Organic Chemistry 2

[Kaxa2000]

I'm kind of worried about ochem 2 because I didn't really learn ochem 1 with that much quality even though I passed. I don't think it was hard...I just did bad because I overloaded that semester. My question is how doable is ochem 2 if you don't know o-chem 1 too well? What's a good supplement book that is much of what I need from ochem 1 to do well in ochem 2?

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[etspinner]

You may want to use what you learned about packing your schedule and taking organic and not do it again, thought I found orgo 2 to have less 'new' aspects, but just a tad more in-depth than orgo 1. You could always read the future chapters (usually orgo 1 & 2 use the same book) and look into it that way, or try to review what you think you should have learned (though I'm hoping you've already done that). I've heard positive things about 'Pushing Electrons' if you are looking for a book to help you out.

 

[OChemTA]

I'm kind of worried about ochem 2 because I didn't really learn ochem 1 with that much quality even though I passed. I don't think it was hard...I just did bad because I overloaded that semester. My question is how doable is ochem 2 if you don't know o-chem 1 too well? What's a good supplement book that is much of what I need from ochem 1 to do well in ochem 2?

I found orgo 2 to be much more fun and interesting. There's a lot more reactions to memorize (at least where I go to school) but not much more other than retrosynthesis in test. I believe there's a lot more carbonyl chemistry in Orgo II than your simple alkenes and alcohols of orgo I. Basically, I found that the only thing you really need for orgo 2 is good understanding of E1/E2 Sn1/Sn2, electronegativities and properties of the common organic elements (C,N,O,H,P halides). Also study your orbitals.

 

[Artful Dodger]

I found orgo 2 to be much more fun and interesting. There's a lot more reactions to memorize (at least where I go to school) but not much more other than retrosynthesis in test. I believe there's a lot more carbonyl chemistry in Orgo II than your simple alkenes and alcohols of orgo I. Basically, I found that the only thing you really need for orgo 2 is good understanding of E1/E2 Sn1/Sn2, electronegativities and properties of the common organic elements (C,N,O,H,P halides). Also study your orbitals.

don't leave out acids and bases!!

 

[Kaxa2000]

etspinner, thx for your input & recommendation...I remember looking at that book on Amazon.com.

OchemTA, I think Ochem 2 would be fun too if I had confidence in my ochem 1 knowledge. Even though I'm not doing well in it...I think it's a great subject and not as hard as alot of people say it is. It can be time consuming to study but overall it's a good subject to learn.

Here are the first few chapters that will be covered for test 1 for ochem 2:

Reactions of alcohols
IR Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry
NMR Spectroscopy
Ethers

What from ochem 1 will I need for these chapters?

 

[PharmPrincess]

To me, even though its been a while, from what i can remember Orgo 1 was basically structures (like stereochemistry, etc) and Orgo 2 was mostly reactions (Diels-Alder, SN1, SN2, etc). But Orgo 2 builds on Orgo 1 material, so if you're shaky on it, review is probably the best thing to do.

 

[vinny808]

At my school, there are two opinions about orgo 2. Majority think Orgo 2 is 10x harder than orgo one. Then, the other population, including myself think orgo 2 is so much easier. Here is why:

I don't think organic chemistry is a class that necessarily requires memorization. I think its based on a set of fundamentals that if you are solid in, can figure out any orgo problem no matter how deceptively difficult the problem may seem. (e.g. extra credit problems on the test)

With that said, orgo 2 is based on orgo 1. Remember the reactions, resonance, and identification of types of molecules? In orgo 2, you'll have to put everything together and merge everything you learned basically into one problem. So, if you have a sound base of organic chemistry 1, you should be perfectly fine in orgo 2. If not, then get ready to spend extra time on it.

Know your resonance. That will be big in orgo 2. Along with stereochemistry. Also, mechanisms are huge too.

