A functional group is a specific arrangement of atoms in an organic molecule that gives the molecule characteristic chemical properties and typical reactions.
The functional group is the part of an organic molecule that most strongly controls how it behaves.
Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.
Example 1
easy
Which family of compounds contains the C=C double bond as its defining feature?
Example 2
easy
Which functional group is in dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3)?
Example 3
easy
Which functional group makes a molecule acidic: hydroxyl or carboxyl?
Example 4
medium
Why is methanol (CH3OH) far more water-soluble than methane (CH4)?
Example 5
medium
A molecule contains an −NH2 group. Will it generally act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid or base?
Example 6
easy
Do functional groups affect a molecule's polarity?
Example 7
medium
Identify the functional group that defines an amine, and the element it contains.
Example 8
easy
Which functional group is −CHO?
Example 9
easy
Which functional group is −COOH?
Example 10
medium
Which functional group reacts with an alcohol (with acid catalyst) to form an ester?
Example 11
easy
True or False: The functional group determines a molecule's typical chemical reactions more than the carbon skeleton does.
Example 12
easy
Which functional group is represented by −OH?
Example 13
medium
Compare 1-propanol and 2-propanol. Do they share the same functional group? Will they have similar reactivity?
Example 14
hard
Why do amide linkages in proteins resist hydrolysis at body temperature but break easily with enzymes?
Example 15
hard
Why are amino acids zwitterionic in aqueous solution at neutral pH?
Example 16
challenge
Why can a single change of functional group (e.g., −OH to −COOH) drastically change a molecule's chemistry while the carbon skeleton stays the same?
Example 17
easy
Ethanol contains which functional group?
Example 18
challenge
A drug candidate has a phenol and a primary amine. How would you expect its solubility and acid-base behavior to differ between pH 2, pH 7, and pH 12?
Example 19
easy
A functional group is the part of a molecule that mostly controls its what?
Example 20
easy
What kind of bond is at the heart of a carbonyl group?