Sigma bonds come in six varieties: Pi bonds come in one
You may recall from Gen chem (and no doubt your first week of o-chem as well), that orbitals on carbon come in two flavors: s
Read moreA Key Skill: How to Calculate Formal Charge
How To Calculate Formal Charge To calculate the formal charge of an atom, we start by: evaluating the number of valence electrons (VE) the neutral
Read moreThe 4 Major Classes of Reactions in Org 1
At least 80% of the reactions you will learn in Org 1 fall into one of these 4 categories. The sooner you can get into the habit of recognizing bond formation and breakage the better off you will be.
Read moreThe Four Intermolecular Forces and How They Affect Boiling Points
Properties like melting and boiling points are a measure of how strong the attractive forces are between individual atoms or molecules. (We call these intermolecular
Read more3 Trends That Affect Boiling Points
Figuring out the order of boiling points is all about understanding trends. The key thing to consider here is that boiling points reflect the strength
Read moreHow To Use Electronegativity To Determine Electron Density (and why NOT to trust formal charge)
How To Determine Partial Charges Last time we talked about how electrons are the “currency” of chemistry and every reaction is a transaction of electrons
Read moreIntroduction to Resonance
Introduction To Resonance Last time we talked about how to use electronegativity to find the electron densities in a molecule – and when to ignore
Read moreHow To Use Curved Arrows To Interchange Resonance Forms
Curved Arrows And Resonance Structures Previously in this series on resonance, we saw that resonance forms represent two (or more) different ways to draw the
Read moreEvaluating Resonance Forms (1) – The Rule of Least Charges
Evaluating Resonance Forms – The Rule Of Least Charges So far we’ve introduced resonance, and introduced the curved arrow formalism to show the movement of
Read moreMaybe they should call them, “Formal Wins” ?
In April of this year, Braves reliever Luis Avilan came in with a 5-1 lead in the 8th inning. Eight batters later, he’d given up
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