Functional groups A
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In organic chemistry, functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules arranged in a specific manner. The following tables list common functional groups arranged by heteroatom. The symbols R, R', R'' and R''' usually denote a hydrocarbon chain or a hydrogen but can sometimes be any group of atoms. The symbol X denotes a halide such as F, Br, Cl or I.
Carbon based
Chemical class | Group | Formula | Structural Formula | Prefix | Suffix | Example |
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Alkane | Alkyl | RH | ![]() |
alkyl- | -ane | ![]() Butane |
Alkene | Alkenyl | R2C=CR2 | ![]() |
alkenyl- | -ene | ![]() (E)-But-2-ene |
Alkyne | Alkynyl | RC≡CR' | ![]() |
alkynyl- | -yne | ![]() But-2-yne |
Allene | Allenyl | R2C=C=CR2 | ![]() |
allenyl- | -diene | ![]() Penta-2,3-diene |
Cumulene | Cumulenyl | R2C=C=C=CR2 | ![]() |
cumulenyl- | -triene | ![]() Hexa-2,3,4-triene |
Benzene derivative | Phenyl | RC6H5 RPh |
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phenyl- | -benzene | ![]() Propylbenzene (Phenylpropane) |
Toluene derivative | Benzyl | RCH2C6H5 RBn |
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benzyl- | -toluene | ![]() Benzylbromide (α-bromotoluene) |
Halide | Halo | RX | ![]() |
halo- | -halide | ![]() Butyl iodide (1-Iodobutane) |
Oxygen based
Chemical class | Group | Formula | Structural Formula | Prefix | Suffix | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ether | Ether | ROR' | ![]() |
alkoxy- | -ether | ![]() Diethyl ether (Ethoxyethane) |
Alcohol | Hydroxyl | ROH | ![]() |
hydroxy- | -ol | ![]() n-Butanol (Butan-1-ol) |
Aldehyde | Carbonyl | RCHO | ![]() |
aldo- | -al | ![]() Butyraldehyde (Butanal) |
Ketone | Carbonyl | RCOR' | ![]() |
keto- | -one | ![]() 2-Butanone (Methyl ethyl ketone) |
Carboxylic Acid | Carboxyl | RCO2H | ![]() |
carboxy- | -oic acid | ![]() Butanoic acid (Butyric acid) |
Acyl halide | Haloformyl | RCOX | ![]() |
haloformyl- | -oyl halide | ![]() Butanoyl bromide (Butyryl bromide) |
Ester | Ester | RCO2R' | ![]() |
/ | -(o)ate | ![]() Ethyl acetate (Ethyl ethanoate) |
Lactone | Lactone | / | ![]() |
/ | -lactone | ![]() γ-Butyrolactone |
Peroxy acid | Peracid | RCO3H | ![]() |
per- peroxy- |
-peroxoic acid | ![]() Peracetic acid Peroxyacetic acid (Ethaneperoxoic acid) |
Anhydride | Anhydride | RCOOCOR' | ![]() |
-(o)ic anhydride | ![]() Acetic anhydride (Ethanoic anhydride) |
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Carbonate | Carbonate | ROCOOR' | ![]() |
/ | -carbonate | ![]() Dimethyl carbonate |
Epoxide | Epoxide/Oxirane | / | ![]() |
epoxy- | -oxirane / -ene oxide | ![]() 2-Methyloxirane 1,2-Epoxypropane 1,2-Propylene oxide |
Hydrate | Diol | RC(OH)(OH)R' | ![]() |
/ | -diol | ![]() Butane-2,2-diol |
Hemiacetal | Hemiacetal | RCH(OR')(OH) | ![]() |
/ | / | ![]() 1-Methoxypropan-1-ol |
Acetal | Acetal | RCH(OR')(OR'') | ![]() |
dialkoxy- | -dialkyl acetal | ![]() 1,1-Dimethoxypropane Butyraldehyde dimethyl acetal |
Hemiketal | Hemiketal | RC(OR'')(OH)R' | ![]() |
/ | / | ![]() 2-Methoxybutan-2-ol |
Ketal | Ketal | RC(OR'')(OR''')R' | ![]() |
dialkoxy- | -dialkyl acetal | ![]() 2,2-Dimethoxybutane 2-Butanone dimethyl acetal |
Orthoester | Orthoester | RC(OR')(OR'')(OR''') | ![]() |
trimethoxy- | -orthoacetate | ![]() Trimethylorthoacetate (1,1,1-Trimethoxyethane) |
Orthocarbonate | Orthocarbonate | ROC(OR')(OR'')(OR''') | ![]() |
tetraalkoxy- | -orthocarbonate | ![]() Tetramethylorthocarbonate (1,1,1,1-Tetramethoxymethane) |
Phenol | Phenol | PhOH | ![]() |
/ | -phenol | ![]() 3-Methylphenol m-Cresol |
Enol | Enol | RC(OH)=CR'2 | ![]() |
/ | -enol | ![]() But-2-en-2-ol |
Enol ether | Enol ether | RC(OR')=CR''2 | ![]() |
/ | alkoxy -ene | ![]() 2-methoxybut-2-ene |
Hydroperoxide | Hydroperoxide | ROOH | ![]() |
hydroperoxy- | -hydroperoxide | ![]() 1-Hydroperoxypropane n-Propylhydroperoxide |
Peroxide | Peroxide | ROOR' | ![]() |
peroxy- | -peroxide | ![]() Di-tert-butyl peroxide |
Ketene | Ketene | RC(=C=O)R' | ![]() |
/ | -ketene | ![]() Methyl ethyl ketene (2-Methylbut-1-en-1-one) |
Nitrogen based
Chemical class | Group | Formula | Structural Formula | Prefix | Suffix | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amine | Amino | RNH2 | ![]() |
amino- | -amine | ![]() Butan-1-amine 1-Aminobutane) |
Aldimine / Imine | RCHNH2 | ![]() |
![]() Butan-1-imine |
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Ketimine / Imine | ![]() |
![]() Butan-2-imine |
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Ketenimine | ![]() |
![]() 2-Methylbut-1-en-1-imine |
