Organic Chemistry Branches and Functional Groups

Branches of Organic Chemistry

• Physical Organic Chemistry: studies the physical properties and reactions of organic compounds
• Organic Synthesis: focuses on the construction of organic compounds from simpler starting materials
• Organic Reaction Mechanisms: investigates the step-by-step processes by which organic reactions occur
• Bioorganic Chemistry: explores the chemical processes that occur within living organisms

Functional Groups

• A functional group is a specific group of atoms within a molecule that determines its chemical properties
• Common functional groups include:
  • Alkyl (R-)
  • Alkenyl (R-CH=CH-)
  • Alkynyl (R-C≡C-)
  • Hydroxyl (R-OH)
  • Carboxyl (R-COOH)
  • Amino (R-NH2)

Isomerism

• Structural Isomerism: occurs when two molecules have the same molecular formula but differ in their bond connectivity
• Stereoisomerism: occurs when two molecules have the same molecular formula and bond connectivity but differ in their three-dimensional arrangement
• Enantiomers: non-superimposable stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other
• Diastereomers: non-superimposable stereoisomers that are not mirror images of each other

Reaction Mechanisms

• Nucleophilic Substitution: a reaction in which a nucleophile (an electron-rich species) replaces a leaving group in a molecule
• Electrophilic Addition: a reaction in which an electrophile (an electron-poor species) adds to a molecule, often forming a new bond
• Elimination: a reaction in which a leaving group is removed from a molecule, often resulting in the formation of a new bond

Acidity and Basicity

• pKa: a measure of the acidity of a molecule, with lower pKa values indicating greater acidity
• pKb: a measure of the basicity of a molecule, with lower pKb values indicating greater basicity
• Acid-Base Reactions: reactions involving the transfer of a proton (H+ ion) from an acid to a base

Branches of Organic Chemistry

• Physical Organic Chemistry explores the physical properties and reactions of organic compounds
• Organic Synthesis focuses on constructing organic compounds from simpler starting materials
• Organic Reaction Mechanisms investigates the step-by-step processes of organic reactions
• Bioorganic Chemistry examines the chemical processes occurring within living organisms

Functional Groups

• A functional group determines the chemical properties of a molecule
• Functional groups include:
  • Alkyl (R-)
  • Alkenyl (R-CH=CH-)
  • Alkynyl (R-C≡C-)
  • Hydroxyl (R-OH)
  • Carboxyl (R-COOH)
  • Amino (R-NH2)

Isomerism

• Structural Isomerism occurs when molecules have the same molecular formula but differ in bond connectivity
• Stereoisomerism occurs when molecules have the same molecular formula and bond connectivity but differ in 3D arrangement
• Enantiomers are non-superimposable stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other
• Diastereomers are non-superimposable stereoisomers that are not mirror images of each other

Reaction Mechanisms

• Nucleophilic Substitution is a reaction where a nucleophile replaces a leaving group in a molecule
• Electrophilic Addition is a reaction where an electrophile adds to a molecule, often forming a new bond
• Elimination is a reaction where a leaving group is removed from a molecule, often forming a new bond

Acidity and Basicity

• pKa measures the acidity of a molecule, with lower values indicating greater acidity
• pKb measures the basicity of a molecule, with lower values indicating greater basicity
• Acid-Base Reactions involve the transfer of a proton (H+ ion) from an acid to a base

Learn about the different branches of organic chemistry, including physical organic chemistry, organic synthesis, and more. Also, discover the basics of functional groups in organic compounds.