IB DP Chemistry: Topic 10.1 Fundamentals of organic chemistry: Study Notes

Understandings:

• A homologous series is a series of compounds of the same family, with the same general formula, which differ from each other by a common structural unit.
• Structural formulas can be represented in full and condensed format.
• Structural isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.
• Functional groups are the reactive parts of molecules.
• Saturated compounds contain single bonds only and unsaturated compounds contain double or triple bonds.
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• Benzene is an aromatic, unsaturated hydrocarbon.

Applications and Skills:

• Explanation of the trends in boiling points of members of a homologous series.
• Distinction between empirical, molecular and structural formulas.
• Identification of different classes: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, halogenoalkanes, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, esters, carboxylic acids, amines, amides, nitriles and arenes.
• Identification of typical functional groups in molecules eg phenyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, carboxamide, aldehyde, ester, ether, amine, nitrile, alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl.
• Construction of 3-D models (real or virtual) of organic molecules.
• Application of IUPAC rules in the nomenclature of straight-chain and branched-chain isomers.
• Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary carbon atoms in halogenoalkanes and alcohols and primary, secondary and tertiary nitrogen atoms in amines.
• Discussion of the structure of benzene using physical and chemical evidence.