 

[OChemTA]

At my school, there are two opinions about orgo 2. Majority think Orgo 2 is 10x harder than orgo one. Then, the other population, including myself think orgo 2 is so much easier. Here is why:

I don't think organic chemistry is a class that necessarily requires memorization. I think its based on a set of fundamentals that if you are solid in, can figure out any orgo problem no matter how deceptively difficult the problem may seem. (e.g. extra credit problems on the test)

With that said, orgo 2 is based on orgo 1. Remember the reactions, resonance, and identification of types of molecules? In orgo 2, you'll have to put everything together and merge everything you learned basically into one problem. So, if you have a sound base of organic chemistry 1, you should be perfectly fine in orgo 2. If not, then get ready to spend extra time on it.

Know your resonance. That will be big in orgo 2. Along with stereochemistry. Also, mechanisms are huge too.

Sorry, but memorization is still a big part of organic chemistry. A lot of reactions can be reasoned (eg acid/base catalyzed) but a lot cannot. There are still a lot of reactions that need to be memorized. These are usually one step reactions, eg. clemmensen reduction, PCC reagent, AlCl3, very long list, etc... Some are just easier to memorize then to work out the mechanism eg. wittig reaction (much easier to memorize that the double bond on the wittig reagent replaces the double bond of the carbonyl than to memorize the complete mechanism). The mechanisms of some reactions just haven't been worked out yet (I have an example but can't seem to remember the exact reaction... I just know it's a debate whether it's concerted or not) and therefore can't be reasoned.

Of course, the majority of what you'll learn in orgo II can be reasoned (eg dithiol carbonyl protecting groups or enols/enolates) but knowing one step reactions are CRITICAL to doing the complete retrosynthesis. Although mechanism is a BIG part of organic chemistry do NOT neglect to memorize the simple one step reaction and their reaction conditions (thermodynamically controlled vs kinetically controlled).

For organic II, you should know the common one step reaction by heart. eg. clemmenson, wolff kishner, friedel craft, PCC, KMnO4, carbonyl protecting groups (propane-1,3-dithiol are most useful due to their inertness), organometallics, how to use thiols to make new carbon bonds, ylids/ wittig, etc...

The more reactions you know the more "tools" you have in your toolkit to make new molecules!

 

[vinny808]

I dont know. My organic professor which made the course so interesting and fun, said that organic chemistry is not about memorization. Its about learning the base fundamentals and I agree with him. You cannot memorize every single reaction reacting with every single molecule. You just cant. There are trillions of carbon molecules and you just cant memorize every single one reacting to whatever reactant. Its about doing the problems, learning what you learned and and applying that skill set to any and other molecule given to you. I never felt like memorization was a huge task while taking orgo, but about learning the fundamentals and applying. Every course, you have to memorize something, but I wouldn't classify orgo as a memorization course like Bio or history. Maybe you have to memorize 30 reactions, (5-8 per test), but thats nothing compared to a memorizing 30 essays just to write 5 of em on a history test. Its not that extreme. Like you, I am a orgo TA, tutor, and does reserach under the supervision of my orgo professor.

My professor said, its easier not to treat orgo like a memorization class. That will just make things harder if you try to memorize everything. The main point is to learn the fundamentals. And I agree. The fundamentals like anything else, will make it easier.

 

[WannabePharm88]

I did not pass Org I and I am glad and sad at the same time because I can actually get an A next time, but it will average GPA for some school.

Org I had many memorization and I admitted that I did not study at all.

Last semester was hell for me -- but I realized that Pre-Pharmacy student DOES have to study... Good lesson it was.

 

[OChemTA]

I dont know. My organic professor which made the course so interesting and fun, said that organic chemistry is not about memorization. Its about learning the base fundamentals and I agree with him. You cannot memorize every single reaction reacting with every single molecule. You just cant. There are trillions of carbon molecules and you just cant memorize every single one reacting to whatever reactant. Its about doing the problems, learning what you learned and and applying that skill set to any and other molecule given to you. I never felt like memorization was a huge task while taking orgo, but about learning the fundamentals and applying. Every course, you have to memorize something, but I wouldn't classify orgo as a memorization course like Bio or history. Maybe you have to memorize 30 reactions, (5-8 per test), but thats nothing compared to a memorizing 30 essays just to write 5 of em on a history test. Its not that extreme. Like you, I am a orgo TA, tutor, and does reserach under the supervision of my orgo professor.

