Learning organic chem for DAT

[loxandbagels]

I really am struggling with the orgo... I will learn something from Chad and then when I get onto another set of rxns forget the little nitty gritty stuff. How do you guys remember the Benzene director stuff?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[whitepapertree]

Bare with the explanation, but it should work.

My process was:

If something is getting sucked on from something behind it, it's going to be sucking on the benzene ring.

EX: SO2 is getting sucked on by oxygen, as is NO2, CO or COOH

If something is like a tough guy and "ha, I'm sucking on all you guys that are behind me" then it's going to be donating to the benzene ring.

EX: OR, OH, NH2, NR, CH3 etc etc.

Suckers are meta directors
Tough guys are ortho, para

Technically, a halide is sucking on the benzene ring but it is ortho para.