Concept preview

What you will be able to do

1. 01Explain what a functional group is and why it matters
2. 02Identify alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters from structure
3. 03Relate a functional group to naming and properties

Once a hydrocarbon carries something other than carbon and hydrogen, that added feature usually controls how the molecule behaves. A functional group is a particular atom or group of atoms that gives an organic molecule its characteristic chemical properties. Molecules sharing the same functional group react in similar ways, so learning a handful of functional groups lets you predict the chemistry of a vast number of compounds — the group, not the size of the carbon chain, sets the behaviour.