Keto-Enol Tautomerism
An extensive introduction to keto-enol tautomerism in aldehydes and ketones, with mechanisms, quizzes, key concepts, references and more.
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Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution (With Negatively Charged Nucleophiles)
Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution (With Negatively Charged Nucleophiles) Yes, there are a lot of reactions of carboxylic acid derivatives to learn! In this article we’ll explore
Read moreAddition-Elimination Mechanisms With Neutral Nucleophiles (Including Acid Catalysis)
The Second-Most Important Mechanism In Carbonyl Chemistry – Carbonyl Elimination The reverse of nucleophilic addition to the C=O bond (giving a tetrahedral intermediate) is elimination
Read morePartial Charges Give Clues About Electron Flow
There’s a hidden layer of detail beneath chemical structures that students new to organic chemistry often miss. I’m talking about partial charges. Although each of
Read moreReactions of Enols – Acid-Catalyzed Aldol, Halogenation, and Mannich Reactions
Reactions of Enols – Aldol Condensation, Halogenation, Mannich Reaction In a previous post on keto-enol tautomerism, we described the keto and enol forms. In this
Read moreSome Reactions of Azides
Azide Ion: Structure, Properties, and Substitution Reactions Table of Contents The Azide Ion Is A Great Nucleophile Organic Azides As “Masked” Amines Exploding On The
Read moreCommon Mistakes with Carbonyls: Carboxylic Acids… Are Acids!
Carboxylic acids… are acids. I know that seems obvious. But it’s a near certainty that students taking Org 2 for the first time will forget
Read moreThe SN2 Mechanism
The SN2 Reaction Mechanism Having gone through the two different types of substitution reactions, and talked about nucleophiles and electrophiles, we’re finally in a position
Read moreWhy the SN2 Reaction Is Powerful
SN2 Reaction Examples To Give Alcohols, Ethers, Thiols, Sulfies, Alkynes, and More. Having gone through the mechanism of the SN2 reaction, let’s take a second
Read moreNucleophiles and Electrophiles
Nucleophiles and Electrophiles, Nucleophilicity and Electrophilicity All through the series on understanding where electrons are, and how they flow, we’ve been talking about how the
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