Introduction to functional groups
Organic compounds are organized into families. The members of the simplest hydrocarbon family are referred to as alkanes and have only singly bonded carbon ( these can be represented as R–H where R represents a hydrocarbon group).
In other hydrocarbon families at least one pair of carbons is joined by a multiple bond.
This is the reactive site in the molecule and is known as the functional group.
The general formula of members of other families is shown below. These have functional groups containing atoms other than C and H. The carbonyl group (C=O) is a common structural element.
R2C=CR2
alkene
alkene
This is the reactive site in the molecule and is known as the functional group.
The general formula of members of other families is shown below. These have functional groups containing atoms other than C and H. The carbonyl group (C=O) is a common structural element.
| R–X X=Cl, Br, I haloalkane |  (RCOR) ketone |  (RCO2H) carboxylic acid |
| R–OH alcohol |  (RCHO) aldehyde | |
| R–NH2 amine | ||
| R may be either H or hydrocarbon for alkenes, carboxylic acids Otherwise R is hydrocarbon group such as CH3, CH3CH2 and so on | ||