Chapter 4 : Alcohols and Alkyl Halides

Functional Groups

• A functional group is an atom or a group of atoms within a molecule, that prescribes a particular type of reactivity when subjected to a particular set of reaction conditions.

As organic chemistry unfolds, take notice that the reactions occur directly at or immediately adjacent to the functional groups, and that recognising the functional groups is the key to recognising the type of reaction.

What is a reaction ?

• A reaction is the process by which one compound is transformed into a new compound.