Organic solvents: Likes dissolve likes – Don’t forget this! This one goes back to your days in freshman general chemistry and it is a simple one, but important to organic chemistry. As we will see below, unlike in general chemistry, this rule now has applicability and means you have a clue to …
Organic Chem #15: For organic solvents, likes dissolve likes Read More »
Stereochemistry and R/S configurations – You spin me right round baby right round. Like a record baby. Performing 3-D visualizations of atomic stereochemistry is one of the hardest aspects of organic chemistry for new students to learn and understand. One of the great aides in this area is a molecular modeling set, which will allow …
Organic Chemistry Trick #12: Stereochemistry and R/S Configuration – Like a record Read More »
Win the fight against resonance structures in organic chemistry Resonance structures: that moving target you thought was stationary. Nobody in your freshman chem class told you that these things don’t necessarily stay in one place. Organic Chemistry resonance structures are one of those issues that you will have to deal with for both semester …
Trick #11: Master Organic Chemistry Resonance Structures Read More »
Naming alkenes is not as hard as it seems. Way back when you were just an organic chemistry infant, you learned that alkenes existed and that they could be labeled either as a cis alkene or a trans alkene. It was nice, and you were happy not knowing that there were other, more …
Organic Chemistry Trick #10: Naming Alkenes is E-Z Read More »
Fischer projections do not need to be complicated. Emil Fischer is considered by many to be the greatest organic chemist to ever live. He is considered the father of modern carbohydrate chemistry, has a Nobel Prize on his bookshelf, and has more reactions named after him than you can shake a pipette at. …
Organic Chemistry Trick #9: Fischer projections are a black tie affair Read More »
Structures of molecules can be difficult to piece together at first when you are just starting in an organic chemistry class. Can hydrogen have 5 bonds?? (Hint: the answer is NO) Does carbon need to have four bonds, or can it just have one? (Again, a resounding no) One of the tricks that can greatly …
Organic Chemistry Trick #8: Know the “natural state” for common organic atoms Read More »
Organic chemistry nomenclature can be difficult. Learning organic chemistry is like trying to work in a foreign country; if you don’t know the language, it is going to be very difficult to learn how to do your job. Imagine that you have just been transported to the mythical country of “ochemia”, a small island …
One of the biggest complaints that most TAs hear is that the organic chemistry lab section is a lot of work for just one credit. There are no two ways about it…this is a true statement. Think about it. If you were to do everything most TAs require for the lab, you would spend at …
Organic Chemistry Trick #5: Don’t over-emphasize the organic chemistry lab section Read More »
Yes, we realize that many of you that are taking organic chemistry dream of going to medical school someday. Everybody needs doctors, and the job pays well, so good for you. There is plenty of research out there to suggest that organic chemistry is a pretty important class for getting into medical school. Heck, …
Organic Chemistry Trick #4: Get away from the pre-medical students Read More »
A useful strategy that many students have used is to take chemistry in the “off season”. This means that they have taken Organic I in the spring and then followed with Organic II in the next fall. This presents a number of advantages, including that since you are “out of sequence” the class sizes will …
Organic Chemistry Trick #3: Take the course at a more opportune time Read More »
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