Diazomethane (CH2N2)
Reactions Of Diazomethane (CH2N2) And Their Mechanisms Diazomethane is a useful (albeit highly toxic and potentially explosive) reagent for the conversion of carboxylic acids to
Read moreBredt’s Rule (And Summary of Cycloalkanes)
Bredt’s Rule: Why Don’t Bridgehead Double Bonds Form? This post is all about Bredt’s Rule (1924): double bonds cannot be placed at the bridgehead of
Read moreElectrocyclic Reactions
Electrocyclic Reactions And 4-Membered Rings: Conrotatory and Disrotatory Ring Opening And Closure In this article, we investigate electrocyclic ring-opening and ring-closing in systems with 4
Read moreIntroduction to Free Radical Substitution Reactions
The four posts on acid-base, substitution, addition, and elimination covered the 4 main reactions in organic chemistry I. In this second series of posts we go beyond these to introduce a
Read moreWhere Memorization Helps in O-Chem
Although in my last post I basically poo-poohed memorization as a study strategy, I don’t mean to imply that it does not have its place.
Read moreLearning vs. Memorization In Organic Chemistry
“Learn the concepts! Don’t memorize!”. It’s one of the most common sentences found in the many examples of instructors’ essays on “How to Succeed in
Read moreBlogaversary
Feb 18, 2010: Wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my career. I wanted to teach, but after two years of failed academic
Read moreBranching, and Its Affect On Melting and Boiling Points
The Effect of Branching On Melting and Boiling Points Recall that alkanes are hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(n+2) Isomers of hydrocarbons show regular trends
Read moreThe World’s Cheapest Molecular Model Kit
I see a lot of students who have trouble visualizing how molecules appear from different directions. Probably the best way to solve this problem is
Read moreA 3-Step Method For Thinking Through Synthesis Problems
Part 1 – Synthesis Let’s start talking about synthesis. Guess where I’m going to start? You might think, “what bonds form, and what bonds break?”.
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