Organic Chemistry
The study of carbon-containing
compounds and their properties.
The vast majority of organic
compounds contain chains of rings
of carbon atoms.
Hydrocarbons
. . . compounds composed of carbon and
hydrogen.
Saturated: carbon-carbon bonds are all single alkanes [CnH2n+2]
H H
H C
C H
H H
Hydrocarbons
(continued)
Unsaturated: contains carbon-carbon
multiple bonds.
H H
H C
H
C
H
C
H
Rules for Naming Alkanes
1. For alkanes beyond butane, add -ane to the
Greek root for the number of carbons.
C-C-C-C-C-C = hexane
2. Alkyl substituents: drop the -ane and add
-yl.
-C2H5 is ethyl
Rules for Naming Alkanes
3. Positions of substituent groups are specified
by numbering the longest chain sequentially.
C

C-C-C-C-C-C
3-methylhexane
4. Location and name are followed by root
alkane name. Substituents in alphabetical
order and use di-, tri-, etc.
Substitution Reactions
Primarily where halogen atoms replace
hydrogen atoms.
CHCl3  Cl2
h
CCl 4  HCl
Cyclic Alkanes
Carbon atoms can form rings containing
only carbon-carbon single bonds.
C3H6, C4H8, C6H12
Alkenes and Alkynes
Alkenes: hydrocarbons that contain a carboncarbon double bond. [CnH2n]
CC=C
propene
Alkynes: hydrocarbons containing a carboncarbon triple bond.
CCCCC
2-pentyne
Nomenclature for Alkenes
1. Root hydrocarbon name ends in -ene
C2H4 is ethene
2. With more than 3 carbons, double bond is
indicated by the lowest numbered carbon
atom in the bond.
C=CCC is 1-butene
Addition Reactions
. . . in which (weaker)  bonds are broken
and new (stronger)  bonds are formed to
atoms being added.
catalyst
CH2  CHCH3  H2  CH3CH2CH3
Aromatic Hydrocarbons
A special class of cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbons.
Cl
FeCl3

+ Cl2 
benzene
+ HCl
Chlorobenzene
Refinery Processes
Cracking: large molecules broken down to
smaller ones by breaking carbon-carbon bonds.
Pyrolysis (thermal cracking): The process that
produces cracking at high temperatures.
Catalytic Cracking:
Cracking at lower
temperatures.
Catalytic reforming: Alkanes and cycloalkanes
converted to aromatic compounds.
The Common Functional Groups
Class
Halohydrocarbons
Alcohols
Ethers
Aldehydes
General Formula
RX
ROH
ROR
O
R CH
The Common Functional Groups
Class
Ketones
Carboxylic Acids
Esters
Amines
General Formula
O
R C R'
O
R C OH
O
R C O R'
RNH2
Polymers
. . . are large, usually chainlike molecules
that are built from small molecules called
monomers.
Monomer
Polymer
Ethylene
Polyethylene
Vinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride
Tetrafluoroethylene Teflon
Types of Polymerization
Addition Polymerization: monomers “add
together” to form the polymer, with no other
products. (Teflon)
Condensation Polymerization:
A small
molecule, such as water, is formed for each
extension of the polymer chain. (Nylon)