ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO

ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL

GROUPS
Organic molecules consist primarily of characteristics compounds
carbon atoms bonded with other elements such as can vary
1. low melting widely in
such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur,
and boiling their
and halogens points properties
2. volatility depending
These molecules are fundamental to life 3. flammability on their
and play crucial roles in chemistry, biology, 4. solubility compositio
and materials science. 5. may also n and
display bonding.
Almost all the chemical reactions, taking isomerism solid at
room
place in living organisms. They involve
temperatur
organic molecules such as enzyme, e
carbohydrates, protein and lipids. Food is high
also mainly composed of organic melting and
compound. boiling
points
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANIC AND conduct
electricity in
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS the molten
or
Characteristic Org Inorg dissolved
s Compounds Compound state.
s Occurrence Organic Inorganic
Composition Primarily Typically compounds are compounds
contain carbon include abundant in are found
atoms bonded metal living in various
to hydrogen atoms or organisms, natural and
atoms and metal ions including synthetic
other non-metal bonded to plants, animals, materials,
elements such non-metal and including
as oxygen, atoms or microorganisms minerals,
nitrogen, sulfur, groups. . They are rocks, ores,
and halogens essential ceramics,
Bonding Organic Inorganic components of and
compounds compounds biomolecules industrial
predominantly may such as chemicals.
involve involve carbohydrates,
covalent various lipids, proteins,
bonding. types of and nucleic
Carbon atoms bonding, acids.
often form including
stable covalent ionic,
bonds with covalent,
other carbon metallic,
FUNCTIONAL GROUP
atoms, creating and
diverse and coordinate • are atoms or small groups of atoms (two to
complex covalent four) that exhibit a characteristics reactivity
molecular bonding. when treated with certain reagents
frameworks.
Properties often exhibit Inorganic
 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
• a special arrangement of atoms within an
organic molecule that is responsible for some
characteristics chemical behavior of the
compound.

ISOMERISM

ISOMERS - Molecules that have the same

kinds and numbers of atoms but different
arrangements EXAMPLE OF STRUCTURAL AND
MOLECULAR FORMULA
STRUCTURAL ISOMERS - are compounds
that have the same molecular formula, but
different structural formulas.

MOLECULAR AND STRUCTURAL

FORMULAS

MOLECULAR FORMULA - gives the number of

different atoms present

STRUCTURAL FORMULA - indicates how

ETHANOL
atoms are arranged
Molecular formula: CH₃CH₂OH
NOTE: As the number of carbon atoms
increases, the molecules get larger and their Functional group: Hydroxyl (-OH)
boiling points increase. Ethanol - is a type of alcohol, which means it
contains a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a
carbon atom. The hydroxyl group makes
ethanol polar, which means it can hydrogen
bond with other polar molecules, such as water.
This gives ethanol some of its unique
properties, such as its ability to dissolve in
water and its high boiling point.

METHOXYMETHANE

Molecular formula: CH₃OCH₃

Functional group: Ether (-O-)

Methoxymethane - is a type of ether, which

means it contains an ether group (-O-) between
two carbon atoms. The ether group is less polar
than the hydroxyl group, so methoxymethane is
not as soluble in water as ethanol.
 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
Methoxymethane also has a lower boiling point
than ethanol.

OVERVIEW OF FUNCTIONAL GROUPS

Oxygen-containing organic compounds, a third

family, may be divided into two main types:
those that contain at least one C–O bond,
which include alcohols, phenols (derivatives of
benzene), and ethers, and those that contain a
The first family listed in this table is the
carbonyl group (C=O), which include
hydrocarbons. These include alkanes, with the
aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids.
general molecular formula CnH2n+2 where n is
an integer; alkenes, represented by CnH2n;
alkynes, represented by CnH2n−2; and arenes.

