Organic chem Mechanism for MCAT

[truethat]

Hi Everyone

I am currently taking orgo II (organic chemistry II) and my prof. will hardly use mechanisms. How important are these for the MCAT? will they be on it so that I should study it on my own? thanks.


Truethat

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[truethat]

 

[DrChandy]

Hi Everyone

I am currently taking orgo II (organic chemistry II) and my prof. will hardly use mechanisms. How important are these for the MCAT? will they be on it so that I should study it on my own? thanks.


Truethat

They help; there are questions on the MCAT which may ask about mechanisms. That's not to say that you have to memorize every mechanism from your Orgo textbook, but rather, understand how electrons generally interact in important functional groups/conditions.

 

[75969]

I havent taken the mcat yet, but from my review so far (and general experience from orgo1/2) I think mechanisms are only important in the sense that they explain HOW those reactions are proceeding, which can help in understanding the process.... When I took the cbt practice (from aamc) a few months ago, there was a passage based upon a mechanism (but it was basically understanding WHY the reaction proceeded through the steps in the order they did.

 

[mj1878]

You aren't learning mechanisms in Ochem II?!? Must be nice.

 

[QofQuimica]

SN1/SN2/E1/E2 are all very important for the MCAT. Other mechanisms that may show up are additions or rearrangements. If you haven't already, go to the AAMC website and look at the list of topics that can be tested in organic chemistry. We have a link to it in the MCAT subforum, or you can just go to www.aamc.org and look for it in the MCAT section.

 

[HunterGatherer]

you do not need to memorize any mechanism.

You do need:
-to be able to understand one
-to know how to push electrons and do resonance
-to be able to predict a product/reactant

knowing how to do the basic mechanisms helps a little though: like aldol condensation

you will see once you start doing a few AAMC exams.

 

[JohnnyOU]

You aren't learning mechanisms in Ochem II?!? Must be nice.

haha
My thoughts exactly. Org 2 was nothing but mechanisms practically for me.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

SN1/SN2/E1/E2 are all very important for the MCAT. Other mechanisms that may show up are additions or rearrangements.

This is 100% true, take note! SN1/SN2/E1/E2 and distinguishing between all of them comes up quite a lot!