Organic Chemistry Help

[hopeful505]

Anyone know of some free online resources for organic chemistry?

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[AxiomaticTruth]

Khanacademy is great, enabled me to ace all my science classes too.

 

[hopeful505]

Khanacademy is great, enabled me to ace all my science classes too.

Thank you. Any other suggestions?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Anyone know of some free online resources for organic chemistry?

Order a the textbook in advance and start reading/doing problems.

 

[PanRoasted]

A lot of people tout the "organic chemistry as a second language" book. Might be worth looking into.

 

[Thanhn]

Order a the textbook in advance and start reading/doing problems.

I've heard some say pre-studying for O-Chem is just a case of diminishing returns. Do you think it'll help? Is it even possible to teach yourself O-Chem?

 

[PanRoasted]

Orgo is very simple to teach yourself. Read the textbook, understand the concepts, do the problems. At no point is it really required that you have a professor. Most sciences work this way, actually.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

I've heard some say pre-studying for O-Chem is just a case of diminishing returns. Do you think it'll help? Is it even possible to teach yourself O-Chem?

I think it will help, just like studying ahead for any other class will. But I wouldn't get hardcore into it just yet. Don't try and cram Orgo 1 between June and July and then do Orgo 2 from July to August or anything.

Another helpful thing to have is the syllabus. There's a lot of stuff in the textbook you never really learn in lecture that isn't really needed

 

[hunterjumper14]

A lot of people tout the "organic chemistry as a second language" book. Might be worth looking into.

If you are going to do problems in advance, do the first few chapters in this book with the accompanying problems. Your textbook will make a lot more sense when you look at it for the first time. That was my experience, at least.

 

[isquared]

I have a decent textbook with solutions manual I am happy to send to you. PM me and I'll hook you up.

 

[DocOpotamus]

Google Chem 118A (or 118B or 118C) Alicia Hart UC Davis for practice sheets and study materials.

 

[Aerus]

Khanacademy is great, enabled me to ace all my science classes too.

Khan Academy was only useful for my AP classes. It doesn't go nearly in depth to be useful in any of my science classes in college.

 

[doc4lax]

I've heard some say pre-studying for O-Chem is just a case of diminishing returns. Do you think it'll help? Is it even possible to teach yourself O-Chem?

It is. I lightly did everything up till Sn2 and Sn1 and did fine in both orgo 1 and 2. The key is to understand polarity and why nucleophiles attack electrophiles,as well as nomenclature and basic conformations. This way learning the reactions is not mere memorization, but rather comprehension, which makes learning the crapload of reactions alot more bearable. I admire anyone who can memorize his or her way through orgo, only because there is to much to know. I used the klein orgo as a second language book, and that was phenomenal. It helped me understand the basic, which is essential to do well in orgo. Good luck

 

[hopeful505]

It is. I lightly did everything up till Sn2 and Sn1 and did fine in both orgo 1 and 2. The key is to understand polarity and why nucleophiles attack electrophiles,as well as nomenclature and basic conformations. This way learning the reactions is not mere memorization, but rather comprehension, which makes learning the crapload of reactions alot more bearable. I admire anyone who can memorize his or her way through orgo, only because there is to much to know. I used the klein orgo as a second language book, and that was phenomenal. It helped me understand the basic, which is essential to do well in orgo. Good luck

What's sn1 and sn2?

 

[MVP]

read your textbook. i read vollhardt cover to cover for ochem

 

[hopeful505]

Any other suggestions?

 

[mrp0pularrr]

Just wanted to reenforce - it is possible to teach yourself organic I material. I speak from experience. I barely went to class, kept myself informed with what was going on in class, read ahead, practiced problems in the book and problems the professor gave me, and still managed to get an A in the class. I, now, tutor organic chemistry to some students taking the course during the summer.

The best advice I can give is to read the book and try to read ahead that way the material doesn't sound foreign when you're first introduced to it. Also, seek help else where whether that be online, from your professor, or other students. And lastly, do not procrastinate. Organic chemistry is not like general chemistry where you could get away with studying the night before.

 

[Guero]

OP:
I found the The Nuts and Bolts of Organic Chemistry to be a VERY helpful tool (very small book, readable in a week or less) for learning quick tricks and concepts that expedite and facilitate problem solving.

If you find your instructor and book useless, a common problem, search "freelanceteach videos" on google. I'll try to paste the link, but anticipate it'll be blocked due to antispam bots here. The guy is hilariously awkward but EXTRAORDINARILY effective at relaying the concepts you may find difficult. He also has stuff for physicis, calc, you name it.

triple dubz.freelance-teacher.com/videos.htm

 

[cerno]

Kind of surprised this hasn't come up yet, but I found "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language" to be an invaluable resource and complement to class lectures/notes.

I don't know of anyone who has used it who wouldn't agree.

 

[Guero]

A lot of people tout the "organic chemistry as a second language" book. Might be worth looking into.

Kind of surprised this hasn't come up yet, but I found "Organic Chemistry as a Second Language" to be an invaluable resource and complement to class lectures/notes.

I don't know of anyone who has used it who wouldn't agree.

See above, it did come up earlier.

 

[wholeheartedly]

It's not free but I'll also put my hat in for Organic chem as a second language book.