Another Orgo Question!!! Help!!!

[blaque1703]

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Sorry, I know that this has probably been posted a million times already, but I need help with the Orgo on the MCAT. Organic Chemistry has always been my cryptonite and there is just so much stuff to memorize and review. So I was wondering what exactly do I need to concentrate on for the MCAT? Going through all that information seems too much to me considering that I have heard that the Organoc section is so small. Does anyone have any idea?

 

[ChymeChancellor]

Sorry, I know that this has probably been posted a million times already, but I need help with the Orgo on the MCAT. Organic Chemistry has always been my cryptonite and there is just so much stuff to memorize and review. So I was wondering what exactly do I need to concentrate on for the MCAT? Going through all that information seems too much to me considering that I have heard that the Organoc section is so small. Does anyone have any idea?

1. Stereochemistry is pretty important
2. You'll probably get one question on some type of spectroscopy
3. That carbonyl stuff is probably the most important in my opinion

 

[blaque1703]

1. Stereochemistry is pretty important
2. You'll probably get one question on some type of spectroscopy
3. That carbonyl stuff is probably the most important in my opinion

thanks. sounds good.

 

[whatdapho]

carbonyl IR is at roughly 1700 cm and alcohol at roughly 3300. If they're going to have an IR question, these will definitely be in it. as for other concepts, stereochemistry is big. Know the difference b/w the only 3 organic reactions i.e. addition, elimination and substitution which is somewhat self explanatory. definitely don't need to know any mechanism questions. a lot of times, reading the passage carefully, including the accompanying schematic diagram is helpful and can help answer many questions to a passage. don't worry too much about ochem because it represents maybe 20-30% of the bio section.

 

[EddieIndy]

It might sound ridiculus, but on my real MCAT (form AR), I had at least 2, if not 3 questions on alcohol IR.

 

[MO454]

Sorry, I know that this has probably been posted a million times already, but I need help with the Orgo on the MCAT. Organic Chemistry has always been my cryptonite and there is just so much stuff to memorize and review. So I was wondering what exactly do I need to concentrate on for the MCAT? Going through all that information seems too much to me considering that I have heard that the Organoc section is so small. Does anyone have any idea?

Set yourself up to smoke the test, study it all. If you get a set of questions on the test on something you didn't really study your dead in the water. The orgo stuff you need to know isn't that much and even if you don't memorize the reactions, you can look at them enough to get a general sense of what is going on. You can honestly go over all of the orgo in 25 hours or so and take notes. Then just review your notes. I'm not an MCAT expert by any means, but I think you have enough time to study it all, also do it last so it will be fresh in your mind if it's not your best subject. Ok, sorry about the ongoing rant, Good luck.

 

[bananaboat]

ek stresses knowing your functional groups and their general behaviours in reactions ...i think this can take you pretty far.

 

[blaque1703]

Thanks for all the pieces of information guys!!!!!! They were all very helpfull, keep them coming if anyone else has some info.

 

[geno2568]

i think the big two were:
1) Stereo (including cyclohexane)
2) sn1/sn2/e1/e2

also know:
1) spec, especially alcohol and carbonyl
2) ox and red agents

sometimes, you might see aromatic substitutions

but thats it really

 

[Jimmy B]

SN1, SN2, E1, and E2 seem to be pretty popular topics as well as carbonyl reactions (they may even throw in some biochem questions that are organic based like the formation of an amide bond in a protein). They also like to put experimental organic questions like spectroscopy and chromatography.

 

[PBandJ]

Sorry, I know that this has probably been posted a million times already, but I need help with the Orgo on the MCAT. Organic Chemistry has always been my cryptonite and there is just so much stuff to memorize and review. So I was wondering what exactly do I need to concentrate on for the MCAT? Going through all that information seems too much to me considering that I have heard that the Organoc section is so small. Does anyone have any idea?

There is a lot of really good information on this and other organic chemistry questions in the MCAT Q&A subform! Click on these links to go to the subform main page, the organic chemistry topics with explanations thread, or specifically to the organic chemistry question thread.

 

[RAD11]

Check out www.aamc.org/mcat regarding what topic will be covered to be sure. I just use EK as a guide. AAMC says no alkenes so that's a good thing.