Organic Chemistry Made Simple: Functional Groups Explained

Organic Chemistry terrifies most Chemistry students — until they realise that the whole subject is built on about twelve functional groups. Master those groups and reactions become predictable patterns, not random facts. Start with alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Alkanes (—CH₃) are saturated and undergo substitution reactions. Alkenes (C=C) are unsaturated and undergo addition reactions — bromine water decolourisation is your test. Alkynes add twice. Next, alcohols (—OH): primary alcohols oxidise to aldehydes, then carboxylic acids. Secondary alcohols stop at ketones. Carboxylic acids (—COOH) react with alcohols to form esters — the sweet-smelling products useful in perfumes. Amines (—NH₂) are organic bases. Halogenoalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution with NaOH. The exam tests whether you can predict products and identify functional groups from molecular formulae. Make a one-page table: functional group, formula, test reagent, observation, and two example reactions. Revisit it every three days until it is automatic.