2.13 SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT FAMILIES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Table 2.3 Important Families of Organic Compounds
Family example Specific IUPAC name Common name General formula Functional group
Alkane CH 3 CH 3 Ethane Ethane RH C–C bond C–H and
Alkene CH 2 =CH 2 Ethane Ethylene
RCH=CH 2
RCH=CHR
R 2 C=CHR
R 2 C=CR 2
C C
Alkyne HC CH Ethyne Acetylene HCRC≡≡CR CR CC
Aromatic
Benzene Benzene ArH Aromatic ring
Haloalkane CH 3 CH 2 Cl Chloroethane Ethyl chloride RX C X
Alcohol CH 3 CH 2 OH Ethanol Ethyl alcohol ROH C OH
Ether CH 3 OCH 3 Methoxy-methane Dimethyl ether ROR C O C
Amine CH 3 NH 2 Methanamine Methylamine
RNH 2
R 2 NH
R 3 N
C N
Aldehyde CH
3 CH
O
Ethanal Acetaldehyde RCHO
C
O
H
Ketone CH 3 CCH 3
C
O O
Propanone Acetone RCOR' CC
Carboxylic
acid CH 3 COH
O
Ethanoic acid Acetic acid RCOOH
C
O
OH
Ester CH 3 C
C
O
OCH O
O
3 Methyl ethanoate Methyl acetate RCOOR' C
Ethanamide Acetamide
CH 3 CONH 2
CH 3 CONHR’
CH 3 CONR’R” C
Amide CH 3 CNHO 2 O N
Nitrile H 3 CCN Ethanenitrile Acetonitrile RCN CN
