Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Arrows: Eight fundamental arrow types denote different chemical processes.

Reaction arrow
Reaction proceeds from reactants (on left) to products (on right).



Equilibrium. Shafts lengths are not meant to imply Keq ≠ 1, or stated otherwise.


Resonance arrow
The structures on either end of the arrow are resonance contributors.



Curved arrow indicating shift of an electron pair. Note this arrow has two barbs on the pointy end.



Curved arrow indicating shift of a single electron. Note this arrow has one barb on the pointy end.



Photon added.



Retrosynthesis arrow. Designates that the molecule of the left is derived from the molecule on the right.


Bond dipole arrow. The arrow head points to the more electronegative atom (the δ- atom); the crossed end of the arrow lies above the more electropositive atom (the δ+ atom).