Unit 10 and 20 Organic Chemistry

10.1 Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry

Functional Group
Name General Formula Suffix Functional Group

Alkanes CnH2n+2 -ane —

Alkenes CnH2n -ene Alkenyl

Alkynes CnH2n-2 -yne Alkynyl

Arenes CnH2n-2 — Phenyl

Halogenoalkanes CnH2n+1X — —X
(X = F, Cl, Br, I)

Alcohols ROH -ol Hydroxyl

—OH

Aldehydes RCHO -al Aldehyde

Ketones RC(O)R’ -one Carbonyl

Carboxylic acids RCOOH -oic acid Carboxyl

Esters RCOOR’ -oate Ester

 Ethers ROR’ — Ether
—O—

Amines RNH2 -amine Amino

RNHR’
RN(R’)R’’

Amides RCONH2 -amide Amido

Nitriles RCN -nitrile Cyano

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

● Organic chemistry: Field of chemistry that studies carbon-based compounds.
● Carbon can undergo centation
○ Process by which many identical atoms are joined together by covalent bonds

Homologous Series
1. Series of compounds that can be grouped together based on similarities in their
structure and reactions
2. Has same general formula
3. Varies from one member to another by one CH2 group
● Physical properties
○ Change gradually as the length of the carbon chain increases
● Chemical properties
○ Similar due to the presence of the same functional group

● Fractional distillation
○ Physical separation process that uses differences in boiling points to separate
the mixture into fractions of similar boiling point.

Nomenclature of Organic Compounds

 ●
● Use comma to separate numbers
● Use hyphen to separate numbers and letters
● Priorty
○ Functional group takes priority over the substituents
○ Double bonds takes priority over the single bonds

Structural Isomers
● Compounds that have same chemical formula but different structural formula
● Have unique physical and chemical properties

Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

● Hydrocarbons
○ Organic compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms only
● Saturated compounds
○ Single bonds
● Unsaturated compounds
○ Double bonds and Triple bonds
● Crude oil
○ Made up of mixture of hydrocarbons: Alkanes, cycloalkanes and aromatic
hydrocarbons
○ Cycloalkanes
■ Ring structure that contain single carbon-carbon bonds
○ Aromatic hydrocarbons
■ ring structure consisting of alternating single and double carbon-carbon
bonds

PTFE
● Synthetic polymer
● Thermoplastic polymer: Can be moulded with heated, retaining its new shape upon
cooling
● Properties
○ High chemical resistance
○ Low coefficient of friction
 ○ High melting point
○ Electrical and thermal insulation
● Common use
○ Non-stick surface on cooking implements
● Serendipity
○ Fortunate accidental discoveries within science

Classifying molecules: Primary, secondary, and tertiary compounds

Halogenoalkanes 20.1

Alcohols Position of the hydroxyl group determines the product

Amines Depends on number of alkyl groups bonded to the nitrogen atom

Biofuels
 ● Substances whose energy is derived from carbon fixation in plants
● Used as alternative fuels to petrol and diesel

Aromatic hydrocarbons
● Characterized by the presence of the benzene ring
○ Alternative single and double bonds
○ Result in an unsymmetrical molecule
● X-ray diffraction patterns generated from the crystalline substance revealed that all
six C-C bonds in benzene have identical bond length
○ All carbon atoms have equal electron density → makes symmetrical molecule
○ Sp2 hybridization
● Hydrogenation
○ Addition of hydrogen to unsaturated hydrogencarbons in presence of catalyst
○ Hydrogenation of benzene > hydrogenation of cyclohexane
○ Resonance energy: Evidence of the enhanced stability of benzene molecule
resulting from the delocalization of the pi electrons
■ Undergoes electrophilic substitution reaction, but no addition reaction

10.2 Functional group chemistry

Alkanes
● Simplest hydrocarbons.
● Low bond loparity and strong covalent C-C bonds and C-H bonds.
● Relatively inert

Combustion of alkanes
● Release large amount of energy
● Volatility decreases as teh length of the carbon chain increases
● Complete combustion
○ Highly exothermic reaction
○ Produce water and carbon dioxide → contribution to global warming
● Incomplete combustion
○ Incomplete oxygen
○ Water and carbon monoxide is produced.
○ CO irreversibly binds to hemoglobin in the blood and reduce oxygen carrying
capacity
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