My professor said, its easier not to treat orgo like a memorization class. That will just make things harder if you try to memorize everything. The main point is to learn the fundamentals. And I agree. The fundamentals like anything else, will make it easier.

I agree that orgo is not as memorization intensive as class like biology and history, but as you've said, you still need to memorize reactions. Although, I think 30 is too little... I would say more like ~60. The point is that there are quite a few of reaction (IMO, 60 is a fair bit) that needs memorization. I find that orgo 2 has a lot of retrosynthesis and these one step reactions are very important. If you can't remember the correct protecting group to use in the first step, you'll be screwed for ALL the following step. Also, because orgo 2 is retrosynthesis intesive, you need to be fast. Time is a luxury in exams and although you can reason some mechanism (ie wittig) it's much faster to just write the solution if the question doesn't specify the mechanism needs to be shown.

As I've said, in organic you can reason the mechanism and what reagent to use BUT, you still need to memorize quite a bit of reactions. Like you said, there are a lot of different reactions (textbooks full of different reactions), but the more specialized ones can be searched up in literature when needed. Common reactions must be memorized (why do you think EJ corey is famous? he created reactions that are v.useful and used often).

So yea, I don't agree with your original statement that

I don't think organic chemistry is a class that necessarily requires memorization.

Since you will lose a lot of marks if you don't memorize the common reactions (I'm not asking the OP to memorize all reactions that was ever discovered), just the common ones...which I think is about 60.

Please take note that I'm not saying the OP should memorize every single reagents that react selectively on one face of the cyclohexane ring (use concepts to reason which face the reagent will react), I'm saying the OP should memorize simple reactions like clemmenson reduction or wittig.

 

[PharmDKid89]

I'm actually looking forward to orgo II. I loved orgo I so much. It was really really interesting and exciting...especially the labs. I agree with other posters though that organic chem is not just about memorization. You can't memorize every singe reagent, reaction..etc..and it's not good for your brain either. The best way is to understand the material and use the skills you learned to apply to problems. It's better that way and more simple..

 

[OChemTA]

I'm actually looking forward to orgo II. I loved orgo I so much. It was really really interesting and exciting...especially the labs. I agree with other posters though that organic chem is not just about memorization. You can't memorize every singe reagent, reaction..etc..and it's not good for your brain either. The best way is to understand the material and use the skills you learned to apply to problems. It's better that way and more simple..

If you actually read my post, you would've realized that I never said you should memorize every single reagent and reaction.

 

[Kaxa2000]

If you had a shaky foundation of Ochem1....would you repeat it or attempt Organic chem 2 (for those of you who have already taken both)?

 

[etspinner]

After having taken 3 semesters of organic (orgo I, II, and III) I will tell you that the reactions are way harder to memorize then just to learn WHY stuff happens the way it does. Those that say orgo 2 is easy are the ones that did NOT memorize and instead learned why things happened (makes orgo 2 almost repetitive). The ones that thought it was hard tend to memorize the reactions and thus find the questions hard when a molecule is not the same as the one in the book, and get flustered after having memorized over 50 different reactions (same concept, different molecules). I find it easier just to learn the one concept and apply it to the different molecules. But to each their own. And yes, that's a generalization I've made based off my own experience, so take it with however many grains of salt you want

I felt shaky after receiving an A in orgo 1, but mainly because my teacher's final was cumulative and just wasn't nice (he liked unnecessary tricks). My orgo 1 teacher loved NMR/Spectroscopy, whereas my orgo 2 teacher LOVED mechanisms. Depends what kind of organic teacher you have really, there's so many different ways they can go. Ultimately you can't escape mechanisms as easy as NMR/Spectroscopy, though. NMR/Spectroscopy is where you might need to memorize, though there's only a few significant peaks you need to know (and you can practice and perfect your skills relatively easy).

