The only way of mastering any topic in Organic Chemistry is doing lots of practice problems. And I know, seeing my students, that starting to work on a practice problem may be the hardest part as you don’t know where to start. It is difficult to visualize what where the double bond would be moved if you follow the five curved arrows crammed in one step. Here is the trick:
We are always told to think before doing something. Fair enough. But let me tell you, it is also strangely enough, that in Organic Chemistry, it is often better to draw and then think about what you did (not in the lab though). It is much easier to have a structure in front of you and check for errors and improvements.
Do the first step, take the pencil and you will see that the ball gets rolling.
You have all these Organic Chemistry Practice Problems waiting to be solved!
Acetaminophen (paracetamol, Tylenol) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic that reduces pain and fever by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis in the central nervous system. Its structure features a phenolic hydroxyl group and an amide functionality, making it a simple yet … Read more
Lidocaine is a widely used local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic drug that works by blocking voltage-gated sodium channels, preventing nerve signal transmission. Its structure contains both an aromatic amide and a tertiary amine side chain, making it an excellent example of … Read more
Diazepam (Valium) is a widely used benzodiazepine medication prescribed for anxiety disorders, muscle spasms, seizures, and insomnia. Its structure features a fused benzodiazepine ring system, making it an excellent example of how heterocycles are constructed through sequential functional-group transformations. In … Read more
Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in brands such as Advil, is a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces pain, fever, and inflammation by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes responsible for prostaglandin synthesis. It is one of the most common … Read more
Prozac (Fluoxetine) is a widely used antidepressant belonging to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It increases serotonin levels in the brain by inhibiting its reabsorption, which helps improve mood and treat depression, anxiety disorders, and OCD. … Read more
In this post, we will discuss and show the mechanisms of some important reactions of lactones and lactams, such as their preparation, acid- and base-catalyzed hydrolysis, and reduction by LiAlH4. We will also go over the Grignard reaction of lactones. … Read more
The steric number is one of the simplest and most reliable tools for predicting the hybridization and molecular geometry. It tells us how many atoms and lone pairs a given atom has, which in turn defines the geometry and the … Read more
Your professor has been talking about the SN2 reaction, and you have got the key principles such as the curved arrow mechanism, inversion of configuration, and second-order reaction, but there was one phrase that left you wondering: “concerted mechanism”. So, … Read more
The SN2 (Substitution Nucleophilic Bimolecular) reaction involves a single concerted step, where the nucleophile attacks the carbon bearing the leaving group from the backside, and the leaving group departs simultaneously. As an example, let’s show the reaction between 2-bromobutane and … Read more
The primary way of preparing alkenes is through elimination reactions of alkyl halides and alcohols. The key difference between these two substrates is that the elimination of alkyl halides follows the E2 mechanism, while alcohols are dehydrated to alkenes via … Read more