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Nitrile / Cyanide | ![]() |
![]() Butyronitrile 1-Cyanobutane |
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Isocyanide / Isonitrile | ![]() |
![]() 1-Isocyanopropane 1-Propylisocyanide |
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Azide | ![]() |
![]() 1-Azidopropane 1-Propylazide |
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Azo compound / Diimide / Diazene | ![]() |
![]() (E)-1,2-diethyldiazene (Azoethane) |
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Diazonium salt | ![]() |
![]() Butane-2-diazonium (2-Diazobutane) |
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Carbodiimide | ![]() |
![]() N,N'-Diisopropylcarbodiimide |
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Amidine | ![]() |
![]() Propylamidine |
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Amidrazone | ![]() |
![]() Propylamidrazone (Propionimidohydrazide) |
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Guanidine | ![]() |
![]() 1,3-Diethyl-2-methylguanidine |
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Hydrazine | ![]() |
![]() 1-Ethyl-2-methylhydrazine |
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Hydrazone | ![]() |
![]() Acetone N,N-dimethylhydrazone |
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Aminal | ![]() |
![]() Propane-2,2-diamine |
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Hemiaminal | ![]() |
![]() 2-Aminopropan-2-ol |
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Enamine | ![]() |
![]() (Z)-But-2-en-2-amine |
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Aniline | ![]() |
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Hydroxylamine | ![]() |
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Amine oxide / N-oxide | ![]() |
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Aldoxime | ![]() |
![]() Propionaldehyde oxime |
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Ketoxime | ![]() |
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Aldoxime ether | ![]() |
![]() Propionaldehyde O-methyl oxime |
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Ketoxime ether | ![]() |
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Amide | ![]() |
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Lactam | ![]() |
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Carbamic acid | ![]() |
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Carbamate | ![]() |
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Urea | ![]() |
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Isourea | ![]() |
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Carbamic acyl halide | ![]() |
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Hydroxamic acid | ![]() |
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Imide | ![]() |
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Imidoester | ![]() |
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Imidoyl halide | ![]() |
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Hydrazide | ![]() |
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Cyanate | ![]() |
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Isocyanate | ![]() |
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Nitro compound | ![]() |
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Nitroso | ![]() |
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Nitrite | ![]() |
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Nitrate | ![]() |
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Acyl cyanide | ![]() |
![]() Propionyl cyanide |
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Semicarbazide | ![]() |
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Semicarbazone | ![]() |
Sulfur based
Chemical class | Group | Formula | Structural Formula | Prefix | Suffix | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thioether | Thioether | RSR' | ![]() |
thioalkoxy- | -thioether | File:.png |
Thiol | RSH | ![]() |
thioxy- | -thiol | ![]() n-Butanol (Butan-1-ol) |
|
Thial / Thioaldehyde | RCHS | File:Thioaldehyde.png | File:.png | |||
Thione / Thioketone | RCSR' | File:Thioketone.png | File:.png | |||
[[Thioic O-acid]] | RC(S)OH | File:Thioic O-acid.png | File:.png | |||
[[Thioic S-acid]] | RC(O)SH | File:Thioic S-acid.png | File:.png | |||
Dithioic acid | RCS2H | File:Dithioic acid.png | File:.png | |||
Thioyl_halide | RCSX | File:Thioyl halide.png | File:.png | |||
[[Thioic O-ester]] | RC(S)OR' | File:Thioic O-ester.png | File:.png | |||
[[Thioic S-ester]] | RC(O)SR' | File:Thioic S-ester.png | File:.png | |||
Dithioic ester | RCS2R' | File:Dithioic acid.png | File:.png |