• A homologous series is a series of compounds of the same family, with the same general formula, which differ from each other by a common structural unit.

• Structural formulas can be represented in full and condensed format.

• Structural isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

• Functional groups are the reactive parts of molecules.

• Saturated compounds contain single bonds only and unsaturated compounds contain double or triple bonds.

• Benzene is an aromatic, unsaturated hydrocarbon.

• Explanation of the trends in boiling points of members of a homologous series.

• Distinction between empirical, molecular and structural formulas.

• Identification of different classes: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, halogenoalkanes, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, esters, carboxylic acids, amines, amides, nitriles and arenes.

• Identification of typical functional groups in molecules eg phenyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, carboxamide, aldehyde, ester, ether, amine, nitrile, alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl.

• Construction of 3-D models (real or virtual) of organic molecules.

• Application of IUPAC rules in the nomenclature of straight-chain and branchedchain isomers.

• Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary carbon atoms in halogenoalkanes and alcohols and primary, secondary and tertiary nitrogen atoms in amines.

• Discussion of the structure of benzene using physical and chemical evidence.

• Skeletal formulas should be discussed in the course.

• The general formulas (eg CnH2n+2) of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, ketones, alcohols, aldehydes and carboxylic acids should be known.

• The distinction between class names and functional group names needs to be made. Eg for OH,hydroxyl is the functional group whereas alcohol is the class name.

• The following nomenclature should be covered:

– non-cyclic alkanes and halogenoalkanes up to halohexanes.

– alkenes up to hexene and alkynes up to hexyne.

– compounds up to six carbon atoms (in the basic chain for nomenclature purposes) containing only one functional group: such as hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, alkenyl etc.