Representations of Organic Compounds

<< Introduction to Organic Chemistry

 

Describe an organic compound using different representations (name, structure)

 

Prerequisite Knowledge

• Rules for naming organic compounds

• Structural formulae (skeletal, condensed, full structural/ displayed)

 

Notes

• // Tip // It is easier to write out organic compound using your preferred representation first and then convert to the one specified in the question.
  
  For most organic chemists, the skeletal representation is preferred. However, the most frequently asked representation in the A levels is the displayed formula or the full structural formula.

• In the writing of displayed/ full structural formulae, students commonly forget to draw the bonds in groups like -COOH -OH, -NH₂, -NO₂ etc.

• When representing cyclic compounds using condensed formulae, the bonds in the cyclic structure need to be shown.

 

Practice

 

For the following organic compounds, draw their (i) displayed formula, (ii) condensed formula and (iii) skeletal formula

• 1-bromopropan-2-ol

• 1,3-dichlorocyclobutane

• 2-amino-3-hydroxypropanoic acid

• 3-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-4-oxopentanal