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Organic Chemistry

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Organic Chemistry

Electrophilic Substitution

A reaction in which an electrophile replaces a hydrogen atom on an aromatic ring.

ArH + E⁺ → ArE + H⁺ Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Enantiomer

One of a pair of stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other.

(+) and (−), or R and S degrees
Organic Chemistry

Ester

A compound formed by replacing the acidic hydrogen of a carboxylic acid with an alkyl group.

R–COO–R′ Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Ether

A compound in which an oxygen atom is bonded to two carbon atoms.

R–O–R′ Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Free Radical

A highly reactive species containing an unpaired electron.

Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Friedel–Crafts Reaction

The introduction of an alkyl or acyl group onto an aromatic ring using a Lewis acid catalyst.

ArH + RCl + AlCl₃ → ArR + HCl Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Functional Group

An atom or group of atoms within a molecule that determines its characteristic chemical behaviour.

Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Functional Group Isomerism

Structural isomerism in which compounds of the same formula contain entirely different functional groups.

Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Geometric Isomerism

Stereoisomerism arising from restricted rotation about a double bond or within a ring.

cis / trans or E / Z Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Grignard Reagent

An organomagnesium halide that acts as a source of a carbanion-like nucleophilic carbon.

R–Mg–X Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Haloalkane

An alkane in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by halogen atoms.

R–X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Homologous Series

A family of compounds sharing the same functional group and general formula, with successive members differing by CH₂.

differ by −CH₂− Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Hydrocarbon

A compound composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen.

CₓH_y Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Hyperconjugation

The stabilising delocalisation of electrons from a sigma C–H bond into an adjacent empty or partly filled p orbital.

kJ/mol
Organic Chemistry

Hückel's Rule

The rule that a planar cyclic conjugated system is aromatic if it contains 4n + 2 pi electrons.

4n + 2 π electrons Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Inductive Effect

The permanent polarisation of a sigma bond caused by the differing electronegativity of the attached atoms.

−I and +I effects Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Isomerism

The existence of two or more compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Ketone

A compound containing a carbonyl group bonded to two carbon atoms.

R–CO–R′ Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Markovnikov's Rule

In the addition of a protic acid to an unsymmetrical alkene, the hydrogen attaches to the carbon already bearing more hydrogens.

Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Nitrile

A compound containing a carbon–nitrogen triple bond.

R–C≡N Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Nucleophile

An electron-rich species that donates a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.

Nu⁻ or Nu: Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Nucleophilic Substitution

A reaction in which a nucleophile replaces a leaving group attached to a saturated carbon.

Nu⁻ + R–X → R–Nu + X⁻ Dimensionless
Organic Chemistry

Optical Activity

The ability of a substance to rotate the plane of polarised light passing through it.

[α] = α / (l × c) degrees
Organic Chemistry

Optical Isomerism

Stereoisomerism in which molecules are non-superimposable mirror images and rotate plane-polarised light in opposite directions.

degrees