Sunday, January 22, 2012

Types of Organic Reactions

Five Types: Addition, Elimination, Subtraction, Condensation, and Oxidation


Addition Reactions: Reactions where a double bond is broken down into a single bond by the addition of two groups of atoms.

  • Hydrogenation: two hydrogen atoms are added  (H-H)
  • Hydrohalogenation: one hydrogen and one halogen is added (H-Cl)
  • Hydration: one hydrogen and one hydroxyl is added 
  • Halogenation: two halogen atoms (Cl- Cl) 




Elimination Reactions:
The reverse of addition reactions.


Substitution Reactions: an atom or side chain is replaced by another atom or side chain.

  • Mostly aromatic compounds
  • Amines can be prepared by substituting the halogen of an alkylhalide by an ammonia




Condensation Reactions: new functional groups are synthesized as a result of the release of a water molecule
  • alcohol + alcohol→ ether + water
  • alcohol + carboxylic acid → ester + water
  • amine + carboxylic acid  → amide + water




Oxidation Reactions: Reactions where a hydrogen atom is lost or an oxygen is gained:

  • Alcohols that occur in the middle of a carbon chain can oxidize to form ketones. (the H of the Alcohol is lost and a double bond results)
  • Alcohols that occur at the end of a carbon chain can oxidize to form aldehydes. (the H of the Alcohol is lost and a double bond results)
  • Aldehydes can further oxidize into carboxylic acides (an oxygen atom can be gained, forming an OH group)