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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:
| 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' |
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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 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.
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