Chemistry
Functional groups
A-level
AQA 3.3
Recognise the group, know how it's named — the foundation of all organic chemistry. Structure, naming and an example for each. Flip on Test yourself to drill the suffixes.
Reading mode — recognise the group, know how it's named.
| Group | Structure | Naming | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkane | C–C (single bonds only) | -ane | ethane, CH3CH3 |
| Alkene | C=C | -ene | ethene, CH2=CH2 |
| Halogenoalkane | C–X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) | halo- (prefix) | chloroethane, CH3CH2Cl |
| Alcohol | –OH | -ol | ethanol, CH3CH2OH |
| Aldehyde | –CHO (end of chain) | -al | ethanal, CH3CHO |
| Ketone | –C(=O)– (within chain) | -one | propanone, CH3COCH3 |
| Carboxylic acid | –COOH | -oic acid | ethanoic acid, CH3COOH |
| Ester | –COO– | -yl -oate | ethyl ethanoate, CH3COOC2H5 |
| Acyl chloride | –COCl | -oyl chloride | ethanoyl chloride, CH3COCl |
| Amide | –CONH2 | -amide | ethanamide, CH3CONH2 |
| Amine | –NH2 | -amine / amino- | ethylamine, CH3CH2NH2 |
| Nitrile | –C≡N | -nitrile | propanenitrile, CH3CH2CN |
| Arene | benzene ring, C6H5– | -benzene / phenyl- | methylbenzene, C6H5CH3 |
See how they interconvert
Once you can spot the groups, learn the reactions that turn one into another.
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