What determines the reactions of organic compounds?

The reactions of organic compounds are primarily determined by the nature of their functional groups. Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. They typically dictate how the compound interacts in chemical reactions, influencing properties such as polarity, acidity, and reactivity.

For instance, alcohols, amines, and carboxylic acids each have distinct functional groups, such as hydroxyl (-OH), amino (-NH2), and carboxyl (-COOH) groups, respectively. These groups give insight into how the compound will behave chemically, including what types of reactions it can undergo. The functional group's arrangement and specific atoms it contains are what lead to the diverse reactivity seen across organic compounds.

While molecule size, structure, and the presence of double bonds play a role in how organic compounds behave, it is the functional group that fundamentally determines the type of chemical reactions the compound can participate in.