Destroyer Roadmaps

[grldent]

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Organic chemistry is my weakest section. I am trying to memorize the roadmaps and trying to understand them but its just not working. Can someone please tell me how to approach them.

Please help me...........thanks.

 

[Kahr]

There are two approaches to using the road maps.

A) copy them several times without the reactant/solvent portion (above and/or below the arrows), then attempt to fill in what reactants/solvents make the change. I think this way is overall, more difficult.

B) Make flash cards for each reactant to product. You could set them up so that one side is done like the above, with the initial reactant and final product, asking what reactant/solvent is used above/below the arrow. You could also if you wanted to make double flashcards, do that on one side, then on the other side you write the same reaction with everything except either the final product or the initial reactant, this way you are testing yourself in two ways on the same reaction.

I think B is more effective, though it may take more time to setup the cards.

 

[Juggernauts]

Depending on how much time you have to invest before your test. I would recommend picking up a book called "Organic Chemistry I, Translating the basic concepts." by David R. Klein. It is extremely easy read and it helps so much as far as understanding things such as SN1, SN2, E1, E1, polar aprotic, protic, etc, etc, If your having trouble understanding why the reagents are doing things to the products, then this book will help you out.

Or memorization of the reactions the way Kahr described is a good way to go as well if your pressed for time.

 

[wizi]

Organic chemistry is my weakest section. I am trying to memorize the roadmaps and trying to understand them but its just not working. Can someone please tell me how to approach them.

Please help me...........thanks.

To be able to memorize those reactions , you have to understand the mechanism.
I am studying Destroyer too and I find that its very difficult to memorize the roadmaps. You will forget them eventually. You have to understand it in order to memorize it.

Know E1, E2, SN1, SN2, when to apply Markovnikov, Anti-mav, leaving Group, Meta-othor-para directors, you will be able to do 80% of reactions without memorizing them.

So I would recommend Chad videos. He is very good at explaining these mechanisms.

 

[grldent]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have bought subscription to chad's videos and will also make flashcards and see if that helps me out. But if nothing works then I plan on buying Organic Chemistry I, Translating the basic concepts. I guess this will be the best way to go.

 

[jkb53433]

i have to say organic chemistry odyssey form the dat destroyer site is really helping me. im using chads videos and odyssey... odyssey has A LOT of practice problems and in detail explanations....i hope this helps..

 

[invictusx]

The most effective way of doing organic chemistry is doing the reactions itself, as in... do the arrow formalism. Your meaning of "understanding" is probably different. You may be sitting there thinking, "well.. okay, I use these reagents because they do this and that." But in order to fully immerse yourself in organic chemistry, you have to sit down and literally DO the reactions out. You have to know it inside and out. Don't let organic chemistry intimidate you. In addition to doing and understanding the mechanism, you can learn so much and be able to apply that concept to a broader range of topics. For instance, how can you form carbocations? Why do you form carbocations? Why are they favored? Think molecular orbitals. You have a empty p orbital, which is a region of empty space where electrons can go, and you have a plethora of reactions that can occur.

Think of it this way--it's a forest of arrows with electrons on them.

Edit: Also, each school has a different way of teaching organic chemistry. I really think schools that give M/C orgo tests are really missing out on the learning experience.

 

[DrRoyal Pains]

I agree with Kahr. I am currently taking O chem II and I personally use method B. After making the flash cards, I go through them, writing out the answer rather then doing it mentally. I then split the flash cards into two piles. One pile are the reactions I know, and the other contains the reactions I do not know or am unsure of.