Gaining familiarity with the main functional groups is at the heart of learning organic chemistry. ODYSSEY Functional Groups includes molecular models for prototypical realizations of twelve functional groups (alcohol, ether, aldehyde, ketone, amine, amide, carboxylic acid, ester, acyl halide, alkyl halide, plus alkene and alkyne). A second set of models encompasses forty-five examples of important organic compounds that contain one or more of these functional groups.

All models of individual molecules are available with an isosurface representation of the electron cloud. Calculated from industry standard quantum chemical methods, the isosurfaces can be color-coded as “electrostatic potential maps” in order to indicate polarity—this visualization style has become ubiquitous in chemistry textbooks. Surfaces can be shown in a transparent, mesh, or solid style.

More than thirty compounds are represented by both a model of the individual molecule as well as a model of the substance in its standard state (solid, liquid, or gas). Many of the standard state models can be animated in room temperature molecular dynamics simulations. Potential hydrogen bond acceptors can be highlighted by showing lone pair positions, and—where applicable—hydrogen bonding can be explicitly visualized.

A glossary, comments section, and set of multiple choice questions (with randomized options) are also included.