Functional group

In organic chemistry functional groups are submolecular structural motifs, characterized by specific elemental composition and connectivity, that confer reactivity upon the molecule that contains them. Common functional groups include: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Chemical class	Group	Formula	Prefix	Suffix
Amines	primary Amine	R−NH2	amino-	-amine
	secondary Amine	R−N(−H)−R'	amino-	-amine
	tertiary Amine	R−N(−R')−R	amino-	-amine
Imines	primary Imine	R−C(=NH)−R'	imino-	-imine
	secondary Imine	R−C(−H)=N−R'	imino-	-imine
Amide	Amide	R−C(=O)N(−H)−R'	name according to the parent amine and acid, respectively: alkyl alkanamide
Azo	Azo	R-N=N-R'
	Nitrile	R−C≡N	alkyl nitrile
	Pyridyl	R−C5H4N
Carboxylic acid	Carboxyl	R−C(=O)OH	hydrocarboxy-	-oic acid
Alcohol	Hydroxyl	R−OH	hydroxy-	-ol
Carbonyl	Aldehyde	R−C(=O)H		-al
	Ketone	R−C(=O)−R'	keto-	-one
Ester	Ester	R−C(=O)O−R'	named according to the parent alcohol and acid, respectively: alkyl alkanoate
Ether	Ether	R−O−R'	named according to the parent alcohols, respectively: alkylalkylether
Alkanes	Methyl	R−CH3	methyl- (similarly for higher alkyl substituents: ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc.)
Alkenes	Alkene	R−CH=CH−R'	convert the part substituting for alk in the name of the alkane into the alk of the word alkene: ethane/ethene, propane/propene, butane/butene, etc.	-ene
Alkynes	Alkyne	R−CC−R'	convert the part substituting for alk in the name of the alkane into the alk of the word alkyne: ethane/ethyne, propane/propyne, butane/butyne, etc.	-yne
Phenyl	Phenyl	R−C6H5
	Phosphodiester	R−OP(=O)2O−R'
Isocyantes	Isocyanate	R−N=C=O	alkyl isocyanate
	Isothiocyanate	R−N=C=S	alkyl isothiocyanate
	Thioether	R−S−R'

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 by covalent bonds, as well as with the rest of the molecule. 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 radicalss, 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. \n\n Category:Organic chemistry\nCategory:Organic compounds