What is Functional groups: Definition and 15 Discussions
In organic chemistry, a functional group is a substituent or moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions regardless of the rest of the molecule's composition. This enables systematic prediction of chemical reactions and behavior of chemical compounds and the design of chemical synthesis. The reactivity of a functional group can be modified by other functional groups nearby. Functional group interconversion can be used in retrosynthetic analysis to plan organic synthesis.
A functional group is a group of atoms in a molecule with distinctive chemical properties, regardless of the other atoms in the molecule. The atoms in a functional group are linked to each other and to the rest of the molecule by covalent bonds. For repeating units of polymers, functional groups attach to their nonpolar core of carbon atoms and thus add chemical character to carbon chains. Functional groups can also be charged, e.g. in carboxylate salts (–COO−), which turns the molecule into a polyatomic ion or a complex ion. Functional groups binding to a central atom in a coordination complex are called ligands. Complexation and solvation are also caused by specific interactions of functional groups. In the common rule of thumb "like dissolves like", it is the shared or mutually well-interacting functional groups which give rise to solubility. For example, sugar dissolves in water because both share the hydroxyl functional group (–OH) and hydroxyls interact strongly with each other. Plus, when functional groups are more electronegative than atoms they attach to, the functional groups will become polar, and the otherwise nonpolar molecules containing these functional groups become polar and so become soluble in some aqueous environment.
Combining the names of functional groups with the names of the parent alkanes generates what is termed a systematic nomenclature for naming organic compounds. In traditional nomenclature, the first carbon atom after the carbon that attaches to the functional group is called the alpha carbon; the second, beta carbon, the third, gamma carbon, etc. If there is another functional group at a carbon, it may be named with the Greek letter, e.g., the gamma-amine in gamma-aminobutyric acid is on the third carbon of the carbon chain attached to the carboxylic acid group. IUPAC conventions call for numeric labeling of the position, e.g. 4-aminobutanoic acid. In traditional names various qualifiers are used to label isomers, for example, isopropanol (IUPAC name: propan-2-ol) is an isomer of n-propanol (propan-1-ol). The term moiety has some overlap with the term "functional group". However, a moiety is an entire "half" of a molecule, which can be only a single functional group, but also a larger unit consisting of multiple functional groups. For example, an "aryl moiety" may be any group containing an aromatic ring, regardless of how many functional groups the said aryl has.
How many isomers are there with the following description?
- Thioesters with the formula ${C}_{4}{H}_{8}OS$?
I was able to draw 2 of them, but apparently, the answer key showed and stated that there are 4. I am confused about why the following two are possibliities:
I thought that thioesters...
Homework Statement
Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
I counted 4 functional groups. I got:
-Carboxylic acid
-Ketone
-Alcohol
-Ether
However, this combination is not available. I was wondering if phenol is a functional group as C seems the most likely option. I thought phenyl is a...
Homework Statement
I have a methyl orange molecule.
Then my problem says that "wool is a protein, a naturally occurring polymer made up of amino acids with ionized side chains. cotton is a naturally occurring polymer made up of glucose units with hydrophillic groups surrounding each glucose...
Homework Statement
Given the structure of Alantolactone, find two functional groups.
2. The attempt at a solution
This was a question that was on my exam recently. I answered Ester and Ether, however Ether was marked incorrect. Instead, only the answers Ester and Alkene were accepted.
How is...
Homework Statement
find the functional groups in the following compound:
Homework Equations
C8H16O4The Attempt at a Solution
I know there is an ether but there is also something else. What is it? I have tried to find a group that is in the compound, but I have had no luck. It seems to be only...
Is there a way to "remove" functional groups? I see a lot of pages online that show how you can change them, but not how to completely remove one from a molecule.
Is it even possible?
How would I find the amount of energy that is stored in a particular functional group? I know things like Azide, Nitro, Alkynyl, Cyanides, etc. would all store a lot of energy.
Homework Statement
Hi all,
i have to identify 5 samples (1,2,3 were solids, 4,5 were liquids) by classifying them as
1) Aliphatic or aromatic and
2) Carboxylic acid, amine (primary, secondary, tertiary) or ammonium carboxylate
We did a burn test on the solids, tested solubility in water...
Homework Statement
What functional groups are present based on the compound's names?
A. Methyl Hydroxybenzoate
B. 2-Hydroxypropanoic acidHomework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
We've learned about the basic Hydrocarbon derivatives in class, but only dealing with problems
like...
I was studying my brother's old notes to prepare me for my upcoming AP Biology class.
I read over six main functional groups (hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydrl, phosphate) and subsequently, there were follow-up questions. One of them asked to draw a molecule with all of the six...
This is about amines:
The functional groups present are: C=O and NH2
Why does the N get protonated always but not C=O, since the oxygen has more lone pairs and more electronegative than N so shouldn't the oxygen be protonated more easily? I can't think of any good reasons... please help...
Lets say for example a hydrocarbon skeleton has two diff functional groups branched to the skeleton.. Let's say one of the functional groups pH is less than 9 to 10, and the other functional group's pH is greater than 2 to 4
that means that molecule to be electrically charged, the pH of the...