The true key to successful mastery of alkene reactions lies in practice practice practice. However, when you have a homework assignment, quiz,exam around the corner, it helps to have a reaction summary guide for quick reference. That's why I created this alkene reaction overview. This guide is designed to help you recognize alkene reaction products at a quick glance including key components such as syn/anti addition or Markovnikov/anit-Markovnikov products.
If you find this cheat sheet useful please click the share buttons above
Want to learn and understand these reactions in detail? See my Alkene Reactions Page for in-depth tutorials, videos and more. Already mastered the basics? Try my FREE Alkene Reactions Practice Quiz
right-click the image below then select ‘save as' or print for the full version
See the detailed video explaining this cheat sheet linked on the bottom of this page. 
18 Alkene Reaction Shortcuts in 15 Minutes
The video below is a walk-through of the above cheat sheet explaining the reaction tricks and shortcuts.
thank you so much:)
can you make video about chair conformation ??because really i didn’t understand it
Thank you so much Leah !!
I just wanted to say thank you for your video! It is explained wonderfully and is so helpful!
Thank you this is really helpful❤️❤️❤️❤️
I found these to be really helpful. Big Thanks To You Leah 😀
Life saving summary sheet of alkene rxns. By adding some side notes from watching your alkene video, the whole thing made so much more sense. thanks for doing this Leah!
hi, my name’s danielle and i’m in 9th grade and i totally love your videos!!
they helped me a lot when i was struggling with our lesson in chemistry;
i understood the lesson after just watching a 15-minute video of yours!!
tysm!!
hey leah thanks but can you provide proper mechanism of dihydroxylation of trans 2 butene and cis 2 butene with kmno4 or oso4 .. cis gives meso and trans gives enantiomeric mixture how?
YOUR THE BEST THANK YOU!
I must say this cheatsheet is VERY good!
Thank you very much!
A friend shared your website just in time to review for my orgo 1 final in a couple days. Your time and dedication are much appreciated Leah! You are truly helping future scientists! The cheat sheets are so convenient to memorize and write down before a test to have all the info needed for synthesis. Thank you sooo much!
Very interesting and easy chemistry by leah4sci
Thank you for all these videos and sheets. they were very helpful and useful for me. specially the videos about R&S configuration .again thank you very very very muchhhhhh 😉
Very helpfull for me!
Hi Leah! This is super helpful–one quick question. On the reactions where you’ve included a hydride shift, is it practical to worry about a methyl shift at all as well or is that something that would be unlikely to happen as it takes so much more to move a bulky methyl group as opposed to a hydrogen? Thanks!
thank u very much ………..
Leah, I need your help please; I really want to get the basic concept of organic reactions so that I can understand well and answer variety of organic chemistry questions. What should I do please and how do I start??
What does CCly stand for in your reactions?
Thank you for your help with this hard topic!
Tomorrow is my hydrocarbon test and I wonder 2 complete my whole revision within just 15-20 mins by using ur orgo cheat sheets and shortcut videos.I ‘ve been seeing & enjoying mechanisms of reactions, which would be otherwise so boring ,from a long time from ur orgo videos. Thankful to u always and forever ,for changing my perceptions & learning how to grasp organic chemistry. Anshul
Glad to hear I’ve helped you, Anshul!
great job i love it..
Thanks, Sana!
THAAAAAAANK YOU SO MUCH LEAH!
You’re welcome, Janiahallani!
Can i have summarization for alkane and alkyne too?
you got that good good. you got that true true. thank you, keep on being you you.
Quite extraordinary work
Just perfect for Late Revision notes!!!
Send link to Alkane, Alkyne, Aromatic notes pls
You’re welcome! I don’t have anything for alkanes on YouTube. Have you seen this tutorial for Aromaticity? https://leah4sci.com/aromaticity-tutorial-for-cyclic-charged-and-heterocyclic-aromatic-compounds/
Is the oxidative cleavage on your cheat sheet correct?
Which specific reaction?
Your channel is great….i really understood a lot better….but i saw there are very few videos…like few named reactions(hundsdiecker, diazotization, sandmaeyer, frinkelstein, NBS..etc). It would be great if u could get these added(forgive me if the reactions were embedded in some other video i didn’t check out)
I haven’t covered these yet.
I am struggling so bad in ochem, is there any way you can help me or give me tips??
Absolutely Ireale. Check out this page: leah4sci.com/join
Thank you soo much. Exam was Monday but rained out in Houston. Surfing web came across your tutorials. So very much helpful.
Perfect timing Donna! Glad it helped
I am a bit confused with the oxidative cleavage. In the video you got CO2 but that is not what you have on the “cheat sheet.” Can you please explain the oxidative cleavage a little bit more? Thank you!
