Some Functional Groups

Family Name

Functional group
structure

AliphaticHydrocarbons
(Contains only C-H and C-C
Alkane
single bonds)

Name
ending

Simple example
CH3CH3

Ethane

-ane

Ethene
(Ethylene)

-ene

Ethyne
(Acetylene)

-yne

Benzene

none

H3C-Cl

Chloromethane

none

H3C-O-H

Methanol

-ol

H3C-O-CH3

Dimethyl ether

ether

H3C-NH2

Methyamine

-amine

H3C-CN

Ethanenitrile
(Acetonitrile)

-nitrile

Nitromethane

none

Alkene

C C

H2C=CH2

Alkyne

C C

HCCH

Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Arene

C
C

C
C

C
C

Halogen Substituted Hydrocarbons

Halide

C X

(X = F, Cl, Br, I)
Oxygen Containing Organic Compounds
Alcohol

Ether

C O H

C O C

Nitrogen Containing Organic Compounds

C N H
H
(Primary Amine)

Amine

C N H
(Secondary Amine)

C N
(Tertiary Amine)
Nitrile

C C N
O

Nitro

C N

O
C N

Sulfur Containing Organic Compounds

Sulfide

C S C

Thiol

C S

H3C-S-CH3

Dimethyl sulfide

sulfide

H3C-SH

Methanethiol

-thiol

Ethanal
(Acetaldehyde)

-al

Propanone
(Acetone)

-one

Ethanoic acid

-oic acid

Methyl ethanoate

-oate

Ethanamide
(Acetamide)

-amide

Ethanoyl
chloride (Acetyl
chloride)

-oyl chloride

Ethanoic
anhydride
(Acetyl
Anhydride)

-oic anhydride

Carbonyl Compound

O
Aldehyde

C C

H3C C

O
Ketone

Carboxylic Acid

C C C

H3C C CH3

C C OH

O
Ester

H3C C OH

C C O C

H3C C O CH3

O
C C NH2
(Primary Amide)

O
Amide

C C N H

H3C C NH2
(Secondary Amide)

O
C C N
(Tertiary Amide)

O
Carboxylic Acid
chloride

C C Cl
O

Carboxylic Acid
anhydride

C C O C C

H3C C Cl
O

H3C C O C CH3