BRAINCAKEIdentifying Functional Groups
A functional group is the atom or group of atoms that gives an organic compound its characteristic reactions. Identifying the functional group is the first step in working out the structure of an unknown compound.
At this stage you need to recognise these groups:
alkene: C=C
alcohol: -OH
aldehyde: -CHO
ketone: C=O within the chain (RCOR′)
carboxylic acid: -COOH
haloalkane: C-X, where X is a halogen
Chemists use three types of evidence together.
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Key terms in this lesson
- high resolution mass spectrometry
- Mass spectrometry that measures m/z to several decimal places, allowing a molecule's exact molecular formula to be identified.
More in Organic Analysis
- Test Tube Tests for Organic Compounds
- High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
- Precise Relative Molecular Mass
- Infrared Spectroscopy
- Bond Vibrations and IR Absorption
- The Fingerprint Region
- Interpreting IR Spectra
- Infrared Radiation and the Greenhouse Effect
All 9 lessons in Organic Analysis · All AQA AS-level Chemistry topics