…quite sure what to do. Different example: the Friedel Crafts acylation between aromatic rings and acyl halides. Then, here’s the exact same reaction. Common result: hesitation. What happens? Last example:…
Read more…also be another exciting announcement about the Reagent Guide coming up in the next little while or so… more details to come! What’s small, ferocious, and can fit into tight…
Read more…leads to substitution with retention. Sharp readers may recall that “retention” of stereochemistry can be obtained if two successive SN2 reactions occur [double inversion = retention]. Perhaps that is what…
Read moreLithium Diisopropyl Amide (LDA), A Strong, Sterically Hindered Base In a blatant plug for the Reagent Guide, each Friday I profile a different reagent that is commonly encountered in Org…
Read more…hydrate formation, hemiacetal formation can happen under basic, neutral or acidic conditions. Basic conditions [RO– , ROH] provide another example of the classic “two-step” addition-protonation mechanism so common to these…
Read more…note – in a large map such as this, compromises had to be made: it is impossible to maintain complete self-consistency between all the structures drawn for each functional group…
Read more…break out the kludge. I don’t necessarily like it, but it’s usually the best choice under the circumstances. Here are four common instructor’s kludges in organic chemistry. 1. H3O+ ….
Read more…reaction mixture is kept cold. It will also reduce other carbonyl compounds such as amides, aldehydes, ketones, and nitriles. Table of Contents Di-isobutyl Aluminum Hydride (DIBAL) Reduction of Esters to…
Read moreLast week Diana left this comment: I recently had my first orgo exam and one of the concepts that I have trouble visceralizing is Hammond’s Postulate. I can follow the…
Read more…certain letter grade, but I certainly think there are habits which successful students have in common. So a few weeks ago I asked several students of mine who were particularly…
Read more