Concepts needed for organic chemistry.

[Negrodamus]

What concepts from the general chemistry sequence must I know before moving on (and doing well) in Organic chemistry?

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[startswithb]

What concepts from the general chemistry sequence must I know before moving on (and doing well) in Organic chemistry?

Lewis structures, which are strong acids/bases...*thinking*

 

[Geneticist]

Orgo is a whole different world than Gen. Chem, and the concepts differ greatly as well. Orgo isn't really an extension (in the usual sense) of Gen. Chem.

 

[circulus vitios]

Partial charges, electronegativity, acid/base equilibria, functional groups and nomenclature (if you covered it in gen chem), lewis and stick figures, and molecular orbital theory when you get into ochem 2. While you're at it you should condition yourself to accept hand waving crap explanations that are invented to "support" empirical observations.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hybridization and molecular geometry. Electronegativity and dipole movement. Acid's & basis..


Eh just buy David Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language 1.

 

[Espadaleader]

God.

 

[blehm98]

if you did okay in gchem you're set for ochem. Whether or not you can succeed in ochem is a beast of an entirely different nature

 

[Tots]

Eh just buy David Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language 1.

SECONDED. Do it. Worth Every Penny!

 

[tabascosauce]

ochem is easier than gchem. main concepts to know would be lewis structures and lewis acid/base which should be easy for u to grasp. Good luck my friend.

 

[slatermd]

SECONDED. Do it. Worth Every Penny!

Let me guess, you heart Tatertots, light and crispy?

 

[Geneticist]

Would it help to pre-study over the summer? I took orgo in HS, but I forget most of the concepts already. And besides, all we really did was nomenclature and reactions anyway so I'm thinking about doing some pre-studying in advance. Would this be beneficial?

 

[tabascosauce]

Yeah it would help your reaction time in recognizing stuff and drawing stuff.

 

[Geneticist]

Yeah it would help your reaction time in recognizing stuff and drawing stuff.

Would it help with anything else? Such as getting a higher grade?

 

[sonia1177]

What concepts from the general chemistry sequence must I know before moving on (and doing well) in Organic chemistry?

I liked Organic Chemistry MUCH MORE than general chemistry. However, the first 2-3 works are a review of gen chem (lewis acids bases, acidity and bascity trends, electronegativity). Understand this NOW. You will suffer through out the course if you don't because many concepts (such as whether a reaction will or won't proceed or mechanisms in general) won't make sense to you and you will feel like you are memorizing too many things. This will also screw you over because come the final, you need to be able to understand and simply THINK AND REASON CLEARLY AND RATIONALLY as one of the above posters said. Orgo becomes intuitive by the time you get to the end of the second semester. Electrons stay electrons, as my Professor said, all we do throughout the course is change the clothes they are wearing.

 

[tabascosauce]

im serious. why would i mislead u? TO WHAT END?

and yes being fast and moving with purpose on your tests will help u get a better grade.

 

[fullset]

Is the OP asking about O chem needed for MCAT or for actual med school?

 

[deleted74029]

Is the OP asking about O chem needed for MCAT or for actual med school?

Neither, he's asking about the course itself.

 

[orthomyxo]

RESONANCE

Seriously. If you understand resonance well, you can rationalize why a lot of mechanisms work the way they do. Also, understand the difference between lewis and bronsted acids and bases, and review hybridization. Just don't bother with energy levels and crap like that.

Would it help with anything else? Such as getting a higher grade?

Yes, it actually will. Half the battle is knowing how to represent what a reagent does to the starting material. Sometimes this isn't always obvious, especially if the mechanism is intramolecular. I wouldn't go as far as practicing drawing things before I even registered for the course, but it helps to learn quickly once you're there.

 

[Myuu]

Hybridization and molecular geometry. Electronegativity and dipole movement. Acid's & basis..


Eh just buy David Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language 1.

SECONDED. Do it. Worth Every Penny!

That, my friends, is a great book.

(Small and cheap, too!)

 

[Signifier]

It's been said.

Lewis structures, acids and bases, molecular orbital theory basics. Functional groups. Electronegativity... as in FONCl. Not much else. Learn how to meditate.

 

[Frazier]

Ochem is more challenging that GenChem for 90% of students (a 100% accurate guesstimate)...

There is essentially no math in Ochem in comparison to Genchem, however the volume of knowledge that you will have to absorb for each test will likely be much higher in Ochem.

 

[raltima07]

Ochem is more challenging that GenChem for 90% of students (a 100% accurate guesstimate)...

There is essentially no math in Ochem in comparison to Genchem, however the volume of knowledge that you will have to absorb for each test will likely be much higher in Ochem.

I approve those stats -


But really, know resonance and electronegativitiy - that is most of it

 

[orgohacks]

What concepts from the general chemistry sequence must I know before moving on (and doing well) in Organic chemistry?

Hey, this series of articles might help.

http://masterorganicchemistry.com/2010/09/15/from-gen-chem-to-organic-chem-part-14-wrapup/

Klein's book is also excellent.

 

[getdown]

NONE... it doesn't matter, orgo will kick your ass up and down the hallway of your chem building