break it down one time...

[chikantikka]

can someone break down organic chem to me. i know i got like two weeks left. i got a general undertanding of everything but the reactions..

how in the hell do people get so many questions right regarding reactions..

im starting to udnderstand sn1sn2e1e2, but the everything else is still pretty damn wack.

help.

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[ice_23]

Do you know ketone and aldehyde chemistry? I'd say that would be the first thing to hit now, and then amine and amide chemistry would be second. If you can grasp those two, then the memorization of reactions (i.e. baeyer villager, wolff-kischner, and the like) is in order. But be sure you know enough of the aforementioned two topics (ketone deriviative chemistry and amine derivative chemistry) to be confident. I've always felt that if you can get those, you can at least survive and get a decent score. Memorizing other reactions are then icing on the cake.

Hope this helps!

-Ice

 

[spumoni620]

get your hands on examkrackers organic chemistry. this is what i did when i took the mcat in april w/o having taken the 2nd semester or labs for ochem. it helped me perform quite well on the bio sciences section.

but to answer your question, basically, understand electron-withdrawing and donating groups. if you are able to gain an intuitive understanding of these areas, you'll be able to make educated guesses on questions you don't know much about.
the mcat loves carbonyls and stereochemistry, but apparently won't test you on benzene/aromatics according to recent changes.

while i agree w/ice about studying ketones/amines, don't waste your time blindly memorizing random reactions and combinations. understand the logic behind the reaction--i.e. what makes a reactant more reactive, why a substrate might have to be protonated, etc. the mcat isn't going to test you on rote memorization of reactions--it's going to give you several new scenarios w/scary-sounding compounds and reactions you've never seen before and you'll have to use your intuitive knowledge and understanding to determine the answer.

don't stress--to do well on the test you need to keep your confidence up.

good luck!

 

[TTSD]

Here.. try this and if it works send me money

For each question look for these:

1) Always look first for Carbonyl groups and then eye them like they were making moves on your sister.
2) ALWAYS look for the most stable carbocations
3) Steric hinderances play a big role in what can react
4) Markonikov vs. Anti
5) Always trace the movement of electrons
6) Hydrogen Bonding
7) Oxygen is God for all things concerned
8) Never forget the electrons on nitrogen
9) SUBSTITUENTS! Electorn Withdrawing vs. Electron Donating
10) Sn1 vs. Sn2!

MCAT organic chemistry is not like your ochem classes where you have to memorize each reaction/regent and their respective modes of action. It just wants to see how quickly you understand the broad general concepts and how quickly you can put together 2D and sometimes 3d structures together and trace the electron pathways.

 

[lotanna]

Originally posted by TTSD
Here.. try this and if it works send me money

For each question look for these:

1) Always look first for Carbonyl groups and then eye them like they were making moves on your sister.
2) ALWAYS look for the most stable carbocations
3) Steric hinderances play a big role in what can react
4) Markonikov vs. Anti
5) Always trace the movement of electrons
6) Hydrogen Bonding
7) Oxygen is God for all things concerned
8) Never forget the electrons on nitrogen
9) SUBSTITUENTS! Electorn Withdrawing vs. Electron Donating
10) Sn1 vs. Sn2!

MCAT organic chemistry is not like your ochem classes where you have to memorize each reaction/regent and their respective modes of action. It just wants to see how quickly you understand the broad general concepts and how quickly you can put together 2D and sometimes 3d structures together and trace the electron pathways.

Thanks. Maybe this can get me to a 10 on BS. If it does, I'll send ya $$$

 

[indo]

Originally posted by TTSD
Here.. try this and if it works send me money

For each question look for these:

1) Always look first for Carbonyl groups and then eye them like they were making moves on your sister.
2) ALWAYS look for the most stable carbocations
3) Steric hinderances play a big role in what can react
4) Markonikov vs. Anti
5) Always trace the movement of electrons
6) Hydrogen Bonding
7) Oxygen is God for all things concerned
8) Never forget the electrons on nitrogen
9) SUBSTITUENTS! Electorn Withdrawing vs. Electron Donating
10) Sn1 vs. Sn2!

MCAT organic chemistry is not like your ochem classes where you have to memorize each reaction/regent and their respective modes of action. It just wants to see how quickly you understand the broad general concepts and how quickly you can put together 2D and sometimes 3d structures together and trace the electron pathways.

booyah.