Hardest parts of Organic Chemistry to memorize?

[wolfensohn]

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This summer, I'm going to be working. During those hours, there are going to be lots of breaks where I get 5-10 minutes intervals of doing nothing. I won't be able to study rigorous material and learn concepts during that time (something I've noticed) but I am easily able to memorize a bunch of rules or names or compounds during those intervals.

I was thinking about compiling a long list of common organic chemistry memorization topics (ie. flash cards) to take to my job (it is allowed). I heard orgo was mainly just memorization. I've already learned the basics of naming alkanes, chairs, isomers, etc. So what are the most excruciating (memorizing) topics in orgo that people mule over and try to cram into their heads during their study periods?

 

[crazybob]

I would recommend trying to understand the reasoning and logic behind the material instead of spending many many hours memorizing and getting frustrated.

I know there are parts you just have to memorize, but don't try to memorize all of it.

If you get to points where you can't reason it out, then try to memorize what works for you, and when you get to it later, you'll start to understand.

I've found that trying to teach it to someone or having a classmate teach it to me helped me understand when I was taking organic.

 

[NaOH]

Speaking from my own experience, you would be well served to memorize the basic reactions you can carry out, the steps/reagents involved, etc. Every exam, I lose points because even if I understand most of a transformation, I'll forget a single reaction and be unable to complete it.

 

[crazybob]

Speaking from my own experience, you would be well served to memorize the basic reactions you can carry out, the steps/reagents involved, etc. Every exam, I lose points because even if I understand most of a transformation, I'll forget a single reaction and be unable to complete it.

It also depends on the instructor. Some will put huge emphasis on reactions, mechanisms, etc. Others will put enough emphasis and test your understanding on other concepts.

 

[armorking]

There is a bit of memorization in regard to basic organic groups (alkenes, alkanes, alkynes, etc) but the most important part of understanding organic chemistry is to learn the mechanisms behind the reaction. A lot of people bypass the mechanism as unnecessary to know but I always remembered the reactions once I learned the mechanism. Understanding process is more important than just straight memorization of a reaction. It may take a little more time to process/write out the mechanism but, trust me, reactions will start to click like no other. My M.S. is in natural product total synthesis and I was beaten to death with reactions but if it weren't for the mechanisms, I would have been screwed. Hope this helps!

 

[crazybob]

With the reaction mechanisms, I found it more valuable to know what happens and to be able to draw it out from what I understand rather than memorizing what the picture looks like and try to recopy it.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

Reactions and mechanisms. Especially all the step in between, like what stuff you have to use for the reaction to go to the next step and on and on.

 

[Notecard]

It depends on you a lot as well. Mechanisms and synthesis came easy to me but for some reason I had trouble with naming. Yeah kind of embarrassing lol, naming is usually considered one of the easier parts, but for me it was difficult. Get that part down because normally it's easy points on tests.

 

[pharmschooler]

I find it hardest when we're expected to know a reaction but not the mechanism. This really drives me crazy; it's antithesis to the way I learn.

 

[Sparda29]

Organic is not something that you'll master by memorizing. Seriously need to literally do every practice problem.

 

[xNeenax]

Are you taking OCHEM I or II?
For OCHEM I you have to know a lot of basics, but I think the hardest part of it is understanding the mechanisms, just because you haven't gotten exposure to ochem in grade school.
In OCHEM II, my professor doesn't really require us to know the mechanisms (though it would be helpful to know), but he put emphasis on the relative components of chemical structures and he requires us to memorize over 80 reactions.

The key is to practice and get as much exposure as possible.

 

[2411t]

pKas of various functional groups. Knowing this can let you make a pretty good guess of what attacks what.

 

[PharmyC]

Memorize the pKa's like the above posted said. It is one thing I regret never doing well while taking organic. By understanding what is the most acidic or basic compound in the reaction you can use logic to get your way through most mechanisms. In addition they can be used to determine which way an equilibrium will proceed (toward the higher pKa).

 

[armorking]

Here is a list of common pKa's:

Blank Practice Sheet: http://www.cchem.berkeley.edu/rsgrp/groupsheets/pkasblank.pdf

Answer Key: http://www.cchem.berkeley.edu/rsgrp/groupsheets/pkas.pdf

It is fairly comprehensive and it helped me while I was in grad school.