This document provides examples of organic compound structures and their names. It shows line structures, abbreviations, structural formulas, and names for various classes of organic compounds including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines, alkyl halides, carboxylic acids, esters, amides, and aromatic compounds. The goal is to help organic chemistry students visualize organic structures and their names.

1. Organic Chemistry
Basic Nomenclature and Structures

2. Hopefully this slideshow will help
O-chem students with some visuals
of structures.

3. Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound
none
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H H
H
but-1-ene alkene
RH
CH
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
H
butane
alkane
none
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
(2E)-but-2-ene
alkene
none
C C C CH
H
H H
H
H
but-1-yne alkyne
CH
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
H

4. none
C C C CH
H
H H
H
H
but-2-yne alkyne
OH
ROH
C C C C O
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butan-1-ol
alcohol
OH
ROH
C C C
C
OH
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butan-2-ol alcohol
Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound

5. O
R(C=O)H
C C C C
O
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butanal aldehyde
O
R(C=O)R’
C C C
C
O
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butan-2-one Ketone
(with 2
different
alkyl groups)
NH2
RNH2
C C C C NH
H
H H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butan-1-amine amine
NH2
RNH2
C C C
C
NH
H
H H
H
H
HH
H
H
H
butan-2-amine amine
Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound

6. Cl
RX
C C C C Cl
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
1-chlorobutane Alkyl halide
Br
RX
C C C C
BrH
H
H
H
H
H H
H
H
2-bromobutane Alkyl halide
OH
O
RCO2H
RCOOH
R(C=O)OH
C C C
O
O
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H butanoic acid Carboxylic
acid
O
ROR’
C C C O
C
CH
H
H H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butyl methyl
ether
Ether (with 2
different
alkyl groups)
Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound

7. O
ROR
C
C
O
C
C
H
H
H
H
H H
H
H
H
H
diethyl ether Ether (with
one
type of
alkyl group)
Cl
O
R(C=O)X
C C C
Cl
O
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butanoyl
chloride
Acyl halide
CH3
O
NH2
R(C=O)NH2
C C C C
O
N
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butanamide Amide
Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound

8. O
O
Na
R(C=O)OM
(M indicates
a metal)
C C C
O
O
C
Na
H
H
H
H
H
H
H sodium
butanoate
Carboxylate
salt
O
O O
R(C=O)O(C=O)R
C
C
O
O
C
O
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
acetic
anhydride
Anhydride
SH
RSH
C C C C SH
H
H H
H
H
H
H
H
H
butane-1-thiol Thio alcohol
mercaptan
S
S
RSSR
S
S C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
dimethyl
disulfide
Disulfide

9. Ar
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
benzene Aromatic
OH ArOH
PhOH
(Ph indicates
phenyl)
C
C
C
C
C
C
OH
H
H
H
H
H
phenol A phenol, an
aromatic
alcohol
O
OH
Ar(C=O)OH
ArCO2H
ArCOOH
Ph(C=O)OH
PhCO2H
PhCOOH
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
O
O
H
H
H
H
H
H
benzoic acid A benzoic acid
(an aromatic
carboxylic
acid)
NH2 ArNH2
PhNH2
C
C
C
C
C
C
N
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
aniline An aniline
(an aromatic
amine)

10. O Ar(C=O)H
Ph(C=O)H
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
O
H
H
H
H
H
H benzaldehyde A
benzaldehyde,
an aromatic
aldehyde
ArMe
PhMe
(Me indicates
methyl, -CH3)
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H methylbenzene A toluene, a
methyl-
benzene
Line Structure Abbreviation Structural formula Name Class of
compound