KidNovelist

I'm taking two Organic Chemistry classes this semester (One for science majors and one for BME majors which is very condensed and all we have to do is memorize reactions o.O). Unfortunately, I'm having trouble with both classes urgh.

Any study tips for Organic Chemistry? Any good Organic Chem videos or materials? All I have been doing is reading the chapters and taking notes. My schedule is so crowded this semester, I hardly have any time to study. But I'm going to reduce some sleeping time, school activites and cram in some more study days.

I have trouble understanding some bits and memorizing some bits (esp for the BME class because we don't see a mechanism involved o.O).

BCEagle91

Yale just put up online videos for organic chemistry.

Freshman Organic Chemistry — Open Yale Courses

mikemac

do a google search for "how to study organic chemistry" and you'll find many web pages with helpful advice.

MIT has lectures online at http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Chemistry/index.htm

Mr. Bojangles

Learn the flow of electrons. A lot of organic chemistry is memorization but you can memorize many trends that will allow you to estimate mechanisms and products. (eg - lone pairs on oxygen and nitrogen atoms and the electrophilicity of carbonyl carbons, just to name a few)

leprostaist

read/study "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language"

KidNovelist

The yale videos are not working for me but I am using the MIT lecture materials. Thanks!!

How do you come to the conclusion why certain mechanisms are the way they are?

Do you any of you use the model kits to sort of see the reaction yourself?

aussiek517

Reading the book and memorizing individual reactions will only get you so far-- learn the patterns and do practice problems.

jr1038

This is a fascinating study in and of itself, but if you're curious (and you have the time!), the Clayden book I recommended to you has a good overview (Chapter 41). Short answer: kinetic studies, isotope effects and labeling, and structure-activity relationships (Hammett plots and Bronsted plots).

On a basic level, I think Dr. Iverson at UT Austin has compiled a good list of "rules" in o-chem that can help develop your intuition about arrow pushing:

Golden Rules of Chemistry