ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
THE CHEMISTRY OF CARBON COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
• Hydrocarbons: carbons compounds consisting of
hydrogen and carbon atoms only
• Saturated: compounds in which there are no multiple
bonds between C atoms
• Unsaturated: compounds with one or more multiple
bonds between C atoms
CARBON BONDS
• Carbon has 4 valence electrons
• Carbon can form 4 covalent bonds
• Carbons bond onto carbons and are surrounded by
mostly hydrogen atoms
• Hydrogen can only form 1 covalent bond
• Single, double or triple
bonds
• Carbons bonds to carbons to form chains, branched
chains and ring structures
• Carbons can also bond to N, O, S, F, Cl, Br and I
REPRESENTATION OF ORGANIC
MOLECULES
• General formula e.g. CnH2n + 2 = Alkanes
• Molecular formula e.g. C4H10
• Structural formula e.g.
• Condensed structural formula e.g. CH3CH2CH2CH3
ORGANIC FAMILIES/ HOMOLOGOUS
SERIES
• Functional group: type of bond/ atom/ group of
atoms that determine properties of a compound.
• Homologous series: a group of compounds
containing the same functional group or same
general formula
ISOMERS:
Structural isomers: organic molecules with the same
molecular formula, but different structural formulae
a) Chain isomers: organic compounds with the same
molecular formula but different arrangements of the
carbon chain.
b) Positional isomers: organic compounds with same
molecular formula and carbon parent chain, but
different positions of branches/ substituents/
functional groups.
• c) Functional isomers: compounds with the same
molecular formula, but different functional groups
IUPAC NAMING AND FORMULAE
(UNION OF PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY)
• Alkanes: saturated hydrocarbons CnH2n+2
• Naming a compound consist of the following:
prefix stem suffix
Which functional group number of C atoms homologous series
And where
• Alkyl groups, naming branches: derive the name from
the number of carbon atoms.
• STEPS IN NAMING
1. Find the longest chain(parent chain)
2. Number the C atoms to give alkyl group the lowest
number
3. Name the alkyl groups
4. If two or more identical alkyl groups are present
5. If different alkyl groups are present
6. Write name as single word.
ALKENES & ALKYNES
• Unsaturated hydrocarbons.
• Alkenes one or more double bonds
• Alkynes 1 or more triple bond
• Functional group= double/ triple bond
• Alkene general formula CnH2n
• Suffix –ene
• Alkyne general formula CnH2n-2
• Suffix –yne
• Ring structures: cycloalkene CnH2n-2
• More than 1 double/ triple bond = diene/ triene.
Position of double bond indicated in the name
HALOALKANES (ALKYL HALIDES)
• One or more halogens
• General formula: CnH2n+1 X
• Longest chain is parent (if = bond then it is parent)
• Number closest from substituent halogen/ alkyl.
Double bond enjoy preference
• Number of halogens
• Different halogens, alphabetic order.
• Alphabetic order prevails
• Primary/secondary/ tertiary
ALCOHOLS
• A polar molecule with hydroxyl groups(s)
• General formula: Cn H2n + 1 OH
• Longest chain contain hydroxyl
• Number from hydroxyl side
• Number substituents and name alphabetically
• More than 1 hydroxyl
• Primary/ secondary/ tertiary alcohols
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
• Carboxyl group= carbonyl + hydroxyl
• General formula: CnH2n O2
• Numbering starts at carboxyl
• Number substituents and list alphabetically
ESTERS
• Related to carboxylic acids
• General formula CnH2n O2
• Combination of alcohol and carboxylic acid
• Split the ester in alcohol(-O) and acid(=O)
• Name alcohol part as substituent(alkyl)
• Name acid part secondly
ALDEHYDES AND KETONES
• Aldehyde: contains carbonyl
• General formula: CnH2n O
• parent chain contain carbonyl group
• Number from carbonyl
• Substituents number and name alphabetically
• Ketones: contains carbonyl
• General formula: CnH2n O
• Number nearest to carbonyl
• Substituents arranged alphabetically
