Intro to Orgo Series: Video 5 This tutorial video is designed to help new and incoming organic chemistry students build a solid foundation for organic chemistry. This video has additional examples of finding the electron configuration of larger atoms and the shortcut version using the noble gas kernel. Video 4 (Electron Configuration Part 1) showed […]
How To Avoid Organic Chemistry Study Burnout
Study burnout – the fatal flaw the strikes organic chemistry students It’s the week before your organic chemistry exam and you have five chapters to cover in seven days. Plenty of time, right? You set an ambitious schedule to cover a chapter a day for the first five days. Being the good student that you […]
Organic Chemistry Model Kit and Why You Should NOT Rely On It
If your professor says you can use your organic chemistry model kit on exams, I say DON’T. Don’t rely on it that is. Organic chemistry is a 3-dimensional subject that you learn on 2-dimensional paper. I know this sounds confusing but as an orgo student you’ll learn many tricks to work through 3-D problems on […]
Alkoxymercuration Demercuration Reduction of Alkenes
Alkoxymercuration-Demercuration Reduction is a tricky mechanism for organic chemistry students. Not because it’s any more difficult than oxymercuration, but simply because students tend to overlook the alcohol reagent and miss the alkyl group in the product. The video below helps you understand the similarities and differences between oxymercuration and alkoxymercuration of alkenes. The video also […]
Molecular Visions Model Kit
Purchase your own molecular visions model kit using my amazon referral link. If you purchase through my link I do get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Watch my unboxing video How to use your Organic Chemistry model kit.
Ring Expansion via Hydride Shift and Methyl Shift
Ring expansions occur as a carbocation rearrangement when an unstable cycloalkane is near a carbocation. You will come across ring expansion mechanisms during alkene reactions and later in SN1 and E1 reactions. They key is to recognize when a ring is unstable, and the type of rearrangement that will help it become more stable. But don’t […]
Electron Configuration Quiz
This quiz is designed to test the material you have learned in the Electron Configuration Tutorial. If you haven’t seen the tutorial yet you can view them here: Electron Configuration Part 1 Electron Configuration Part 2
Enolate Ion Formation for Alpha Carbonyl Reactions
Reactions at the alpha carbonyl position with enolate intermediates occur in many reactions! This includes but is not limited to: Alpha-Halogenation, Haloform & Idoform tests, Aldol, Claisen Condensation and more. Once you grasp enolate anion formation, it’s reactivity and stability, you’ll have the clarity you need to master the upcoming reactions. This video also covers common enolate pKa […]
