E1, E2, and reactions of alkenes?

[Jumb0]

I know this has probably been asked 1,000,000 times, but do you need to know E1/E2 mechanisms and the common reactions of alkenes (i.e. hydroboration) ? The official AAMC topic list does not include these topics, but I have heard that they can still show up. So what's the bottom line?

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[Aerus]

Definitely be familiar with them. They might appear on a passage and knowing them could save a lot of time and frustration.

 

[Gauss44]

I know this has probably been asked 1,000,000 times, but do you need to know E1/E2 mechanisms and the common reactions of alkenes (i.e. hydroboration) ? The official AAMC topic list does not include these topics, but I have heard that they can still show up. So what's the bottom line?

I saw them in EK's OC book.

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

It's not too difficult to be familiar with E1 and E2 reactions because they occur under the same conditions as SN1 and SN2, respectively, but in the presence of heat. And yes, I'd say know the basics of the reactions (products, conditions, reactants) and go over the mechanism so that it makes sense to you because it'll be easier to identify in a passage, as @Aerus mentioned (but this isn't worth memorizing).
As for alkene reactions, again there are a couple worth being familiar with but you don't need to memorize specific mechanisms. Off the top of my head, go over hydrogenation and Markovnikov addition.

Cheers!

 

[Jumb0]

Thanks , guys

How about the special case of aromatic reactions. Technically they are just cyclic conjugated polyenes, so they fall under alkene aka things that are not officially tested...but my orgo classes emphasized electrophilic aromatic substitution a lot as well as nucleophilic additions via benzyne...and the ortho para vs meta directors...

Know or nah?

 

[AlteredScale]

Thanks , guys

How about the special case of aromatic reactions. Technically they are just cyclic conjugated polyenes, so they fall under alkene aka things that are not officially tested...but my orgo classes emphasized electrophilic aromatic substitution a lot as well as nucleophilic additions via benzyne...and the ortho para vs meta directors...

Know or nah?

Definitley know. The ortho para meta is a great MCAT question.