empirical formula is the simplest
whole number ratio of atoms of
each element present in a
compound
molecular formula is the actual number of atoms of each
element present in a compound
general formula is the simplest algebraic formula of a member
of a homologous series, ie for an alkane: CnH2n + 2,
structural formula is
the minimal detail
formula that shows
the arrangement of
atoms in a
compound e.g. for
butane:
CH3CH2CH2CH3
displayed formula is the diagram displaying the
positioning of atoms in a chain e.g. for ethanol
you have a chain of 2 carbons with all carbon
bonds being attached to hydrogen except for the
end of one of the carbons which has the OH
functional grow for alcohols
skeletal formula
displays the chains
of compounds
without showing all
the bounds e.g.
hexane is /\/\/
homologous series is a
series of organic
compounds having the
same functional group but
with each successive
member differing by CH2
eg for alkanes the first 10 compounds are methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, septane, octane, nonane, decane
functional
group is a
group of
atoms
responsible for
the
characteristic
reactions of a
compound
systematic naming is
based on the longest
carbon chain, any branches
on that chain, any
functional groups and the
homologous series of the
compound
ISOMERISM
structural isomers are compounds
with the same molecular formula
but different structural formulae
stereoisomers are compounds
with the same structural formula
but with a different arrangement
in space
E/Z isomerism is an
example of
stereoisomerism, in
terms of restricted
rotation about a double
bond and the
requirement for two
different groups to be
attached to each carbon
atom of the C=C group,
cis-trans isomerism is
a special case of EIZ
isomerism in which
two of the substituent
groups are the same
REACTION
MECHANISMS
covalent bond fission
homolytic
forms two
radicals
heterolytic
forms a
cation and
an anion
a ‘curly arrow’ is the movement
of an electron pair, showing
either breaking or formation of a
covalent bond
Curly arrows should
start from a bond, a
lone pair of electrons
or a negative charge
PERCENTAGE YIELDS AND ATOM
ECONOMY
atom economy is the molecular mass of
desired product divided by molecular mass of
all products x 100%
addition reactions have an atom economy of 100%, whereas
substitution reactions are less efficient
benefits of developing
chemical processes with a
high atom economy in
terms of fewer waste
materials
a reaction may have a high
percentage yield but a low atom
economy
HYDROCARBONS
ALKANES
ALKENES
hydrocarbons are
compounds made of
hydrogen and
carbon ONLY.
crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons and can
be separated by physical methods, in this case
by fractional distillation, because they have
different boiling and condensation points. The
liquids must also be completely soluble in each
other, that is they must all be miscible liquids.
When the temperature is high enough, the
kinetic energy of a particular hydrocarbon
molecule will be sufficient for it to escape the
intermolecular forces in the liquid and become a
gas. The intermolecular forces are much weaker
than the strong carbon - carbon bonds in the
hydrocarbon molecule, so it vaporises without
decomposes. At the bottom of the fractionating
column the crude oil is heated to vapourise it
(evaporated or boiled) and the vapour passed
into the fractionating column.
A fractionating column acts in the same way as a fractional
distillation apparatus in the school/college laboratory but on
an industrial scale! In an oil refinery the fractionating columns
are very tall with huge surface area to give the best chance of
separating the dozens of hydrocarbons in the crude oil (see
diagram on the left. This is a continuous process (not a batch
process). The fractionating column works continuously with
heated–vapourised crude oil piped in at the bottom and the
various fractions condensed and constantly tapped off from
various levels, each with a different condensation temperature
range.
Up the fractioning column the temperature gradually
decreases (temperature gradient), so the highest boiling (least
volatile) molecules tend to be at the bottom and the lowest
boiling (most volatile) hydrocarbons go to the top. The rest of
the hydrocarbon molecules then condense out in narrow
temperature range i.e. the different fractions condense out in
a gradual way from top to bottom depending on their boiling
point. In other words the most volatile fraction, i.e. the
molecules with the lowest boiling points (shortest
hydrocarbon molecules), boil or evaporate off first and go
higher up the column and condense out at the higher levels in
the fractionating column at the lowest temperature.
The rest of the hydrocarbon molecules separate out
according to their boiling/condensation point so that the
highest boiling fraction, i.e. the less volatile molecules with
higher boiling points (longest hydrocarbon molecules), tend to
condense more easily lower down the column, albeit at the
higher temperatures. The process is perhaps more correctly
called fractional condensation but it is still referred to as
fractional distillation.
The bigger the molecule, the greater the intermolecular
attractive forces between the molecules, so the higher the
boiling point or condensation poin