Alkane
_
Primary alcohol
Alkyl groups are represented by
the RMethyl: CH3–
Ethyl: CH3CH2–
Propyl: CH3CH2CH2–
etc.
Primary alcohols have an -OH
function attached to an R-CH2group.
Primary alcohols can be oxidised
to aldehydes and on to carboxylic
acids. (It can be difficult to stop
the oxidation at the aldehyde
stage.)
Primary alcohols can be shown in
text as: RCH2OH
Tertiary alcohol
Alkyl halide
Secondary alcohol
Secondary alcohols have an -OH
function attached to a R2CHgroup.
Secondary alcohols can be
oxidised to ketones.
Secondary alcohols can be shown
in text as: R2CHOH
Aldehyde
Tertiary alcohols have an -OH
function attached to a R3C- group.
Tertiary alcohols are resistant to
oxidation.
Tertiary alcohols can be shown in
text as: R3COH
Alkyl halides [haloalkanes or
halogenoalkanes] consist of an
alkyl group attached to a halogen:
F, Cl, Br, I.
Chloro, bromo and iodo alkyl
halides are often susceptible to
elimination and/or substitution
reactions.
Aldehydes have a hydrogen and
an alkyl group attached to a
carbonyl function. Aldehydes can
be shown in text as: RCHO
Aldehydes are easily oxidised to
carboxylic acids, and they can be
reduced to primary alcohols.
Aldehydes can be distinguished from
ketones by giving positive test results
with Fehlings solution (brick red
precipitate) or Tollens reagent (silver
mirror).
Ketone
Ketones have a pair of alkyl
groups attached to a carbonyl
function.
Ketones can be shown in text as:
RCOR
Ketones can be distinguished
from aldehydes by giving negative
test results with Fehling’s solution
(brick red precipitate) or Tollens
reagent (silver mirror).
Carboxylic acid
Carboxylic acids have an alkyl
groups attached to a hydroxycarbonyl function.
Carboxylic acids can be shown in
text as: RCOOH
Carboxylic acids are weak
Bronsted acids and they liberate
CO2 from carbonates and
hydrogen carbonates.
Ester
The carbonyl group is a common
functional groups in many
compounds including:
aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic
acids, esters, amides, acyl (acid)
chlorides
Esters have a pair of alkyl groups
attached to a carbonyl + linking
oxygen function.
Esters can be shown in text as:
RCOOR.
carboxylic acid + alcohol 
ester + water
This is an acid catalysed
equilibrium.
Primary amides have an alkyl
group attached to an aminocarbonyl function.
Primary amides can be shown in
text as: RCONH2
Secondary amides have an alkyl
group attached to the nitrogen:
RCONHR
Tertiary amides have two alkyl or
aryl group attached to the
nitrogen: RCONR2
Primary amines have an alkyl
group and two hydrogens
attached to a nitrogen atom.
Primary amines can be shown in
text as: RNH2
Primary amines are basic
functions that can be protonated
to the
corresponding ammonium
ion.
Carbonyl function
Amide
Primary amine
Secondary amine
Tertiary amine
Acid chloride
Acid chlorides, or acyl chlorides,
have an alkyl group attached to a
carbonyl function plus an easily
displaced chlorine.
Acid chlorides highly reactive
chemicals.
Acid chlorides can be shown in
text as: ROCl
Amino acid
Tertiary amines have three alkyl
groups attached to a nitrogen
atom.
Tertiary amines can be shown in
text as: R3N
Tertiary amines are basic
functions that can be protonated.
Secondary amines have a pair of
alkyl groups, and a hydrogen,
attached to a nitrogen atom.
Secondary amines can be shown
in text as: R2NH
Secondary amines are basic
functions that can be protonated.
Amino acids have a carboxylic
acid, an amino function and a
hydrogen attached to a the same
carbon atom.
There are 20 naturally occurring
amino acids. All except glycine (R
= H) are chiral and only the L
enantiomer is found in nature.
Amino acids can be shown in text
as: R-CH(NH2)COOH
Carboxylate ion or salt
Na+
Carboxylate ions are the
conjugate bases of carboxylic
acids, ie. the deprotonated
carboxylic acid.
Carboxylate ions can be shown in
text as: RCOO–
Their salts can be shown in text
as: RCOONa
Alkene
Alkenes consist of a C=C double
bond function.
Alkanes are planar as there is no
rotation about the C=C bond.
Alkenes are susceptible to
addition reactions.
trans-alkene
trans-alkenes are 1,2disubstituted functions with the
two R, X or other groups on
opposite sides of the C=C
function.
Due to the non-rotation of the
C=C bond, cis and trans isomers
occur.
cis-alkene
cis-Alkenes are 1,2-disubstituted
functions with the two R, X or
other groups on the same side of
the C=C function.
Due to the non-rotation of the
C=C bond, cis and trans isomers
occur.
Polymer (addition)
Ether
Ethers have a pair of alkyl groups
attached to a linking oxygen atom.
Ethers can be shown in text as:
ROR
Diol or polyol
Diols and polyols are alcohols
with two or more -OH functions.
Diols and polyols are very soluble
in water.
Polymers consist of small
monomer molecules that have
reacted together so as to form a
large covalently bonded structure.
There are two general types of
polymerisation: addition and
condensation.