Chirality is a tough organic chemistry topic. But if you’re reading this you already know. Be sure to watch my chirality video series to make sense of chiral atoms, enantiomers, absolute configuration and finding R/S for simple and complex molecules. The cheat sheet below is meant to serve as a study guide to help you as […]
Chirality and Stereochemistry Practice Quiz
April 12, 2019 By 30 Comments
The key to mastering chirality and stereochemistry is through practice, practice, and more practice. But where do you get all those practice problems? After reviewing the videos in my Chirality and Stereochemistry series, and working through the simple questions in each, see how well you’ve mastered the material by trying my Stereochemistry Practice Quiz below. The […]
Specific Rotation Calculation in Optical Activity
February 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Specific Rotation calculations are a useful tool in optical activity. This video will help you understand the factors influencing specific rotation such as observed rotation, g/mL, path-length, wavelength, and temperature. You will see a detailed breakdown of the equation along with a few examples to follow along. (Watch on YouTube: Optics 2. Click CC for video transcription.) <– […]
How to Use Your Organic Chemistry Model Kit
November 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment
An organic chemistry model kit will be a huge help to understanding this difficult 3-dimensional topic. But where do you draw the line between effective study aid and tedious annoying time-wasting-on-exam crutch? In this video I’ll walk you through how to use your organic chemistry model kit. From the unboxing of my go-to Molecular Visions Model […]
Enantiomeric Excess Percent Optical Purity Calculations and Logic
October 19, 2017 By 4 Comments
Enantiomeric excess percentage (aka optical purity percentage) calculations are one of the few equations you’ll come across in your orgo course. This video gives you a step by step breakdown and practice examples. You’ll see how to find the percent excess via logic and see the numbers side by side. (Watch on YouTube: Optics 3. Click […]
Polarimetry in Optical Activity
October 18, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Polarimetry is the key to understanding chiral molecules in terms of optical activity. This video goes behind the scenes of the polarimeter to help you understand what plane polarized light has to do with chiral molecules. Part 1 (of 3) in this mini series explains + D and – L, dextrorotatory and levorotatory, and their (lack […]
Swap Method for finding R and S Configurations Chirality
December 16, 2016 By 4 Comments
Chirality/Stereochemistry Video Series: Video 4 R and S configurations are pretty straight-forward when priority group #4 is conveniently in the back of the molecule. There’s even a quick trick for when group #4 is forward (as taught in this video). But what happens when priority group #4 is in the plain of the page? Do […]
Cis Trans and E Z Geometric Isomers
September 18, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Your organic chemistry course will cover many different types of isomers. Isomers have the same molecular formula but something about them is different. Geometric isomers, a type of stereoisomer, differ in their geometry or shape. This happens when substituents are LOCKED in a specific relationship to each other. I say locked because, unlike conformational isomers in […]
Stereochemistry of Amino Acids RS to DL
March 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Amino acids are biologically active molecules. 19 of the 20 common amino acids have a chiral alpha carbon, 2 amino acids (Leucine and Threonine) have a second chiral center in their side chain. This video shows you how to Find R/S for 3-D amino acids Find R/S and D/L for amino acid Fischer projections Trick […]
Finding R and S When Group 4 is Forward
December 16, 2015 By 6 Comments
Chirality/Stereochemistry Video Series: Video 3 This video shows you why and how to reverse R and S when group #4 is forward to help you quickly and easily master relative configurations when studying chirality and stereochemistry. (Watch on YouTube: Group 4. Click cc on bottom right for video transcription.) <– Watch Previous Video: R and […]
