Functional Groups

Introduction

  • Functional group: an atom or a group of atoms within a molecule that shows a characteristic set of physical and chemical properties.
  • Why functional groups are important
    • They allow us to divide organic compounds into classes. 
    • They exhibit characteristic chemical reactions. A particular functional group, in all compounds that contain it, undergoes the same types of chemical reactions. 
    • Functional groups serve as a basis for naming organic compounds.

Alcohol

  • Alcohol: OH (hydroxyl group) bonded to a tetrahedral carbon (a carbon having single bonds to 4 other atoms)
  • Primary alcohol: a compound containing a OH group bonded to a carbon atom bonded to only one other carbon atom and two hydrogens.
  • Secondary alcohol: a compound containing a OH group bonded to a carbon atom bonded to two other carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom
  • Tertiary alcohol: a compound containing a OH group bonded to a carbon atom bonded to three other carbon atoms

Amines

  • Amine: functional group is an amino group (a nitrogen atom bonded to one, two, or three carbon atoms by single bonds)
  • Primary amine: an amine in which nitrogen is bonded to one carbon and two hydrogens.
  • Secondary amine: an amine in which nitrogen is bonded to two carbons and one hydrogen. 
  • Tertiary amine: an amine in which nitrogen is bonded to three carbons.

Aldehydes and Ketones

  • Both have the carbonyl functional group (C=O)
  • Aldehyde: carbonyl group is at the end
  • Ketone: carbonyl group is in the middle

Carboxylic Acids, Carboxylic Esters, & Carboxylic Amides

  • Carboxylic acid: has the functional group carboxyl (COOH - carboxyl and hydroxyl)
  • Carboxylic ester: a derivative of a carboxylic acid in which the hydrogen of the carboxyl group is replaced by a carbon containing group
  • Carboxylic amides: a derivative of a carboxylic acid in which the OH of the carboxyl group is replaced by an amine