Functional group

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For other uses, see Functional group (disambiguation)}}}.

In organic chemistry functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules, that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reaction(s) regardless of the size of the molecule it is a part of.

The following is a list of common functional groups. In the formulas, the symbols R and R' usually denotes an attached hydrogen, or a hydrocarbon side chain of any length, but may sometimes refer to any group of atoms. Below is an image of multiple functional groups found in organic chemistry.

(For convenience, the basic functional groups covered in General Biology are also listed here)

Chemical class	Group	Formula	Graphical Formula	Prefix	Suffix	Example
Acyl halide	Haloformyl	RCOX		haloformyl-	-oyl halide	Acetyl chloride
Alcohol	Hydroxyl	ROH		hydroxy-	-ol	Methanol
Aldehyde	Aldehyde	RCHO		oxo-	-al	Acetaldehyde
Alkane	Alkyl	RH		alkyl-	-ane	Methane
Alkene	Alkenyl	R2C=CR2		alkenyl-	-ene	Ethylene
Alkyne	Alkynyl	RC≡CR'		alkynyl-	-yne	Acetylene
Amide	Carboxamide	RCONR2		carboxamido-	-amide	Acetamide
Amines	Primary amine	RNH2		amino-	-amine	Methylamine
	Secondary amine	R2NH		amino-	-amine	Dimethylamine
	Tertiary amine	R3N		amino-	-amine	Trimethylamine
	4° ammonium ion	R4N+		ammonio-	-ammonium	Choline
Azo compound	Azo (Diimide)	RN2R'		azo-	-diazene
Toluene derivative	Benzyl	RCH2C6H5 RBn		benzyl-	1-(substituent)toluene	Benzyl bromide (1-bromotoluene)
Carbonate	Carbonate ester	ROCOOR			alkyl carbonate
Carboxylate	Carboxylate	RCOO−		carboxy-	-oate
Carboxylic acid	Carboxyl	RCOOH		carboxy-	-oic acid
Cyanates	Cyanate	ROCN		cyanato-	alkyl cyanate
	Thiocyanate	RSCN		thiocyanato-	alkyl thiocyanate
Ether	Ether	ROR'		alkoxy-	alkyl alkyl ether
Ester	Ester	RCOOR'			-oate
Haloalkane	Halo	RX		halo-	alkyl halide
Imine	Primary ketimine	RC(=NH)R'		imino-	-imine
	Secondary ketimine	RC(=NR'')R'		imino-	-imine
	Primary aldimine	RC(=NH)H		imino-	-imine
	Secondary aldimine	RC(=NR')H		imino-	-imine
Isocyanide	Isocyanide	RNC		isocyano-	alkyl isocyanide
Isocyanates	Isocyanate	RNCO		isocyanato-	alkyl isocyanate
	Isothiocyanate	RNCS		isothiocyanato-	alkyl isothiocyanate
Ketone	Ketone	RCOR'		keto-, oxo-	-one
Nitrile	Nitrile	RCN		cyano-	alkanenitrile alkyl cyanide
Nitro compound	Nitro	RNO2		nitro-
Nitroso compound	Nitroso	RNO		nitroso-
Peroxide	Peroxy	ROOR		peroxy-	alkyl peroxide
Benzene derivative	Phenyl	RC6H5		phenyl-	-benzene
Phosphine	Phosphino	R3P		phosphino-	-phosphane	Methylpropylphosphane
Phosphodiester	Phosphate	HOPO(OR)2		phosphoric acid di(substituent) ester	di(substituent) hydrogenphosphate
Phosphonic acid	Phosphono	RP(=O)(OH)2		phosphono-	substituent phosphonic acid
Phosphate	Phosphate	ROP(=O)(OH)2		phospho-
Pyridine derivative	Pyridyl	RC5H4N		4-pyridyl / pyridin-4-yl 3-pyridyl / pyridin-3-yl 2-pyridyl / pyridin-2-yl	-pyridine
Sulfone	Sulfonyl	RSO2R'		sulfonyl-	di(substituent) sulfone
Sulfonic acid	Sulfo	RSO3H		sulfo-	substituent sulfonic acid
Sulfoxide	Sulfinyl	RSOR'		sulfinyl-	di(substituent) sulfoxide	Diphenyl sulfoxide
Thiol	Sulfhydryl	RSH		mercapto-, sulfanyl-	-thiol

Combining the names of functional groups with the names of the parent alkanes generates a powerful systematic nomenclature for naming organic compounds.

The non-hydrogen atoms of functional groups are always associated with each other and with the rest of the molecule by covalent bonds. When the group of atoms is associated with the rest of the molecule primarily by ionic forces, the group is referred to more properly as a polyatomic ion or complex ion. And all of these are called radicals, by a meaning of the term radical that predates the free radical.

The first carbon after the carbon that attaches to the functional group is called the alpha carbon.

External links

• [IUPAC ligand abbreviations] (pdf)
• [IUPAC Gold Book (Compendium of Chemical Terminology)]
• [IUPAC Blue Book (organic nomenclature)]

Topics in Organic Chemistry
Aromaticity | Covalent Bonding | Functional Groups | Nomenclature | Organic Compounds | Organic Reactions | Organic Synthesis | Publications | Spectroscopy |Stereochemistry
List of organic compounds

 

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