Are These Topics Covered?

[DPTinthemaking15]

My Orgo Professor never finished these chapters/topics in Orgo I (Epoxides, Alkenes, Alkynes, and Elimination Reactions). He missed a lot... I know. Anyways, I have been searching high & low on SDN and there are conflicting answers. Would it help to cover all of this? I have a chance to watch the videos on Clutch Prep and grasp the content, but a few people keep saying the content hasn't been tested in years. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh! I am using TBR's material and I am one Chapter away from finishing with the first Orgo book and I have been doing decent 60+ % on timed passages.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Blanky]

You did not cover E1 and E2 reactions or reactions of alkenes like additions? Epoxides is easy to cover and Alkynes will take all of 5 minutes for the MCAT.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

You did not cover E1 and E2 reactions or reactions of alkenes like additions? Epoxides is easy to cover and Alkynes will take all of 5 minutes for the MCAT.

Haha not even a single day. I ended with an A in the class, but it doesn’t help that I have no clue what an Elimination reaction is

Awesome! Thank you. The company I was talking about has a section for Alkynes, Alkenes, and Epoxides, but they take around 1 1/2 hours each. Looks like I’ll be busy tomorrow lol.

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Hi @DPTinthemaking15 -

Short answer is: minimal to none. In more detail ...

For alkenes, the most important thing about them for the MCAT is their stereochemistry. The term "alkene" literally does not exist in the AAMC content outline, but cis/trans and E/Z notation is fair game. Understanding the structural and functional differences between cis/trans fatty acids is key. Other content related to C=C double bonds (& bond order in general) is definitely important, like conjugation, aromaticity, keto/enol and imine/enamine tautomerism, resonance, all sorts of stuff related to multiple bonding, and so on...but traditional alkene chemistry in the sense of halogenation, hydrohalogenation, Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov addition, etc. is not tested. Likewise, for alkynes, you should know what they are and have a somewhat decent understanding of what a triple bond is, but that's about it.

Epoxides are not in the AAMC content outline.

Elimination is not specifically mentioned in the content outline (the only "elimination" in the outline has to do w/ the urinary and GI tracts), but Sn1/Sn2 mechanisms are. I personally recommend that students spend somewhere on the order of 15 minutes working through elimination reaction mechanisms in order to get some sense of what they are in general and what their outcomes look like -- but to be perfectly honest, the main point of doing so is just to demystify the topic and address any lingering anxiety about the topic.

Hope this helps & best of luck!

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Hi @DPTinthemaking15 -

Short answer is: minimal to none. In more detail ...

For alkenes, the most important thing about them for the MCAT is their stereochemistry. The term "alkene" literally does not exist in the AAMC content outline, but cis/trans and E/Z notation is fair game. Understanding the structural and functional differences between cis/trans fatty acids is key. Other content related to C=C double bonds (& bond order in general) is definitely important, like conjugation, aromaticity, keto/enol and imine/enamine tautomerism, resonance, all sorts of stuff related to multiple bonding, and so on...but traditional alkene chemistry in the sense of halogenation, hydrohalogenation, Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov addition, etc. is not tested. Likewise, for alkynes, you should know what they are and have a somewhat decent understanding of what a triple bond is, but that's about it.

Epoxides are not in the AAMC content outline.

Elimination is not specifically mentioned in the content outline (the only "elimination" in the outline has to do w/ the urinary and GI tracts), but Sn1/Sn2 mechanisms are. I personally recommend that students spend somewhere on the order of 15 minutes working through elimination reaction mechanisms in order to get some sense of what they are in general and what their outcomes look like -- but to be perfectly honest, the main point of doing so is just to demystify the topic and address any lingering anxiety about the topic.

Hope this helps & best of luck!

Thank you so much! This is why I love NextStep. You guys are beyond helpful on SDN.

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Thank you so much! This is why I love NextStep. You guys are beyond helpful on SDN.

That's wonderful to hear! Very happy to help