\text{COOH}$ present in carboxylic acids.

Parent Chain

The primary portion of an organic compound, usually the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms, used as the basis for IUPAC naming.

Substituent

Any atom, functional group, or side chain attached to the main parent carbon chain.

Locant

A number or letter in IUPAC nomenclature that informs the reader of the exact location of a substituent or bond type on the parent chain.

Alpha Carbon

The carbon atom directly attached to a specific functional group in an organic molecule.

Beta Carbon

The carbon atom located adjacent to an alpha carbon in an organic compound.

Primary Carbon

A carbon atom bonded to only one other carbon atom (represented as $1^\text{o}$).

Secondary Carbon

A carbon atom bonded to two other carbon atoms (represented as $2^\text{o}$).

Tertiary Carbon

A carbon atom bonded to three other carbon atoms (represented as $3^\text{o}$).

Quaternary Carbon

A carbon atom bonded to four other carbon atoms (represented as $4^\text{o}$).

First Point of Difference

An IUPAC locant assignment rule stating that when comparing different numbering combinations for substituents of equal rank, the sequence with the lower number at the first point of difference is selected.

Enyne

An organic compound containing both double (alkene) and triple (alkyne) bonds within its structure.