HYDROCARBONS

contain only the two elements C and H

contains delocalized ring of pi bonds such
as the benzene ring are called as aromatic
Carboxylic acid derivatives, the fourth family
hydrocarbons, those do not contain such
listed, are compounds in which the OH of the –
delocalized system is called aliphatic
CO2H functional group is replaced by either an
hydrocarbon.
alkoxy (–OR) group, producing an ester, or by
Saturated hydrocarbon - are aliphatic
an amido (–NRR′, where R and R′ can be H
hydrocarbon that contains only sigma
and/or alkyl groups), forming an amide.
alpha bond (only single bond).
Unsaturated hydrocarbon - this are
aliphatic hydrocarbon that contain both
sigma and pi bonds (double, triple or
delocalized bonds).

Nitrogen-containing organic compounds, the

fifth family, include amines; nitriles, which have
a C≡N bond; and nitro compounds, which
contain the –NO2 group.
Halogen-substituted alkanes, alkenes, and ALKANES
arenes form a second major family of organic
compounds, which include the alkyl halides and Characterized by single bonds between carbon
the aryl halides. and carbon, or between carbon and hydrogen.
 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
CYCLOALKANES Ex: Methyl Ethyl, Butyl, Propyl, Pentyl, and so
on.
aka cyclic saturated hydrocarbons
saturated hydrocarbons that contain carbon
atoms joined to form a ring. RULES FOR IUPAC NOMENCLATURE OF
the general formula CnH2n BRANCHED CHAINED ALKANES
are often shown in simplified skeletal form in
which each intersection of two lines represents 1. LONGEST CHAIN RULE
a C atom an add H atoms to give each carbon 2. LOWEST LOCANT RULE
atoms four bonds 3. FIRST POINT DIFFERENCE RULE

SUMMARY:
ALKENES AND ALKYNES

Alkenes have carbon-carbon double bonds

Alkynes have carbon-carbon triple bonds.

ARENES/AROMATIC

Aromatic compounds all contain carbon-carbon

multiple bonds.
Arenes have alternating double and single
bonds in a six membered ring of a carbon
atoms.
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS AND REACTIVITY
HALOALKANES 1. Alkyl Halides
a) aka HALOALKANES
aka Alkyl Halides b) (C-X bond, X = Cl, Br, I)
group of chemical compounds comprised of an c) These are compounds where a
alkane with one or more hydrogens replaced by halogen atom (fluorine, chlorine,
halogens atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine or bromine, or iodine) is attached to
iodine) an alkyl group. They undergo
nucleophilic substitution reactions
IUPAC NAMING AND FORMULA and elimination reactions.
Reactive due to the polar bond,
When naming organic compounds, the IUPAC undergo substitution reactions
(International Union of Pure and Applied readily.
Chemistry) nomenclature (naming scheme) is d) Examples: Chloromethane,
used. bromobenzene.

ALKYL GROUP - Carbon chains (or a single

carbon) attached to the principal chain are
called alkyl groups 2. ALCOHOL
a) OH Group
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
b) Alcohols contain an -OH group. b. Carboxylic acids contain a
They can undergo dehydration carboxyl group (-COOH). They
reactions to form alkenes or can undergo nucleophilic
esterification reactions to form substitution reactions,
esters. They can also undergo esterification reactions, and
oxidation reactions to form decarboxylation reactions. Polar
aldehydes, ketones, or carboxylic and acidic, participate in various
acids. Polar, can act as both acids reactions like neutralization,
and bases, participate in various esterification, and amide
reactions like dehydration, formation.
oxidation, and esterification.
c) Examples: Methanol, ethanol. c. Examples: Acetic acid, benzoic
acid.

