Organic Chemistry Review: Functional Groups

The purpose of this exercise is to review basic functional group structures and reactions. These students have been exposed to this material previously, but generally could stand a review. Students are shown models of eight organic molecules and are asked to draw their structures, identify the functional groups, and describe various reactions in which each could participate. The molecules are: acetone; benzoic acid; cyclohexene; ethylamine; 2-methyl-2-butanol; 3-methyl-1-butanol; 3-methyl-2-butanol; and propionaldehyde. (Between the three alcohols, and between the two carbonyl compounds, the carbon skeleton is constant.)

Students are asked to identify sets of isomers, products of addition reactions to a C-C double bond, oxidation products of alcohols and reduction products of carbonyl compounds, and the ester and amide formed by reaction of the acid with an alcohol and amine.