If you didn't find orgo 1 hard, you won't find orgo 2 to be any harder. It's like learning a new language and then applying it.

 

[Texas PharmDoc]

Well, to answer what the OP was asking, O Chem II can be quite difficult in my opinion if you do not have a solid foundation of Orgo I concepts, memorization or not.

I suggest studying and becoming familiar with the basic concepts of Orgo I before taking Org II. Don't know if it will help, but what I used to review for the PCAT was the MCAT Examkrackers Organic review book. This may only work if you are just brushing up on the material, but I don't know of another review book to use. It couldn't hurt to try.

 

[vinny808]

After having taken 3 semesters of organic (orgo I, II, and III) I will tell you that the reactions are way harder to memorize then just to learn WHY stuff happens the way it does. Those that say orgo 2 is easy are the ones that did NOT memorize and instead learned why things happened (makes orgo 2 almost repetitive). The ones that thought it was hard tend to memorize the reactions and thus find the questions hard when a molecule is not the same as the one in the book, and get flustered after having memorized over 50 different reactions (same concept, different molecules). I find it easier just to learn the one concept and apply it to the different molecules. But to each their own. And yes, that's a generalization I've made based off my own experience, so take it with however many grains of salt you want

I felt shaky after receiving an A in orgo 1, but mainly because my teacher's final was cumulative and just wasn't nice (he liked unnecessary tricks). My orgo 1 teacher loved NMR/Spectroscopy, whereas my orgo 2 teacher LOVED mechanisms. Depends what kind of organic teacher you have really, there's so many different ways they can go. Ultimately you can't escape mechanisms as easy as NMR/Spectroscopy, though. NMR/Spectroscopy is where you might need to memorize, though there's only a few significant peaks you need to know (and you can practice and perfect your skills relatively easy).

If you didn't find orgo 1 hard, you won't find orgo 2 to be any harder. It's like learning a new language and then applying it.

This statement is right on the money. Orgo is like math. We learn how to add, we learn how to find derivitives, we don't memorize what the derivitive of 2x^2 is. If you try to memorize only what the derivitive of 2x^2 is, you'll be screwed on the test when your professor puts a problem like 56x^6 + 100x + 109 = 0.

With that said. Orgo 2 is entirely based on the skill sets and fundamentals of orgo 1 with the addition of new reactions. Iditifying types of molecules are still there, resonance is still there, mechanisms are still there. (A lot of it)
Kaxa, its will be difficult to do well in orgo 2 with a shaky foundation in orgo 1. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. If you think you can put that effort next semester, visit your professor frequently for extra help and what not, then by all means, go for it. Only you know your own ability. Another tip Kaxa, if you havn't already, don't get cheap with orgo. Buy all the supplement materials you need to help you succeed. Audit the class during the summer, buy supplement materials,molecule kits, what not. If you are low on money and can only buy one supplement material I highly recommend purchasing your own solutions manual for your orgo book. I abused my solution's manual and it attributed to my success in organic chemistry.

OchemTA...every class require some kind of memorization. How else do you learn. But orgo is not the kind of class where you should memorize to succeed. That would only make things difficult.

 

[OChemTA]

This statement is right on the money. Orgo is like math. We learn how to add, we learn how to find derivitives, we don't memorize what the derivitive of 2x^2 is. If you try to memorize only what the derivitive of 2x^2 is, you'll be screwed on the test when your professor puts a problem like 56x^6 + 100x + 109 = 0.

I never said you should memorize every reaction. Only common ones. Get this through your thick skull. Also, that is also a poor analogy. What I'm saying is that when doing electrochemistry, you should memorize the nernst equation instead of deriving it out every time.

OchemTA...every class require some kind of memorization. How else do you learn. But orgo is not the kind of class where you should memorize to succeed. That would only make things difficult.

I never said organic is a memorization intensive class, only that you UNDERSTATED the importance of memorization by saying

I don't think organic chemistry is a class that necessarily requires memorization.

