Topic 6: Organic Chemistry I
Topic 6A: Introduction to organic chemistry
1. know that a hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon only
Hydrocarbon: a compound of hydrogen and carbon only
2. be able to represent organic molecules using empirical formulae,
molecular
formulae, general formulae, structural formulae, displayed formulae and
skeletal formulae
Type of Definition Butan-1-ol 2-methylbutane
formula
Empirical the simplest whole C4H10O C5H12
formula: number ratio of atoms of
each element in a
compound
Molecular the actual number of C4H10O C5H12
formula: atoms of each element in a
molecule
General the formula to describe all CnH2n+1OH CnH2n+2
formula: members of a homologous
series (the simplest
algebraic formula)
Displayed shows all the atoms and
formula: all the bonds between
them in one molecule of a
compound
Structural shows in minimal detail
formula: which atoms, or groups of
atoms are attached to CH3CH2 CH2 CH2OH CH3CHCH3CH2 CH3
each other in one
molecule of a compound
Skeletal shows the functional
formula: groups fully, but the
hydrocarbon part of a
molecule simply as lines
between carbon atoms,
omitting the symbols for
carbon and hydrogen
atoms.