The structures, properties, and chemical reactions of organic and biochemicals are determined by the functional groups present. Functional groups are defined as specific groupings of atoms or bonds which are part of a larger hydrocarbon chain. It is necessary that you are able to recognize these groups by structure and by name.
Functional Group Names: The ending of the name as a suffix tells the type of compound or functional group present. The root name tells the number of carbons in the longest continuous chain. Example upper left - most organic names: A 3 carbon alcohol is named as: CH3CH2CH2-OH = propanol The name is derived as follows: Three carbon root name = propane. Drop the "e" ending and add "ol" the ending for alcohol. Thus the name = propanol.
Example middle left - Ethers: In compounds where oxygen breaks a continuous chain of carbons, it is named in two parts. For ethers, if both parts are different, name each one separately using the root plus "-yl" and end with the word ether.
Functional Group Name	Drop "e" add	Structure	Name
Alcohol	-ol	CH3CH2CH2OH	propanol
Aldehyde	-al		propanal
Ketone	-one		propanone or acetone (common name)
Acid	-oic acid		ethanoic acid or acetic acid (common name)
Ester (second name)	-oate		methyl ethanoate (See bottom panel on left)
Example on bottom left - Esters: In compounds where oxygen breaks a continuous chain of carbons, the compound must be named in two parts. In esters divide the compound between the carbon double bond oxygen and the part with the single bond oxygen. The part with the single bond oxygen is named first with the root plus "-yl" ending. Example: methyl The part with the carbon double bond oxygen is named second with the root plus "-oate" ending. Example: ethanoate Example: Methyl ethanoate
*****	Drop "-ane" add	****************	********
Alkene	-ene	CH2=CHCH3	propene
Alkyne	-yne	CH=CCH3	propyne
Alkane Branches	-yl	-CH2CH3	ethyl
Ether	-yl	CH3O-CH2CH3	methyl ethyl ether (See middle panel on left)
Ester (first name)	-yl		methyl ethanoate (See bottom panel on left)
Amine	-ylamine	CH3CH2CH2NH2	propylamine