Functional Groups Definition
A functional group or moiety is a specific group of atoms within a molecule that is responsible for characteristic chemical reactions of that molecule. No matter what size a molecule is, a functional group participates in chemical reactions in a predictable manner.
Functional groups link to the rest of the molecule via covalent bonds. The group may be neutral or charged.
Functional Group Examples:
Examples of common functional groups include alcohol (-OH), aldehyde (-COH), and nitrile (-CN).
Nomenclature
The naming convention for moieties describes whether it is saturated or unsaturated and whether it contains single, double, or triple bonds.
Class | Formula | Suffix | Example |
Single bond | R• | -yl | Methyl group, Methyl radical |
Double bond | R: | -ylidene | Methylidene |
Triple bond | R⫶ | -ylidyne | Methylidyne |
Carboxylic acyl radical | R−C(=O)• | -oyl | Acetyl |
Source
- Brown, Theodore (2002). Chemistry : The Central Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. p. 1001. ISBN 0130669970.