After having taken 3 semesters of organic (orgo I, II, and III)

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as organic III since each university does their own thing at the third year level (organic I & II are pretty much the same at every uni). I also find that unlike organic I & II, there are usually 2 or more organic courses at the third year level. So no, you didn't complete "orgo III".

I will tell you that the reactions are way harder to memorize then just to learn WHY stuff happens the way it does.

Really?
So you think it's much easier and faster to work out the reaction mechanism of the wittig reaction (based on knowing "why stuff happens") over just knowing that the double bonds on the ylide replaces the carbonyl section? I'm NOT saying you should memorize which face azide will attack a cyclohexanone with different substituants or every single enol tautomerization. I'm saying for simple reactions and reagents like PCC, you should memorize them.

Those that say orgo 2 is easy are the ones that did NOT memorize and instead learned why things happened (makes orgo 2 almost repetitive).

I've memorized about 75 reactions when I took my third semester of organic. I also finished my 1.5 hr MT in 45 min and 3 hour final in 1.5 hr and left the exam room still full with my peers. I ended with a 92%. Take from that what you will.

The ones that thought it was hard tend to memorize the reactions and thus find the questions hard when a molecule is not the same as the one in the book, and get flustered after having memorized over 50 different reactions (same concept, different molecules).

Again, you've shown your ignorance by NOT reading my previous post. I NEVER said you should memorize every single reaction for every single molecule. I've stated many times that many of the arrow pusing acid/base catalyzed reaction should be reasoned out and not memorized. As I've said, you should memorize the simple one step reaction that are commonly used eg. clemmenson reduction.

***Here's my main point***
You're simply better off memorizing that Zn(Hg)/HCl will reduce that aldehyde or ketone into an alkane than reasoning out that the carbonyl pi electrons attacks the zinc amalgam while the carbonyl is also attacked by the zinc in a concerted fashion (and subsequent step... it's too long to describe the complete mechanism see here if you're interested - http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/clemmensen-reduction.shtm)

The same is true for PCC, wolf kishner, wittig, EAS etc...( I feel that there's about 60 reactions/reagents that an orgo II student should memorize)

Do you guys really think I don't know how to reason out mechanism and still make it to my fourth year of organic by memorizing every possible reaction for every single molecule? Seriously? You guys should really learn some patience and read my WHOLE post.

I'm no longer going to post in this thread. I feel that this is as clear as I can make my point. As for the OP, I hope you will pay the effort to memorize the basic reactions. Not all questions are just electron pushing and a lot of retrosynthesis will require memorizing basic reaction. Take EAS (electrophilic aromatic substitution - clarification for OP), you WILL have to take the time to learn the reagents nessasary to add the desired substitutions. What you WON'T have to memorize is the position of EAS, that you can work out based on current subsitutents and the property of the electrophile.

Lastly, I challenge anyone to find where I have said in my posts that organic chemistry is a memorization based course where you have to memorize every single mechanism.

Pathetic.

 

[Transformer]

If you had a shaky foundation of Ochem1....would you repeat it or attempt Organic chem 2 (for those of you who have already taken both)?

The first time I took Ochem, I took a whole year of it in 9 weeks. (summer course). Bad decision. I barely passed and I didn't learn much.

I'm retaking it now and it's not bad when I have enough time to do all the problems and understand the concepts.

 

[etspinner]

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as organic III since each university does their own thing at the third year level (organic I & II are pretty much the same at every uni). I also find that unlike organic I & II, there are usually 2 or more organic courses at the third year level. So no, you didn't complete "orgo III".



Really?
So you think it's much easier and faster to work out the reaction mechanism of the wittig reaction (based on knowing "why stuff happens") over just knowing that the double bonds on the ylide replaces the carbonyl section? I'm NOT saying you should memorize which face azide will attack a cyclohexanone with different substituants or every single enol tautomerization. I'm saying for simple reactions and reagents like PCC, you should memorize them.

