flask Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon — the basis of life, medicines, plastics, and fuels. Learn functional groups, naming, 3D structure, and the reaction patterns that make this huge field manageable.
What you will learn
- Identify functional groups
- Name organic compounds
- Draw and interpret isomers
- Explain stereochemistry
- Predict basic reaction types
Introductory College concepts
Addition Reactions: Breaking the Double Bond
See how alkenes react by addition across the C=C bond: bromination of ethene, catalytic hydrogenation with nickel, and Markovnikov's rule for HX addition.
Aromatic Compounds: Benzene and the Delocalized Ring
Understand aromaticity through benzene (C6H6): the delocalized pi-electron ring, Hückel's 4n+2 rule, resonance stability, naming, and electrophilic substitution.
Elimination Reactions: Forming Double Bonds
Learn elimination, the reverse of addition: dehydrohalogenation of 2-bromopropane with KOH, dehydration of alcohols, and Zaitsev's rule for the major alkene.
Stereochemistry: Molecules in Three Dimensions
See organic molecules in 3D: cis/trans and E/Z isomerism, chiral centers, enantiomers and racemic mixtures, and why molecular handedness matters in biology.
Substitution Reactions: Swapping Atoms in Molecules
Learn how substitution replaces one atom or group with another: free-radical chlorination of methane in UV light, and nucleophilic substitution in haloalkanes.
High School concepts
Alcohols: The Hydroxyl Functional Group
Explore alcohols, compounds carrying the –OH group: primary, secondary and tertiary types, hydrogen bonding, oxidation reactions, and ethanol from fermentation.
Alkenes: Hydrocarbons with Double Bonds
Meet the alkenes, unsaturated hydrocarbons with formula CnH2n: the planar C=C bond, cis/trans isomerism in 2-butene, addition reactions, and polymerization.
Alkynes: Hydrocarbons with Triple Bonds
Explore alkynes, unsaturated hydrocarbons with formula CnH2n-2: the linear triple bond, ethyne (acetylene) in welding, and the acidity of terminal alkynes.
Carbon Bonding: Why Carbon Forms So Many Compounds
Learn why carbon is the backbone of organic chemistry: tetravalent carbon, sp3 sp2 and sp hybridization, single double and triple bonds, and catenation.
Carboxylic Acids: The –COOH Group
Meet the carboxylic acids: the –COOH group, the weak acidity of ethanoic acid, naming rules, salt formation, esterification, and the chemistry of vinegar.
Functional Groups: The Reactive Centers of Organic Molecules
Meet the functional groups that control organic reactivity: hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, and halogen groups, plus the priority rules used in naming.
Naming Hydrocarbons: IUPAC Nomenclature Basics
Learn the IUPAC system for naming organic molecules: finding the longest chain, numbering it correctly, and naming substituents, with worked examples.
Isomerism: Same Formula, Different Molecule
Discover isomers — compounds sharing a molecular formula but differing in structure: chain, position, and functional group isomerism, plus a first look at stereoisomers.
Beginner concepts
Alkanes: The Simplest Hydrocarbons
Explore alkanes, the saturated hydrocarbons with formula CnH2n+2: naming from methane to decane, boiling point trends, combustion, and their low reactivity.
Polymers: From Monomers to Plastics
Understand polymers: how small monomers join into giant chains, addition vs condensation polymerization, thermoplastics vs thermosets, recycling codes, and plastic waste.