Question

identify the functional group present in the following compounds:
(a)C2H6O
(b)C2H4O​

Answer 1

(a) Ethanol

(b) Ethanal

What is a functional group?

• A functional group is a unit in a chemical compound that gives it certain characteristics e.g. how it will react with other chemical compounds.

• Compounds with similar functional groups behave in the same way.

What is the functional group in (a) C2H6O?

• (a)C2H6O = Ethanol

• Functional group is alcohol

• It can also be written as C2H5OH or CH3CH2OH

• As we know that carbon has the tendency to make 4 bonds. First carbon has 3 hydrogens and one CH2 attached to it.

• The second carbon has CH3 on one side and 2 hydrogens and one OH group attached to it.

What is the functional group in (b)C2H4O​?

• (b)C2H4O​ = Ethanal
• Functional group is aldehyde
• It can also be written as CH3CHO
• Here Second carbon has a double bond with Oxygen, one bond with CH3 and one with hydrogen.

Answer 2

Answer: What is the functional group in (a) C2H6O?

(a)C2H6O = Ethanol

functional group is the alcohol

It can also be written as C2H5OH or CH3CH2OH

As we know that carbon has the tendency to make 4 bonds. First carbon has 3 hydrogens and one CH2 attached to it.

The second carbon has CH3 on one side and 2 hydrogens and one OH group attached to it.

What is the functional group in (b)C2H4O​?

(b)C2H4O​ = Ethanal

A functional group is an aldehyde

It can also be written as CH3CHO

Here Second carbon has a double bond with Oxygen, one bone with CH3 and one with hydrogen.