Transcript Functional Groups

Functional Groups
Functional group video (4:03))
Functional Groups
• a part of the molecule that stands out as an unusual
or unique part of the molecule
• add these somewhere on alkanes, alkenes, and
alkynes
• the molecule often has certain characteristics based
on a functional group
• the entire class of compounds is often named
according to the functional group they contain
• “R” in a structural formula of a molecule just stands
for any other atoms other than the functional group
website on functional groups click here
carboxyl
- found in the class carboxylic acids
- part of amino acids
- putrid smelling
ester
- found in the class esters
- sweet smelling
carbonyl
- found in the class ketones
- sweet, minty, camphor smelling
hydroxyl
- found in the class alcohols
- sweet, camphor smelling
amino
- found in the class amines
- fishy smelling
- in amino acids
Smells
• humans can tell the difference between
10,000 different odors
• a more distant sense allowing us to detect
small concentrations of airborne substances
– must be a gas
• therefore cannot smell ionic compounds since they are
normally solids at room temperature
• molecules fit into certain receptors sites in the
human body as a result of their shape
– signals are then sent to the brain
• compounds that have similar smells have
similar structural formulas
• polar molecules may “stick” to receptor sites
better than non-polar