5. ESTERS
3. ALDEHYDES (C=O, RCHO) a. Esters contain a carbonyl group
KETONES (C=O, RCOR'): bonded to an oxygen atom and an
alkyl or aryl group. They can
a) Both aldehydes and ketones undergo hydrolysis reactions in
contain a carbonyl group (C=O). the presence of acids or bases to
They undergo nucleophilic form carboxylic acids and
addition reactions, such as alcohols. They also participate in
nucleophilic addition-elimination transesterification reactions. Less
reactions and condensation acidic than carboxylic acids,
reactions. Highly reactive due to undergo hydrolysis and
the carbonyl group, undergo saponification reactions.
addition, oxidation, and b. Examples: Ethyl acetate, methyl
condensation reactions. benzoate.
b) Examples: Formaldehyde,
acetaldehyde.
6. AMINES
c) Ketones are Less reactive than a. NH2, NHR, NR2 groups
aldehydes due to steric hindrance, b. Amines contain a nitrogen atom
but still undergo addition and bonded to hydrogen atoms and/or
condensation reactions. alkyl groups. They can act as
nucleophiles and undergo
d) Examples: Acetone,
substitution reactions. Additionally,
cyclohexanone.
they can be protonated or
4. CARBOXYLIC ACID alkylated under certain conditions.
Basic due to the lone pair on
a. (COOH group) nitrogen, undergo acid-base
reactions and can be alkylated or
acylated.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
c. Examples: Ammonia, electrophilic addition,
methylamine, triethylamine. hydrogenation, halogenation,
hydration, and polymerization.
More reactive than alkanes due to
the double bond, susceptible to
7. AMIDES
addition reactions.
a. C=O-NH2, RCONH2
c. Examples: Ethylene, propene.
b. Amides contain a carbonyl group
bonded to a nitrogen atom. They
can undergo hydrolysis reactions
to form carboxylic acids and 10. ALKYNES
amines. They can also participate a. C≡C triple bond
in nucleophilic substitution b. Alkynes contain a carbon-carbon
reactions. Less basic than amines triple bond. They undergo similar
due to resonance, undergo reactions to alkenes, such as
hydrolysis and nucleophilic electrophilic addition,
substitution reactions. hydrogenation, halogenation,
c. Examples: Acetamide, hydration, and polymerization, but
benzamide. with some differences due to the
presence of the triple bond. Highly
reactive due to the triple bond,
undergo addition and substitution
8. ETHERS
reactions.
a. C-O-C bond
c. Examples: Acetylene, propyne.
b. Ethers contain an oxygen atom
bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups.
They are relatively unreactive
under normal conditions but can 11. NITRO GROUPS
undergo cleavage reactions under a. NO2
acidic or oxidative conditions to b. Electron-withdrawing, activate
form alcohols and alkyl halides. aromatic rings for substitution
Polar but less reactive than reactions.
alcohols, undergo cleavage c. Example: Nitrobenzene.
reactions under acidic conditions.
c. Examples: Diethyl ether,
tetrahydrofuran.
12. SULFONIC ACIDS
a. SO3H
b. Strong acids due to the negative
9. ALKENES charge, participate in various acid-
a. C=C double bond base and substitution reactions.
b. Alkenes contain a carbon-carbon c. Example: Benzenesulfonic acid.
double bond. They undergo
addition reactions such as
 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIC MOLECULES & ITS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS
13. AROMATIC RINGS

a. Benzene and derivatives

b. Electron-withdrawing, activate
aromatic rings for substitution
reactions.

c. Example: Nitrobenzene.

14. NITRILES

a. Undergo hydrolysis reactions to form

carboxylic acids or amidation
reactions to form amides. Polar but
relatively unreactive, can undergo
hydrolysis under specific conditions.

b. Examples: Acetonitrile, benzonitrile.

THE REACTIVITY OF A FUNCTIONAL

GROUP DEPENDS ON SEVERAL FACTORS
INCLUDING:

1. Bond Polarity
- Polar bonds are more reactive than
nonpolar ones.
2. ELECTRONEGATIVITY
- Atoms with high electronegativity
attract electrons, making bonds
more polar and reactive.
3. STERIC HINDRANCE
- Bulky groups can hinder reactions
by blocking access to the reactive
site.
4. RESONANCE
- Delocalization of electrons can
stabilize molecules and make them
less reactive.
-