Lack of Benzene Chemistry in BR O-Chem

[joshto]

Why is this so?

for instance, the books do not cover which functional groups are meta, ortho, or para, directing.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[noseparade]

the MCAT doesn't ask you anything about benzene

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Why is this so?

for instance, the books do not cover which functional groups are meta, ortho, or para, directing.

Because it's not tested. Neither is alkene chemistry, alkyne chemistry, and ether chemistry.

 

[IndianVercetti]

Because it's not tested. Neither is alkene chemistry, alkyne chemistry, and ether chemistry.

This is interesting. It seems every other test company fills up their chapters with Alkene/Alkyne chemistry - just look at Kaplans and Examkrackers books. Why do they bother including it?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

This is interesting. It seems every other test company fills up their chapters with Alkene/Alkyne chemistry - just look at Kaplans and Examkrackers books. Why do they bother including it?

The AAMC people made a big deal about the removal of benzene and alkene chemistry for about a year before they did it, so it's not like no one knew about it. It happened at the same time that they reduced VR from 65 questions to 60 questions. And from what it looks like based on feedback here about exams over the last few years, they have honored their word to not include reactions of benzene or alkenes. It wasn't removed until about six years ago, so perhaps the editting cycle for most MCAT books is a bit longer than that. It kind of takes away a little luster from the we give you only what you need slogan that gets tossed around.

 

[Flapjacks]

Electron withdrawing : meta

Electron Donating: ortho/para

Done.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Electron withdrawing : meta

Electron Donating: ortho/para

Done.

Usually true, but not always (see halogens which are deactivators because they inductively withdraw but o,p-directors because they resonance donate) and not relevant on the MCAT.

 

[Geekchick921]

Interesting. I didn't know this and it definitely saves me some time! Thanks for the info, Berk!

 

[karayraisu]

I think it's useful to know that electron withdrawing groups deactivate while electron donating groups activate. This is useful in other areas such as NMR or even predicting products of reactions. To me, this makes remembering benzene chemistry worthwhile even though it's not directly tested. The same goes for a lot of the alkene reactions because basically, if you get down to the core of it all, MCAT orgo is really just about knowing how ions react with each other given different circumstances and the more intuition you build by remembering these little pieces of the puzzle and seeing how they fit together the more prepared you'll be at tackling mechanisms that look unfamiliar on the MCAT, IMO.