The Principal Functional Groups of Organic Chemistry

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Functional Group Containing Compounds

Compound	Examples	Acceptable Name	Characteristic Reactions
Alkyl halides	CH3CH2Cl	Chloroethane or ethyl chloride	Nucleophilic subsitution; elimination
Alkenyl halides	CH2=CHCl	Chloroethene or vinyl chloride	Electrophilic addition; elimination
Aryl halides	C6H5Cl	Chlorobenzene	Electrophilic & nucleophilic aromatic substituion
Alcohols	CH3CH2OH	Ethanol or ethyl alcohol	Dehydration; esterification
Phenols	C6H5OH	Phenol	Electrophilic subsitution
Epoxides		Ethylene oxide or oxirane	Nucleophilic ring opening
Aldehydes	CH3CHO	Ethanal or acetaldehyde	Nucleophilic addition to carbonyl
Ketone	CH3COCH3	2-Propanone or acetone	Nucleophilic addition to carbonyl
Carboxylic acids	CH3COOH	Ethanoic (acetic) acid	Acid ionization; ester formation
Acyl halides	CH3COCl	Ethanoyl (acetyl) chloride	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Acid anhydrides		Ethanoic (acetic) anhydride	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Esters		Ethyl ethanoate (acetate)	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Amides	CH3CONHCH3	N-Methylethanamide or N-methylacetamide	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Amines	CH3CH2NH2	Ethanamine or ethylamine	Nitrogen (base) as nucleophile
Nitriles	CH3CN	Ethanenitrile or acetonitrile	Nucleophilic addition
Nitro comps.	C6H5NO2	Nitrobenzene	Reduction of nitro to amine
Thiols	CH3CH2SH	Ethanethiol	Oxidation to acids or disulfides
Sulfides	CH3CH2SCH2CH3	Diethyl sulfide	Alkylation or oxidation

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Organic Compounds, and the Types of Reactions They Undergo

Compound	Examples	Acceptable Name	Characteristic Reactions
Alkanes	CH3CH3	Ethane	Free-radical substitution
Alkenes	CH2=CH2	Ethene or ethylene	Electrophilic addition
Alkynes		Ethyne or acetylene	Electrophilic addition
Dienes	CH2=CHCH=CH2	1,3-Butadiene	Electrophilic addition
Arenes		Benzene (C6H6 )	Electrophilic subsitution
Alkyl halides	CH3CH2Cl	Chloroethane or ethyl chloride	Nucleophilic subsitution; elimination
Alkenyl halides	CH2=CHCl	Chloroethene or vinyl chloride	Electrophilic addition; elimination
Aryl halides	C6H5Cl	Chlorobenzene	Electrophilic & nucleophilic aromatic substituion
Alcohols	CH3CH2OH	Ethanol or ethyl alcohol	Dehydration; esterification
Phenols	C6H5OH	Phenol	Electrophilic subsitution
Epoxides		Ethylene oxide or oxirane	Nucleophilic ring opening
Aldehydes	CH3CHO	Ethanal or acetaldehyde	Nucleophilic addition to carbonyl
Ketone	CH3COCH3	2-Propanone or acetone	Nucleophilic addition to carbonyl
Carboxylic acids	CH3COOH	Ethanoic (acetic) acid	Acid ionization; ester formation
Acyl halides	CH3COCl	Ethanoyl (acetyl) chloride	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Acid anhydrides		Ethanoic (acetic) anhydride	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Esters		Ethyl ethanoate (acetate)	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Amides	CH3CONHCH3	N-Methylethanamide or N-methylacetamide	Nucleophilic acyl subsitution
Amines	CH3CH2NH2	Ethanamine or ethylamine	Nitrogen (base) as nucleophile
Nitriles	CH3CN	Ethanenitrile or acetonitrile	Nucleophilic addition
Nitro comps.	C6H5NO2	Nitrobenzene	Reduction of nitro to amine
Thiols	CH3CH2SH	Ethanethiol	Oxidation to acids or disulfides
Sulfides	CH3CH2SCH2CH3	Diethyl sulfide	Alkylation or oxidation

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Some Commonly Encountered Groups

Group	Name	Group	Name
CH3 —	Methyl	CH3CH2 —	Ethyl
CH3CH2CH2 —	Propyl or n-propyl	(CH3)2CH —	1-Methylethyl or isopropyl
CH3CH2CH2CH2 —	Butyl or n-butyl	| CH3CHCH2CH3	1-Methylpropyl or sec-butyl
(CH3)3C —	1,1-Dimethylethyl or tert-butyl	(CH3)2CHCH2 —	2-Methylpropyl or isobutyl
(CH3)3CCH2 —	2,2-Dimethylpropyl or neopentyl	CH2=CH —	Ethenyl or vinyl
CH2=CHCH2 —	2-Propenyl or allyl	| CH2=CCH3	1-Methylvinyl or isopropenyl
| CH3C=O	Ethanoyl or acetyl		Phenyl (C6H5 — )
	Phenylmethyl or benzyl (C6H5-CH2 — )		Benzenecarbonyl or benzoyl (C6H5-CO — )