Yes, the course was called Organic Chemistry III (CHM 4220) - might not want to talk like you know everything about every university when you don't . I also do not wish to compare credentials and thus hijack this thread. I never assumed you were saying memorize everything, however in response to your comment I do think knowing the mechanisms or ylide formation is far more useful then just memorizing what it does. I understand you had a different experience than some, but don't be so quick to discredit others opinions AND take offense to something that wasn't intentionally directed at you (but you seemed to think it was anyways.. interesting). Take it easy, this thread wasn't intended for you.

 

[vinny808]

Etspinner is right.

"Sorry but, memorization is still a big part of organic chemistry"

"I dont know. My organic professor which made the course so interesting and fun, said that organic chemistry is not about memorization. Its about learning the base fundamentals and I agree with him. "

Do you really think someone does not learn the concepts of many reactions while learning fundamentals...aka, concepts.

 

[OChemTA]

I'm only responding because this is the "challenge" I proposed.

"Sorry but, memorization is still a big part of organic chemistry"

Thanks for taking that quote out of context since in the same post I wrote

Of course, the majority of what you'll learn in orgo II can be reasoned (eg dithiol carbonyl protecting groups or enols/enolates) but knowing one step reactions are CRITICAL to doing the complete retrosynthesis.

Notice that by "big part of organic chemistry" I don't mean it's the majority but that it's CRITICAL to doing the complete retrosynthesis.

 

[vinny808]

^^

 

[vinny808]

Lol...by your standards, everything requires memorization. I took an intro to tennis class once, I had to memorize which was deuces court and which side was at. court. I took an economics class, I had to memorize what oppurtunity cost was.

No, stop being ignorant and thinking we are talking about you. This post was not intended for you. My first post, I was giving the poster advice. In my second post, I was agreeing with etpspinner. Except for the last part which was for you. Which was really? wow...so we really have to memorize something in orgo? No kidding, I didn't know that. I thought I could get by orgo no knowing anything in my head before a test. You were using the literal difinition of "memorization" this entire time, while we all used the def. of memorization as its not the best way to learn orgo. I mean really? I really have to memorize alkene reactions to know how to do them? I didnt know that. You took the word memorize out of context from the begining.

Anyways, I used my professor's method of not trying to memorize, and orgo was a breeze for me. A professor that has way more knowledge of what he's talking about than YOU.

YOu kept refering to my original statement, which was taken out of context because you didn't read the rest of it.

 

[Texas PharmDoc]

Hopefully the OP gained something out of this post. This thread has only become an argument of who thinks there is more memorization in the class. First of all, I'm sure none of us went to the same undergrad school, much less had the same professor who taugh a certain way to learn the material.

Like it or not, everyone will have to take this class to get into pharmacy school, so why argue that it wouldn't be easier to go into the second half of a two part class (Org. I and Org. II) with a good foundation of the principles learned in the first half?

It is possible to pass Organic II, and it actually is possible to get an A, without doing well in Organic I, but just be prepared to work harder than ever and put in the extra effort to do it.

 

[Kaxa2000]

Thanks for everyone's input School starts tomorrow for me so I have to make a decision of whether or not to repeat Ochem1 or go ahead and attempt Ochem2 which is really risky(Why? b/c if I do bad then I would most likely have to take ochem1 and ochem 2 again ). I really want to take it but would like to know if I'm making a hopeless effort... is it just going to be a matter of how much ochem1 will be involved ...how manageable will it be for me? Will it just be concepts from ochem 1 where I can briefly go over and learn or will I have to basically read the whole chapter or is this question even answerable?

I asked this question earlier if anyone can answer(or remember) it would be nice

Okay, so all I have to do is knock out just ONE of the first two tests and I'm almost guaranteed to pass. So I'm thinking about giving a really strong effort in studying test 1 material if it doesn't have too much ochem 1 involved.

