Organic chemistry comprehensive notes

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Homologous Series

Alkanes
 Non-polar
 Consist only of carbon and hydrogen atoms
 Saturated
 Unreactive
 Each consecutive member of homologous series has an added
CH2 group
 Names end in -ane
 Methane, ethane, propane, butane etc.

Alkenes
 Non-polar hydrocarbons
 Contain at least one double bond between two carbon atoms
 Unsaturated
 More reactive than alkanes- double bond less stable (easily
broken)
 Simplest alkene consists of two carbons to allow for double bond
 Names end in -ene
 Ethene, propene, but-1-ene, but-2-ene etc.

Alkynes
 Hydrocarbons
 Contain a triple bond
 Unsaturated
 More reactive than alkenes- triple bond breaks to form single,
double bonds
 Names end in -yne
 Ethyne, propyne, but-1-yne, but-2-yne etc.



Halo-alkanes
 Homologous series that have one or more halogen (F, Cl, Br, I)
atoms attached
 Prefixes: fluoro- (F), chloro- (Cl), bromo- (Br), iodo- (I)

Alcohols
 Formula is R-O-H where R is an organic group
 Contain at least one hydroxyl (-OH) group
 Form hydrogen bonds between molecules
 Most alcohols have polar molecules