ChemAtlas

Chapter 11 · Chapter 12 · Chapter 13 · Chapter 14

Organic chemistry

Carbon chains are the backbone; the functional group is what actually reacts. Recognise the group and you can predict the chemistry without memorising the molecule.

Linear180°CO₂Trigonalplanar120°BF₃Bent104.5°H₂OTrigonalpyramidal107°NH₃Tetrahedral109.5°CH₄Octahedral90°SF₆
Fig. 3Electron domains repel to the furthest points they can reach. Lone pairs, drawn in red, take up more room than a bond and squeeze the angles below the ideal.

Structure

CCOOHHHH

Full analysis in the molecule lab.

Identified

Carboxylic acid

acetic acid · 60.05 g/mol

Carboxylic acid

1 occurrence

–COOH

The acidic hydrogen sits on the oxygen. Donates a proton to give a carboxylate.