Organic Chemistry
The building blocks of organic molecules (hydrocarbon backbones and functional groups) have certain naming conventions. Alkanes, which provide the bare-bones structure of carbon backbones, are hydrocarbon chains in which carbons are bonded to other carbons by only single bonds. Alkanes are named by their length and end in "-ane." Examples include methane (CHâ‚„), ethane, propane, and butane. Alkenes have at least one carbon-carbon double bond and are named with the "-ene" suffix or "-enyl" when they're a side chain. Alkynes have carbon-carbon triple bonds and are named with the "-yne" suffix or "-ynyl" for side chains.
In organic molecules, atoms that are not hydrogen or carbon are called heteroatoms. Different groups of heteroatoms on a molecule are called functional groups. Several important functional groups, in order of naming priority from lowest to highest, are: halogens, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, amines, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acid derivatives (including amides, esters, and anhydrides), and carboxylic acids. The highest priority functional group is recognized with a suffix at the end of the molecule name, while all other functional groups are included with prefixes. These naming conventions help identify the structures and functional groups within organic molecules.
Lesson Outline
<ul> <li>Introduction to nomenclature and structure of organic molecules</li> <li>Hydrocarbon backbones and functional groups</li> <li>Alkanes, Alkenes, and Alkynes</li> <ul> <li>Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane</li> <li>Greek prefixes for naming</li> <li>Side chains and "-yl" suffix</li> <li>Alkenes and "-ene" and "-enyl" suffixes</li> <li>Alkynes and "-yne" and "-ynyl" suffixes</li> </ul> <li>Heteroatoms and functional groups</li> <ul> <li>IUPAC priority order</li> <li>General rules for priority</li> </ul> <li>Naming conventions for functional groups</li> <ul> <li>Halogens</li> <li>Amines</li> <li>Alcohols</li> <li>Ketones</li> <li>Aldehydes</li> <li>Carboxylic acids and derivatives</li> <ul> <li>Amides</li> <li>Esters</li> <li>Anhydrides</li> </ul> </ul> </ul>
Don't stop here!
Get access to 19 more Organic Chemistry lessons & 8 more full MCAT courses with one subscription!
FAQs
Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within organic molecules that determine the characteristic chemical reactions and properties of those molecules. In organic chemistry nomenclature, functional groups serve as the basis for naming compounds, as they help to differentiate and classify the molecules based on their structural features and reactivity patterns.
Hydrocarbons, which are organic compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen, can be classified into three main categories: alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons with single C-C bonds, alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more C=C double bonds, and alkynes contain one or more C≡C triple bonds. In nomenclature, alkanes have the suffix -ane, alkenes have the suffix -ene, and alkynes have the suffix -yne, with the longest continuous carbon chain in the molecule serving as the parent chain.
In organic chemistry nomenclature, each type of functional group has specific naming rules to follow. Carboxylic acids have the suffix -oic acid (e.g., ethanoic acid), amines have the suffix -amine (e.g., ethanamine), alcohols have the suffix -ol (e.g., ethanol), ketones have the suffix -one (e.g., propanone), and esters are named as alkyl-alkanoate, where alkyl describes the R-group attached to the oxygen, and alkanoate indicates the carboxylic acid part (e.g., ethyl methanoate).
In IUPAC nomenclature, priority order is determined by the functional group's importance in terms of reactivity and structure. Carboxylic acids, for example, have a higher priority than amines or alcohols. When naming organic compounds with multiple functional groups, the highest-ranking group is chosen as the parent group and receives the primary suffix, while lower-ranking groups are treated as substituents and are described using prefixes.
Many everyday substances contain functional groups, and their names are derived from the organic chemistry nomenclature rules. Some common examples include: acetic acid (carboxylic acid), the main component of vinegar, also known as ethanoic acid; ethanol (alcohol), a component in alcoholic beverages, also commonly used as a solvent; acetone (ketone), an industrial solvent and a common ingredient in nail polish removers, also known as propanone; methylamine (amine), a derivative of ammonia, used in various industrial applications and named as methanamine in IUPAC nomenclature; and ethyl acetate (ester), a solvent used in various applications, such as nail polish and paint thinners, named ethyl ethanoate in IUPAC nomenclature.
