Introduction to Organic
Chemistry
Organic compounds
• C, H, N, O – about 95% of Earth’s living things
• C, H, N, O, P, S – about 99%
• Carbon is king!
– 4 covalent bonds (with itself or other elements)
– Optimum size and valence
• Functional group
– Collection of certain atoms that confer
characteristic chemical (and biological) activities
Hydrocarbons - alkanes
• Simplest organic molecules
• Saturated
• General formula CnH2n+2
Roots for Naming Alkanes
Constitutional Isomers
• Same chemical formula, different structural
formula
• Leads to ENORMOUS diversity
Classification of Carbon Atoms
• Methyl
• 3o
R1
H
H
R3
C
R2
H
• 1o
C
R
H
C
H
• 4o
R1
R3
C
R2
•
2o
R1
H
C
R2
C
Nomenclature (IUPAC) of alkanes
• Find the longest chain
– If needed, go with the greatest # of branch points
• Number substituents so they have the
smallest numbers
– Must start at a terminal carbon
• Name substituents and indicate their number
on the chain
– Prefixes may be used (di, tri, tetra, etc)
– Ending for alkyl groups will be -yl
• Write name as a single word
Some examples
More examples
More examples
Functional Groups
Functional Groups
Functional Groups
Functional Groups