Error on the cheat sheet, thanks Allison
Thank you so much Leah for your time, this is very helpful.
good work,,,
Thanks Farhan
very good work… can you help me about benzene reactions… 🙂
Thanks Farhan, have you seen these? Leah4sci.com/EAS
I’m doing a practice exam and your cheat sheet is awesome but what would I write to “specify the expected major organic product” when I solve the reactions. For a hydrogenation reaction I don’t see how there could be a minor(or if there is a minor)
Not every reaction will have a major/minor. Keep in mind that when you have a carbocation the Markovnikov product is considered the major. Not every professor will ask for the Anti-Markovnikov as the minor
It was very useful for me. Thanks
Glad to help Nabeel
Hi Leah- you have been so helpful with getting started with organic chem. I still hate it but at least I’m starting to grasp it. Do you have any information on writing condensed formulas for aromatics (benzene, toluene, phenol, aniline)? Thank you!
Heidi: Did you see the common aromatic compounds cheat sheet?
This is AWESOME! THANK YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK :)))
Fatima you are very welcome
wow am loving your video and where are you located I need to join the organic chemistry hall for help because I’ miss sometimes what the professor says sometimes
Thank you Gloria. I live in NY but the study hall is an online program which you can access from anywhere. Details: Leah4sci.com/join
Thank you so much Leah maam that you have
guided me in organic chemistry in lack of my course
Glad to help Rudra
So we only use hydride and methyl shift mechanism in hydrohalogenation and acid catalyzed hydration ?
Rafeala not quite. They can occur anytime there is a carbocation with a more substituted carbon nearby
Thanks a lot for helping us in organic chemistry….I adore organic….I have a problem about anti…our instructors didn’t mention it as well what about 1,2-diols using HIO4 as reagent thanks a lot I appreciate that
Don’t worry about it if your instructor didn’t cover it.
Thank you so much for making this organic chemistry so simple n easy to learn Leah ma’am, it was a bit too complicated before. 🙂
Glad to help you make sense of it all
I failed my class, and technically need to take one last exam first thing next year to see if I’d get a second chance and pass, but I love your website because it’s so helpful. I’ve used it all semester. Thank you for this! <3
I’m sorry to hear that you failed your exam. Passively watching videos is NOT enough. You must learn, practice, take notes… and follow the advice in my 10-secrets guide to do well
Thankyou so much for making organic chemistry intresting……loved your videos….as well as ur voice…..
Thanks Mohit
I was looking for mechanisms when I found your website. I really whish I had found it when I began O Chem. it would had made a difference on my grade. Unfortunately, my final is in two days. your site is great though. You explain thing very 🙂 well thanks! I will let my classmates know about it
Good luck on your final Yaz
wish i knew abt this site when i started my organic course
Better late than never? Your classmates may be feeling the same way so perhaps share this with them
I just want you to know that I’ve stopped watching other orgo videos because you explain everything so well! No more “gotta watch 5 different videos just to understand 1 topic.” Thanks so much!
that’s awesome to hear! 🙂
I’m a student all the way in South Africa and I love you so much…. I have a Chemistry exam tomorrow and you have saved my life
So glad to help. Good luck on your exam
Love you Lea
Thanks Leah. I really appreciate this.
You are very welcome Philip
Hey Leah! Do you have any videos about statistical analysis and experimental design? =)
Sorry, no
thank you so much for your videos n for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. Your videos are to the point,apt n short as well. I have seen both orgo 1 n 2 videos and your teaching style is really good,acknowledgeable n helpful.
Thank you 🙂
Thank you Abhinav! glad you’re enjoying them
Wow I just found your site by watching your tutorial on YouTube and it was helpful in my study
Thank U
Glad you found it helpful. Are you starting Organic Chemistry 1?
can u send me Your skype i.d . i realy need ,, i need help
I don’t offer tutoring though skype. Tutoring details: leah4sci.com/organic-chemistry-tutor
Hi Leah,
You are so helpful, thanks for having a lot of free resources!
Thank you Deja, glad you found it helpful
thank you so much !!! quick videos before my final!
You are very welcome Ilia. Good luck on your final exam
Hello,
Thank you for all your hard work. Your videos have helped me a lot 🙂
Cheers from UK!
You are very welcome Tutku
Hey there,
Why is it that on this sheet, the Hydrogenation (H2/Pt) of an alkene is syn-addition where as on you sheet for Oxidation + Reduction, the alkene reduction with (H2/Pt) is anti-addition?
Anne, it’s a syn addition, always. I double checked the sheet and don’t see the anti addition you refer to
Seriously you are incredible, Leah! Your videos explain every concept so much more clearly and concisely than any professor I’ve ever had. And these cheat sheets are lifesavers.
