Naming organic compounds (aka IUPAC Nomenclature) will show up early in Organic Chemistry 1 and will follow you for the remainder of Orgo 1 AND Orgo 2. For example, when you’re asked to react [molecule name] with [molecule name], or to synthesize [molecule name]. If you’re here hoping to learn via practice but don’t yet […]
How to Draw Skeletal Structures of Organic Compounds
Organic molecules can become complicated very quickly. Skeletal structures give you a simple way to quickly represent these organic structures. Once you’ve watched the tutorial video below, make sure to work through my Skeletal Structures Practice Quiz to practice going from condensed formula to line structures and back again. This video will teach you how […]
Cyclohexane Chair Conformations Practice Quiz
Chair conformations can present quite the challenge in Organic Chemistry. But they don’t have to. Start by gaining your foundation in the Chair Conformations Tutorial Series. Then test your knowledge and understanding of this topic with the quiz below. Scroll to the very bottom of this quiz for a link to the FREE quiz solutions PDF […]
Functional Groups How To Draw, Recognize and Name
Organic Chemistry Functional Groups: A Complete Guide to Recognizing, Drawing, and Naming (+ Priority Cheat Sheet at bottom) A functional group is a specific group of atoms that helps determine the chemistry and reactivity of the overall molecule. When classifying functional groups, we look at both the specific atoms present, as well as the manner […]
Intro to Orgo Video Series
Organic chemistry professors typically take it for granted that you remember everything you learned in General Chemistry. However, 99% of students forget over break! That is, if you even got to this in your gen-chem course. This video series will give you an in-depth review of the General Chemistry topics that will build a strong Organic […]
Drawing Chair Conformations and Ring Flips for Cyclohexane
Studying chair conformations is likely one of the trickiest visual topics in organic chemistry, perhaps second only to Fischer projections. Not only are you required to learn a 3-dimensional concept, but you also have to manipulate that 3-D molecule on 2-dimensional paper. The average orgo student is not an artist, making this topic even trickier. […]
Formal Charge Formula and Shortcut for Organic Chemistry
Formal Charge (FC) is the individual charge of an atom in an ion or molecule. Time saving shortcut for calculating Formal Charge in Organic Chemistry including practice problems and more.
Lewis Structure for Radicals
This video shows you a quick, time-saving checklist for radicals in Lewis structures! It ensures you don’t miss anything when deciding WHICH atom most likely has the radical. You’ll also see it in action as it is applied to several examples. For even more on radicals, read Free Radicals in Organic Chemistry – Reactions, Resonance, Stability, […]
Sp3, Sp2 and Sp Hybridization, Geometry and Bond Angles
Sp³, sp² and sp hybridization, or the mixing of s and p orbitals which allows us to create sigma and pi bonds, is a topic we usually think we understand, only to get confused when it reappears in organic chemistry molecules and reactions. When I took general chemistry, I simply memorized a chart of geometries and […]
Ionic, Polar Covalent and Non-Polar Covalent Bonding Tutorial Video
Orgo Basics Video Series: Video 1 Your organic chemistry professor will take it for granted that you have a solid understanding of bonding. Specifically the chemical nature of ionic bonds, polar covalent and non-polar covalent bonds. These will be especially important once you start working through reactions because understanding bonds will help you recognize strong/weak […]
