FUNctional Groups! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alkene

A double bond consists of both a pi bond and a sigma bond, which makes it particularly strong. The pi electrons can act as a nucleophile, making alkenes more reactive than alkanes.

Answer: Alcohol

Consumable alcoholic drinks contain ethanol, while other alcohols like methanol and isopropyl alcohol are used in many common household products.

Answer: Ketone

Ketones are very important classes of molecules for human and animal biology. They play a large role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, one of the most widely known ketones, acetone, is used commercially as a nail polish remover and paint thinner.

Answer: False

A carbon to nitrogen triple bond is cyanide (or nitrile with an R group). Carboxylic acids are acidic because they are proton donors. They consist of a carbon double bonded to one oxygen and single bonded to another, which is bonded to a hydrogen atom (the acidic hydrogen).

Answer: Amine

Amines are often used as bases. Amides are groups where carbon is double bonded to oxygen and single bonded to nitrogen. The name similarity can be tricky!

Answer: Ester

Ethoxide would be a pretty funny name... Ester compounds often end in -oate, such as ethyl heptanoate, which gives raspberries and other fruits their flavor. They provide the pleasant odors of many other fragrant fruits as well, such as bananas, apples, and cherries.

Answer: Oxygen

Ethers are great lab solvents, but are VERY flammable! Diethyl ether was used in the 1800s as a surgical anesthetic, but because of its flammability and negative side effects, modern anesthetic agents have replaced it.

Answer: Phenyl

Phenyl rings are often depicted as a hexagon with an inscribed circle or with alternating double and single bonds, but because of electron delocalization, the bonds all have a bond order of approximately one and a half. Because of its aromaticity, a phenyl ring is quite stable and requires harsh conditions (high heat, concentrated acids, etc.) in order to react.

Answer: 3

An Azide consists of three nitrogens double bonded to each other, with an R group on one end. They are highly toxic, but have great practical use. Sodium azide, when heated, quickly gives off nitrogen gas, which is useful in filling car airbags upon automobile collision.

Answer: acyl chloride

These are very reactive, which is why they are also called "acid chlorides." Acyl chlorides are quite useful laboratory reagents for their superb reactivity in nucleophilic substitutions (resulting in high yields), allowing amides, esters, carboxylic acids, etc. to form.