Functional Group Identifier / Organic Groups & Reactions
Look up alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, acid, ester, amine, amide and ether groups: formula, polarity, common reactions and uses, with identification tips.
Quick 1-Click Functional Group Archetypes
Functional Class Selection & Compound Specifier
Property Profile Comparison: Alcohol vs Carboxylic Acid
Relative educational scaling from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
Signature Reactions for Alcohol
Organic Functional Groups Master Cheat Sheet (8 Common Classes)
Systematic overview of chemical formulas, IUPAC naming affixes, IR diagnostic peaks, and representative molecules.
| Class | General Formula | IUPAC Affix | IR Absorption (cm⁻¹) | Approx pKa | Sample Molecule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | R-OH | hydroxy- / -ol | 3200 - 3600 cm⁻¹ (broad O-H stretch) | 15 - 18 | CH₃CH₂OH |
| Aldehyde | R-CHO | formyl- / oxo- / -al | 1720 - 1740 cm⁻¹ (C=O) & 2720, 2820 cm⁻¹ (Fermi doublet C-H) | 16 - 20 (α-hydrogen) | CH₃CHO |
| Ketone | R-CO-R' | oxo- / -one | 1705 - 1725 cm⁻¹ (sharp C=O stretch) | 19 - 21 (α-hydrogen) | CH₃COCH₃ |
| Carboxylic Acid | R-COOH | carboxy- / -oic acid | 2500 - 3300 cm⁻¹ (very broad O-H) & 1710 cm⁻¹ (C=O) | 4 - 5 | CH₃COOH |
| Ester | R-COO-R' | alkoxycarbonyl- / -oate | 1735 - 1750 cm⁻¹ (C=O) & 1050 - 1300 cm⁻¹ (C-O) | 25 (α-hydrogen) | CH₃COOCH₂CH₃ |
| Amine | R-NH₂ | amino- / -amine | 3300 - 3500 cm⁻¹ (N-H stretch, 1 or 2 spikes) | 35 - 38 (conjugate acid pKa 9 - 11) | CH₃NH₂ |
| Amide | R-CO-NH₂ | amido- / carbamoyl- / -amide | 1650 - 1690 cm⁻¹ (Amide I, C=O) & 1550 - 1640 cm⁻¹ (Amide II) | 15 - 17 | CH₃CONH₂ |
| Ether | R-O-R' | alkoxy- / -ether | 1050 - 1150 cm⁻¹ (strong C-O single bond stretch) | > 40 | CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₃ |
Worked Identification & Comparison: Alcohol vs Carboxylic Acid vs Amine
Distinguishing structural features, IR diagnostic frequencies, and acid-base behaviors:
💡 Organic Chemist Insight: Functional groups govern the entirety of organic reactivity. Identifying the presence of carbonyl (C=O), hydroxyl (O-H), or amino (N-H) bonds immediately forecasts solubility, IR fingerprint, and synthesis pathways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Authoritative Chemical Spectroscopy & IUPAC References
Official International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry definitions of functional classes and chemical nomenclature.
Comprehensive educational synthesis maps, oxidation states, and comparative reactivity rankings.
National Institute of Standards and Technology database of experimental gas-phase and condensed-phase IR spectra.
Professional scientific society providing educational resources and reaction mechanisms for academic instruction.
Related Calculators
Quick Tips
- 1Use consistent units throughout calculations
- 2Consider significant figures in results
- 3Document experimental conditions
- 4Verify results with control calculations