Test 1 material:

Reactions of Alcohols
Infared Spectroscopy and Mass Spectorscopy
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Ethers, Epoxides, and Sulfides

I feel like the Spectroscopy stuff won't involve much Ochem 1 but will be a whole new concept in ochem 2...right? The others will probably involve ochem 1. I skimmed through the chapters and noticed synthesis and sub/elim reactions from ochem 1 which I'm not strong in. If you guys think it would be in my best interest to repeat then let me know(at least I won't have to take the lab again in that case ).

 

[OChemTA]

Lol...by your standards, everything requires memorization. I took an intro to tennis class once, I had to memorize which was deuces court and which side was at. court. I took an economics class, I had to memorize what oppurtunity cost was.

and marginal cost
and marginal benefit
and capital
and price floor
and price ceiling
.
.
.
And your point is?

You were using the literal difinition of "memorization" this entire time, while we all used the def. of memorization as its not the best way to learn orgo.

Really? There are 2 definitions of memorization? Show me in a dictionary where memorization means "its not the best way to learn orgo."

YOu kept refering to my original statement, which was taken out of context because you didn't read the rest of it.

Here's the context you of the original quote...

I don't think organic chemistry is a class that necessarily requires memorization. I think its based on a set of fundamentals that if you are solid in, can figure out any orgo problem no matter how deceptively difficult the problem may seem. (e.g. extra credit problems on the test)

Now don't tell me that doesn't give the OP the impression that they can just walk in a test without any memorization.

Anyways, I used my professor's method of not trying to memorize, and orgo was a breeze for me. A professor that has way more knowledge of what he's talking about than YOU.

Nice generalization, but unfortunately your professor does not teach every ochem student. My professor gave a more balanced picture of ochem and warned us to actually pay the efforts and memorize these simple one step reaction and to learn the fundamentals of ochem reactions... which is what I've been advocating. Oh, my professor has "way more knowledge of what he's talking about than YOU" too... well, I think that was implied...

synthesis and sub/elim reactions from ochem 1 which I'm not strong in. If you guys think it would be in my best interest to repeat then let me know

Yes, definitley go over them. E1/E2, Sn1/Sn2 and E1cb are basically at the heart of all reactions. Again, I think it would be beneficial to you if you brushed up on the alcohol reactions (eg. when and how to use hydroboration oxidation reactions, oxymercururation, def. markovnikov, etc...)

Edit: don't forget williamson ether synthesis, reactions of peroxyacids (most probably m-CPBA) and their solvent, grignard and dithiane and their chemistry and how to use them. There are a few more but these are the important ones.

IR, MS, and NMR are a completely new concept. It's fairly simple at the introductory level. They're quite fun too... Memorize the degrees of unsaturation formula...it's important!!

Have a nice day.

 

[Carboxide]

What?? Since when has spectroscopy (IR, NMR, MS) been Orgo II?? For us that was both semesters, start to finish...

 

[vinny808]

Lol...Okay Big guy. Don't act like you know me or my professor. We have a case of equivocation here. You seem like a knick pic kind of guy that takes things literally. Like I said, you missed the heart of our post. Just because your name is OchemTA, don't mean anything.

 

[OChemTA]

Lol...Okay Big guy. Don't act like you know me or my professor.

??

We have a case of equivocation here. You seem like a knick pic kind of guy that takes things literally.

Yea... just because I use the correct definition of memorize I'm nit picking.

Like I said, you missed the heart of our post.

Really? I haven't already said that reasoning out reaction is the majority of ochem multiple times already?

Just because your name is OchemTA, don't mean anything.

What does that have to do with anything?

 

[iambic]

I'm kind of worried about ochem 2 because I didn't really learn ochem 1 with that much quality even though I passed. I don't think it was hard...I just did bad because I overloaded that semester. My question is how doable is ochem 2 if you don't know o-chem 1 too well? What's a good supplement book that is much of what I need from ochem 1 to do well in ochem 2?

Don't worry. I found second semester to be much easier than first semester. There are a lot of synthesis reactions covered quickly but if you find a great professor you can catch up. I would try to review some first semester concepts and make sure you review things you may have not understood in detail. A test prep book is great. They outline the basics for you fairly well.