Functional group

Common functional groups include:

Group	Chemical class	Formula	Prefix	Suffix
Amine	Amine	R-NH2	amino-	-amine
Carboxyl	Carboxylic acid	R-C(=O)OH	hydrocarboxy-	-oic acid
Hydroxyl	Alcohol	R-OH	hydroxy-	-ol
Carbonyl	Aldehyde	R-C(=O)H		-al
	Ketone	R-C(=O)-R'	keto-	-one
Ester	Ester	R-C(=O)O-R'	named according to the parent alcohol and acid, respectively: alkyl alkanoate
Ether	Ether	R-O-R'	named according to the parent alcohols, respectively: alkylalkylether
Amide	Amide	R-C(=O)N(-H)-R'	name according to the parent amine and acid, respectively: alkyl alkanamide
	Azo	R-N=N-R'
	Alkene	R-CH=CH-R'	convert the part substituting for 'alk in the name of the alkane into the alk of the word alkene: 'ethane/ethene, propane/propene, butane/butene, etc.	-ene
	Alkyne	R-CC-R'	convert the part substituting for 'alk in the name of the alkane into the alk of the word alkyne: 'ethane/ethyne, propane/propyne, butane/butyne, etc.	-yne
	Phosphodiester	R-OP(=O)2O-R'
	Phenyl	R-C6H5
	Pyridyl	R-C5H4N
	Nitrile	R-CN	alkyl nitrile
	Isonitrile	R-NC	alkyl isonitrile
	Isocyanate	R-NCO	alkyl isocyanate
	Isothiocyanate	R-NCS	alkyl isothiocyanate
	Methyl	R-CH3	methyl- (similarly for higher alkyl substituents: ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc.)
	Thioether	R-S-R'

Combining the names of functional groups with the names of the parent alkanes generates a powerful systematic nomenclature for naming organic compounds.

The non-hydrogen atoms of functional groups are always associated with each by covalent bonds, as well as with the rest of the molecule. When the group of atoms is associated with the rest of the molecule primarily by ionic forces, the group is referred to more properly as a polyatomic ion or complex ion. And all of these are called radicals, by a meaning of the term radical that predates the free radical.

Referenced By