Part 3: Alkanes and Functional Groups (and Nomenclature)

Learning Goals:  To know the bonding patterns that correspond to the most common functional groups in organic compounds.  To understand systematic names of organic compounds and go from a name to a line structure and chemical formula.  To know which functional groups are associated with acidic and basic properties.  

Readings: Soderberg, sections on organic structure and nomenclature.  This reading describes the various functional groups I'd like you to know about, but treats nomenclature rather briefly.  If you want a more thorough discussion of nomenclature (than given in the Pencasts), you could look at other Organic Chemistry textbooks on reserve in the Science Library, or you could look at the section from Reusch's Virtual Textbook of Organic Chemistry on Nomenclature.

Notes (old Pencasts):  (pencast audio is not accessible - see comment from first topic above).  There are two multipage pencasts - one on Alkanes and their nomenclature, and the other on common functional groups and the nomenclature of organic compounds containing these groups.  Since it's hard to draw chemical structures on pencasts, the second "3A" pencast has structures redrawn for clarity.

Software resource: The link below allows you to download ChemBioDraw software (Haverford has a site license).  This software allows you to draw line structures of organic molecules, and contains commands to convert names to structures or structures to names.  This is useful for learning nomenclature and checking what you have learned.