Acyl Group

The residual structure after the hydroxyl group has been removed from the carboxyl group of acids, i.e.

Alcohols

Compounds of the general formula R – OH when one or more hydroxyl groups replace hydrogen atoms of alkanes.

Aldehydes

Carbonyl compounds of the general formula,

Alkaeoids

Complex nitrogen-containing compounds, principally of plant origin, that posses marked physological properties.

Alkanes [Paraffins]

Hydrocarbons of the general formula CaH_{2n + 2} with each carbon bonded to a maximum of hydrogen atoms.

Alkanes [Olefins]

Unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more pairs of carbon atoms joined by double bonds – one a sigma (s), the other a pi (p) bond.

Alkyl Groups

Hydrocarbon groups of the general formula CaH_{2n + 2} containing one less hydrogen than the parent alkane.

Alkynes [Acetylenes]

Unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more pairs of carbon atoms joined by triple bonds – one a sigma (s), the other two  pi (p) bonds.

Amides

Compounds that may be regarded as acyl derivatives of ammoni, e.g.

Amines

An important class of organic bases that may be regarded as hydrocarbon substitution produces of ammonia,

e.g., R – NH₂ – R₂N – H, R₃N.

Arenes [Aromatic Hydrocarbons]

Cyclic hydrocarbons with one or more benzene rings in their structures.

Aryl Group

An aromatic hydrocarbon group that contains one less hydrogen than the parent arene, e.g. phenyl, C₆H₅ .

Atomic Orbital

The regions in the space about the nucleus of an atom where an electron is most likely to be found.

Carbohydrates

Polyhydroxyl aldehydes or polyhydroxyl ketones, or substances that can be hydrolyzed to such aldehydes or ketones.

Carbonyl Group

The reactive group to be found in aldehydes, ketones, and acyl compounds, i.e., C = O

Carboxyl Group

The functional group characteristic of the carbonxyl acids,

i.e., 

CHIRALITY

The left-handed or right-handed property possed by compounds that makes possible the existence of enantiomers.

Codon

Coding units for specific amino acids made up of triplet combinations of nucleotides in DNA.

Configuration

The spartial arrangement of atoms in a molecule that may be changed only by breaking and rearrangine bonds.

Conformations

A spatial arrangment of groups in a molecule permitted by their rotation about single bonds.

Conjugated System

A system of alternate sing and double bonds through which chemical activity may be transmitted from one part of the molecualr structure to the other.

Covalence

Bonding through electron-pair sharing.

Dextrorotatory

A term applied to optically active compounds that rotate plane polarized light clockwise or to the right.

Disteroismers

Stereoisomers tha are not mirror images of each other.

Electrophilic

Reagent

A reagent tha seeks an unshared pair of electrons, i.e. an acid.

Enantiomers

Optical isomers tha tare non-superimposable mirror images.

Esters

A general class of acid derivaties in which the ionizable hydrogen of the acid has been replaced by a hydrocarbon group.

Ethers

A general class of compounds in which two hydrocarbon groups are joined through an oxygen atom.

Fats

Solid or semisolid naturally occurring long chain carboxylic acid esters or glycerol.

Free Radical

A highly reactive short lived atoms or goup that has an odd, unpaired electron.

Functional Group

A structure feature that identifies a family of compounds and bestown upon its members a common property.

Glycols

Compounds that contain two hydroxyl groups on adjacent carbon atoms.

Hemacetal

An unstable compound formed by the addition of an alcohol to the carboxyl group of an aldehyde.

Heterocyclic

A ring compound that contains, in addition to carbon, one or more other kins of atoms.

Hybridized Orbitals

Orbitals formed by blending orbitals in different subshells.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds (mostly obtained from petroleum) that contain only hydrogen and carbon.

Invert Sugar

A temporary mixture of equal parts of glucose and fructose formed by hydrolyzing dextrorotatory sucrose.

Isomers

Compounds with the same molecular formula but with different structural formulas.

Ketones

Carbonyl compounds of the general formula R₂C = O.

Levorotatory

A term applied to optically active compounds that rotate plane poloraized light counterclockwise or to the left.

Molecular Orbital

An orbit formed by the overlap of two atomic orbitals which encompasses more than one nucleus.

Mutarotation

A change with time in the rotation of a solution of an optically active compound.

Nucleic Acids

High molecular weight natural polymers found in the nuclei and cytoplasms of all living cells.

Nucleophilic Reagent

A reagent with an unshared pair of electrons to donate, e.g., a base.

Nucleoside

Ribose or deoxyribose substituted at carbon N-glycosidic link by one of five heterocyclic bases.

Nucleotide

Phosphoric acid esters of nucleosides, the structural units in both RNA and DNA.

Peptides

Chain structures that result when ammino acids condense to form one or more amide linkages.

Phenols

Compounds that have one or more hydroxyl groups attached to an aromatic ring.

Polymers

Huge molecules formed through the repeated addition or condensation of many simple molecules.

Proteins

Complex, high molecular weight polyamides synthesized by living organisms.

Pyrolysis

A high temperature decompostion or cracking in which bonds are ruptured to form free radicals.

Racemates

Optically inactive mixtures of equal amounts of enantiomers.

Resins

Complex noncrystalline, solid or semisolic mixtures of organic compounds either synthetic or or natural origin.

Resonance

Term used when two or more electronic formulas can be written for a compound, ion, or radical; actural structure is a hybird of all contributing structures.

Saponification

A hydrolysis reaction carried out in an alkaline solution.  The preparation of soaps from fats.

Stereoisomerism

Isomerism made possible by a variation in the spatial arrangement or atoms or groups in a molecule.

Steric Hindrance

A restriction on the reactivity of a group due to the spatical arrangements of neighboring groups.

Steroids [Sterols]

A class of cyclopentanophenanthrene derivatives of biological importance, e.g., bile acids, sex hormones.

Terpenes

Highly unsaturated naturally occurring compounds in which the structural is isoprene.

Vitamins

Naturally occurring compounds, small amounts of which are required in the diet.