Aromatic side chain oxidation is an interesting reaction. Benzene is not easily oxidized, nor is an alkane. However, when attached to a benzene ring the benzylic carbon is susceptible to a unique oxidation yielding a benzoic acid. This video walks you through the reaction including what to look out for along with multiple practice problems. […]
The Tollens Test for Aldehydes, also known as the Silver Mirror Test, is a great way to confirm if an unknown carbonyl is an aldehyde or not. This occurs by reacting the unknown carbonyl with Silver +1 which gets reduced to metallic silver (Ag 0) when the aldehyde is oxidized to a carboxylic acid. This […]
In the previous video, Part 1 of the Aromatic Nomenclature, you saw how to name Benzene molecules using IUPAC and common nomenclature for a substituted benzene. This tutorial video below, Part 2, will walk you through the IUPAC rules for naming disubstituted benzene compounds using ortho meta and para. (Watch on YouTube: Aromatics 2. Click […]
Phenol is a unique alcohol due to having a benzene ring and associated resonance. This video walks you through phenol resonance structures to help you understand how resonance impacts its acidity. Examples include comparing phenol to acetic acid as well as the impact of substituents on the ring like nitrophenol. (Watch on YouTube: Phenol Resonance/Acidity. Click […]
Alcohols are amphiprotic making them both acids and bases. This video shows you how to rank acidity and basicity of alcohols using charge, electronegativity, resonance, and inductive effect with practice examples along the way. (Watch on YouTube: Acidity & Basicity. Click CC for Transcription.) Links & Resources Mentioned In This Video: Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry, and Lewis Acids […]
Alkynes possess 2 pi bonds allowing for a full or partial reduction. This video walks you through the conditions required for all 3 reduction products including complete hydrogenation as well as the partial reduction to a cis or trans alkene. You’ll also learn the step by step mechanism for (radical) dissolving metal reduction. (Watch on YouTube: […]
Alkyne reactions typically mark the turning point between basic organic chemistry and this just got real! This video provides an introduction to what you can expect when studying alkyne reactions. From their basic chemistry and properties to the various alkyne reactions. (Watch on YouTube: Alkyne Intro. Click CC for Transcription.) –> Watch Next Video: Alkyne Reduction – Hydrogenation […]
Acid catalyzed hydration of alkenes involves replacing the pi bond on an alkene with a water molecule. This is done by adding an alcohol to the more substituted carbon atom, and hydrogen to the less substituted carbon atom. This reaction follows Markovnikov’s rule and may undergo a carbocation rearrangement. If it is chiral, the product […]
When it comes to organic chemistry reactions, many students focus on learning the EXACT steps by memorizing the SPECIFIC molecules presented in their books and lecture slides. Then, when something looks even slightly different on the exam, they panic! One such scenario: replacing water with alcohol in a reaction sequence – either as the attacking molecule or […]
During synthesis, protecting a reactant is a game changer. Without this ability, arriving at the correct product will be painful and sometimes near impossible. Utilizing a cyclic acetal protecting group is one of the handiest tools we can have in our synthesis arsenals. This video will so you a step-by-step detailed mechanism along with tips for redrawing, […]
The true key to successful mastery of alkene reactions lies in practice practice practice. However, … [Read More...]
While the pre-2015 MCAT only tests you on science and verbal, you are still required to perform … [Read More...]
Aromatic side chain oxidation is an interesting reaction. Benzene is not easily oxidized, nor is an … [Read More...]