Functional Groups- Definition, Types, Structure, Examples

The functional groups are the reactive group present in compounds that determine the chemical properties of these compounds. Eg: -OH, -F, -CHO, -COOH.

Table of Contents

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Types of Functional Groups

Hydrocarbons

This includes alkane, alkene, alkyne, and benzene derivatives. They are typically denoted by the symbol -R. Hydrocarbons are made up of carbon and hydrogen that are linked together by various types of bonds, such as single, double, and triple bonds that determine their reactivity. E.g., alkane, alkene, alkyne.

Haloalkanes

Haloalkanes are alkyl halides that consist of a carbon-halogen bond. The strength and stability of the carbon-halogen bond determine the reactivity of these compounds. E.g., chloroalkane, bromoalkane, iodoalkane

Nitrogen containing functional group

These are the functional groups containing carbon-nitrogen bonds. They typically contain amines and amides. E.g., amides, amines, imines, azo compounds

Oxygen containing functional groups

They consist of the carbon-oxygen bond. The properties of compounds containing carbon-oxygen bonds are determined by the hybridization of the carbon-oxygen bond. E.g., alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides.

Sulphur containing functional groups

This type of functional group consists of the carbon-oxygen bond. Sulfur-containing compounds have distinct chemistry due to their ability to form more bonds than oxygen. E.g., thiols, thials, disulfur.

Phosphorous containing functional groups

Phosphorus-containing compounds have distinct chemistry due to their ability to form more bonds than nitrogen. Many phosphorous-containing functional groups consist of carbon-phosphorous and phosphorous-oxygen bonds. Phosphate diphosphate and triphosphate groups are linked to carbon via phosphate ester linkages in a variety of organic compounds. E.g., phosphine, phosphate group.

List of 35 different functional groups

References

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Sacramento_City_College/SCC%3A_CHEM_330_-Adventures_in_Chemistry(Alviar-Agnew)/09%3A_Organic_Chemistry/9.09%3A_Nitrogen-Containing_Compounds-_Amines_and_Amides
https://www.britannica.com/science/functional-group
https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/organicchemistry/chapter/2-4-naming-of-organic-compounds-with-functional-groups/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_group
https://byjus.com/chemistry/functional-groups/
https://www.vedantu.com/chemistry/nomenclature-functional-groups
https://www.compoundchem.com/2020/02/21/functional-groups/

S.N.	Functional group	Structure	Prefix	Suffix	Examples
1.	Carboxylic group		carboxy	-oic acid	Ethanoic acid(CH₃COOH)
2.	Acid Anhydride		—	-oic anhydride	Ethanoic anhydride (CH₃COOCOCH₃)
3.	Carboxylic ester		alkoxycarbonyl	-carboxylate	Methylethanoate (CH₃COOCH₃)
4.	Amide		amide	-carbomyl	Ethanamide (CH₃CONH₂)
5.	Nitrile		cyano	-nitrile	Ethane nitrile(CH₃CN)
6.	Aldehyde		oxo or formyl	-al, -carbaldehyde	Propanal (C₂H₅CHO)
7.	Ketone		oxo	-one	Propanone (CH₃COCH₃)
8.	Alcohol		hydroxy	-ol	Butanol (C₄H₉OH)
9.	Amine		amino	-amine	Methyl amine (CH₃NH₂)
10.	Alkene		enyl	-ene	Propene(C₃H₆)
11.	Alkyne		ynyl	-yne	Propyne (C₃H₄)
12.	Alkyl		yl	-ane	Ethane (C₂H₆)
13.	Alkyl halide		halo(fluro, chloro, bromo, iodo)	– alkyl halide	Chloropropane(C₃H₇Cl)
14.	Ether		oxy	ether	Dimethyl ether (CH₃OCH₃)
15.	Sulphide		alkylthio	sulfide	Dimethyl sulfide (CH₃SCH₃)
16.	Nitro		nitro	–	Nitromethane (CH₃NO₂)
17.	Benzene		phenyl	benzene	Ethylbenzene (C₆H₅C₂H₅)
18.	Disulphide		substituent disalfanyl	-disulfide	Dimethyl disulfide (CH₃-S-S-CH₃)
19.	Thiol		mercapto	-thiol	Propane-1-thiol (C₃H₇SH)
20.	Isocyano		isocyano	isonitrile	Methyl isonitrile (CH₃NC)
21.	Cyanate		cyanate	–
22.	Isocyanate		isocyante	–	Methyl isocyanate (CH₃NCO)
23.	Peroxide		(R)-peroxy	peroxide	Dimethyl peroxide(C₂H₆O₂)
24.	Hydroperoxy		hydroperoxy	hydroperoxide	Methyl peroxide (CH₄O₂)
25.	Alcoholates, Phenolates		oxido		Glyoxylic acid methyl ester methyl alcoholate (C₄H₇O₄^–)
26.	Sulphonates		sulfonato	-sulfonate	Naphthalene-1-sulphonate (C₁₀H₇O₃S)
27.	Sulfonic acid		sulfo	-sulfonic acid	Benzene sulfonic acid (C₆H₆O₃S)
28.	epoxide		epoxy	-ene oxide	Propylene oxide (C₃H₆O)
29.	azo		azo	–	Azobenzene (C₁₂H₁₀O₂)
30.	Sulfoxide		sulfinyl	-sulphoxide	Dimethyl sulphoxide (CH₃SOCH₃)
31.	Sulfone		sulfonyl	-sulfone	Dimethyl sulfone (CH₃SO₂CH₃)
32.	Sulfinic acid		sulfino	-sulfinic acid	Propanesulfinic acid (C₃H₇SO₂H)
33.	Thial		thial		Methanethial (CH₃SH)
34.	Thiocyante		thiocyanate		Ethyl thiocyanate (C₂H₅-S-CN)
35.	phosphine		phosphanyl	-phosphane	(C₃H₇-PH₂)