Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is the study of compounds containing carbon, which form the basis of all life.
Key Concepts:
- Functional Groups: Specific atoms or groups of atoms that give organic compounds their characteristic properties (e.g., alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids).
- Isomers: Compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms, resulting in different properties.
- Bonding: Covalent bonds form between carbon atoms and other atoms (e.g., hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen).
- Reactivity: Organic compounds undergo specific reactions based on their functional groups and bonding patterns.
- Nomenclature: A system of rules for naming organic compounds.
Major Classes of Organic Compounds:
- Alkanes: Saturated hydrocarbons with only single bonds between carbon atoms (e.g., methane, ethane).
- Alkenes: Unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms (e.g., ethylene, propene).
- Alkynes: Unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more triple bonds between carbon atoms (e.g., acetylene).
- Alcohols: Compounds containing a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a carbon atom (e.g., methanol, ethanol).
- Aldehydes: Compounds containing a carbonyl group (C=O) attached to two hydrogen atoms (e.g., formaldehyde).
- Ketones: Compounds containing a carbonyl group (C=O) attached to two carbon atoms (e.g., acetone).
- Carboxylic Acids: Compounds containing a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) (e.g., formic acid, acetic acid).
- Esters: Compounds resulting from the reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol (e.g., methyl acetate).
- Amides: Compounds containing a carbonyl group (C=O) attached to a nitrogen atom (e.g., acetamide).
Important Reactions:
- Substitution Reactions: Replacing one atom or group of atoms with another (e.g., SN2, SN1 reactions).
- Addition Reactions: Adding atoms or groups of atoms to an unsaturated bond (e.g., addition of hydrogen, water, or halogens to alkenes).
- Elimination Reactions: Removing atoms or groups of atoms to form a double bond (e.g., E2, E1 reactions).
- Oxidation-Reduction Reactions: Transfer of electrons from one atom or molecule to another (e.g., combustion, hydrogenation).