Modules 4+6: Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What is organic chemistry?
The study of carbon and it’s molecules excluding carbon dioxide, carbides and carbonates
What is the empirical formula of a compound?
The simplest whole number ratio of atoms in the molecule
What is a homologous series?
A series of compounds of similar structures in which each member is different from the previous by a common repeating unit, CH2
What is a functional group?
An atom/group of atoms that gives the physical and chemical characteristics of a molecule.
Which functional group pairs can form functional group isomers of each other?
Alcohols and ethers
Aldehydes and ketones
Acids and esters
What is hybridising?
The mixing of atomic orbitals
What is a nucleophile?
An atom or group of atoms that is attracted to an electron deficient atom(examples being anions, molecules with pi bonds and atoms with lone pairs of electrons) and will donate electrons to form a covalent bond. Aka Lewis base
What is basicity?
A measure of how stable a species becomes after it has accepted a proton
What is nucleophilicity?
A measure of how rapidly an atom donates its electron pair to other atoms to form bonds
What is an initiation reaction?
A reaction with radicals in the products only and not in the reactants
What is a propagation reaction?
A reaction with both a radical and a normal reactant
What is a termination reaction?
A reaction where all the reactants are radicals
What is a polymer?
A long chain of molecules made from lots of small molecules joined together
What is a monomer?
Small molecules that join together to make polymers
What is addition polymerisation?
The formation of long polymers from lots of other small molecules with no other products(giving a 100% atom economy)
