21 topics with concise breakdowns: definitions, key facts, and class questions.
This chapter is dedicated to the foundation of bioorganic chemistry — hydrocarbons. We will analyze compounds consisting only of carbon and hydrogen: alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, alkadienes, alkynes, and arenes. They form the basic carbon skeleton of any biologically active molecule, from fatty acids to complex steroid hormones.
The section covers all key classes of hydrocarbons. You will study methods for their preparation (including the synthesis of higher cycloalkanes) and chemical properties. Special attention in the course is given to the concept of aromaticity in arenes, which is critical for understanding the structure of many drugs and DNA nitrogenous bases.
During seminars and colloquia, instructors most frequently ask about qualitative reactions (especially for alkynes and multiple bonds), mechanisms of addition and substitution reactions, and criteria for aromaticity. Confident mastery of these topics is your gateway to successfully learning biochemistry and pharmacology in senior years.
Cylinders used for storing and transporting propane are traditionally painted red.
Why doesn't gasoline have a precise boiling point, unlike pure octane?
Because gasoline is a mixture of various alkanes and other hydrocarbons. It is characterized by a boiling range (30–205 °C): as the light fractions evaporate, the boiling point of the remaining liquid in the mixture continuously increases.
Why is it better not to use a mixture of different haloalkanes in the Wurtz reaction?
Because radicals recombine randomly. Instead of a single target substance, you will get a hard-to-separate mixture of three different alkanes (two symmetrical and one asymmetrical).
Why does halogenation slow down when the reaction vessel volume is decreased?
A decrease in volume causes active free radicals to collide with vessel walls more frequently. Their recombination (joining each other) occurs on the walls, causing premature termination of the reaction chain.
Why are alkenes called unsaturated hydrocarbons?
Due to the presence of a double bond in the molecule, they contain a smaller number of hydrogen atoms compared to alkanes with the same carbon skeleton.
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Assignments and quizzes after every topic — just like in a colloquium