Thank you so much Maggie. Glad to help 🙂
Waw you are amazing. You are of a great help for me GBU. I will keep following the link for more information on rearrangement reactions. Thank you.
thank you Isaak
You’re an angel. Thank you 🙂
You’re welcome Surbhi
Hi, leah thankyou soo much …ur amazing at this stuff. ..ur videos have helped me out a lot, im about to have an exam and there’s no gap in the orgo paper , I would only have time to go through everything, could u pls guide me a bit ,I am downloding ur cheat sheets for quick revision.:-)
Good luck on your exam. As for guidance what exactly are you asking for?
i never found organic as such after my A level, i had a great teacher at A level, u made me remember him, thank you so much.
You’re welcome
The videos are really awesome…but when can i expect the videos on rest of the topics like ozonolysis, polymerisation, ALKYNE REACTIONS, PREPARATION OF ALKENE, ALKYNE, ALKANE…..i find it difficult to understand from textbook..
I haven’t created those yet
Thank you SOOO much, you are amazing!!!!!
You are very welcome Cintya. Which topics are you studying right now?
Leah this really helps I was just trying to review all the reaction mechanism and this cheat sheet saved me from reading the whole book thanks.
awesome Masooma, glad it was able to help you save time. Do you have an exam coming up?
Thank you leah, even on this side of d world (World), d impact of ur contribution is still felt
Thank you Kenneth
Im in org 1 and woooo you just saved my semester! Thanks sooo much
so glad I was able to help. Did you take your final yet? If so how did it turn out?
Thank so much! Definitely helped me on my test! You’re amazing!!!!!
Glad I can help Mike. How did your exam turn out?
Thank you so much! You have a calm voice for teaching, it’s soothing. You explain everything better than any other professor.
Thanks Karen. Do you have a final exam coming up?
Yes I do I have a test on Alkene reactions tomorrow and a final next Wednesday!! 🙂
Good luck! Be sure to pause each video and try the problems that arise. Did you attempt the alkene quiz yet?
Thank you so much for posting this! 🙂
You’re welcome. Are you in Orgo 1 or 2?
You are AMAZING! I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but have you thought about becoming an orgo professor? Thank you so much for taking the time to create all of this! I have an exam this Friday that’s open notes and just printed some of yours to bring instead of mine because you broke the material down 100x better than what I attempted to do… At least it was good practice.
Thank you Samantha and good luck on your final exam. As for becoming a professor… nah I love Leah4sci.com so why would I do anything else?
For Hydroboration-oxidation, shouldn’t the OH and the H be face the same direction. I’ve watched other videos and that’s what it seems to be but here you have them in opposite directions.
You’re correct Mike, the OH and H add via syn-addition. When shown in line structure there is no 3-D so it doesn’t matter. If you want to specify direction use dashes and wedges.
Leah, your simply AMAZING.. Keep doing what your doing. You explain 100 times better than any orgo professor…. You’ve helped a lot
Thank you so much! Are you currently in Orgo 1?
same here… my a levels is on monday im soo scared haha
Thank you and good luck on Monday Adiran
You are the greatest. Period. One hr remains till exam.
Thank you. How did your exam turn out?
Orgo 1- Looking forward to your next alkene reaction video! Many thanks again. The videos and this cheat sheet make it so much more clear
Thank you so much for this cheat sheet and videos! They help me a whole lot!!
Thank you Vivian. Are you in orgo 1 or orgo 2?
very much helpful,neatly explained
Thank you Ajin
Wow I was feeling so hopeless, you’d be surprised by how difficult it is to find someone who can break down the concepts in such a detailed yet simplistic way that is easy to understand. Thank you so much for your help, and it is amazing of you to offer it for free 🙂
Thank you, so glad my videos are able to help you with reactions
You are very welcome
Thank you for your kind words and wow, 5 weeks is rather intense for an organic chemistry course. How are you finding the material so far?
thanks so much
what about regarding alkyne
Are you referring to an alkyne reaction cheat sheet? If so I have one here: https://leah4sci.com/alkyne-reactions-organic-chemistry-cheat-sheet/
Thank you very much 🙂
You’re welcome
I really appreciate your you-tube videos that completely describe the reaction mechanisms for alkenes. I know it takes a lot of work and time, but I wanted to ask: When can we expect videos about the rest of the reactions? Especially the oxymercuration-demurcuration…
Thank you for the kind words about my videos. As for the remaining mechanisms I don’t know if/when I’ll post them. I focused on the main reactions that require simple mechanisms and then moved on to another series that students were asking for at the time
Thanks!
you’re welcome
Wow you helping me MUCHO Thank You
Thank you 🙂
glad I can help
This is really helpful…thanks..:-)
Thank you Barneel