Orgo on the MCAT / AAMC Topics List

[futuredoctor10]

MCAT has had alot of changes. The biggest ones in the last few years have been 2003 when they eliminated alkene chemistry (and other stuff like phenols, less orgo, more DNA/genetics) and of course now (2007) with the CBT format.

But the content has not changed since 2003 (new MCAT). Oddly, Examkrackers/Kaplan/TPR/Gold Standard all cover those org subjects which have not been covered by the MCAT in 4 years!

I am using the EK book for Orgo. I am going through the AAMC topics list with the EK book and trying to see areas in the EK book no longer covered on the MCAT.

Does anyone have a list I can cross-reference?

For example:

Hydrocarbons
ALIPHATIC - ALKANES
2. Important reactions
a. combustion
b. substitution reactions with halogens, etc.

So no oxymercuration, hydroboration of alkenes?

I can't find that many "excess" reactions/concepts in the EK book so am I missing something? I could just look over it all and use AAMC topics and stress things on their list.

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[futuredoctor10]

For example alkenes are not on the MCAT according to AAMC's BS topics list.

So, p.34-38 (synthesis of alkenes, hydrogenation of alkenes, oxidation of alkenes, eletrophilic addition, hydration, oxymercuration/demercuration, hydroboration, and halogenation of an alkene) would not be on the MCAT!? GOOD NEWS if so

Also when they say no alkenes (in the BS topics list) that includes reactions where reactants are all non-alkenes, but alkene products are produced, right?

For example I have seen many "dehydration of an alcohol" and "dehydrohalogenation" problems in Kaplan BS sections. These produce alkene products. Are we responsible for knowing them (or other reactions producing alkene products, since these 2 are pretty easy to understand by general principles of base/acid and electron rich/poor logic)

 

[junkct]

I wouldn't base my studying on those lists. Those lists only give you the BARE MINIMUM that you need to know. True, they don't mention alkenes on the list, which probably means they won't have any discretes about them or anything. However, they could very well have a passage about alkenes and then ask you about alkene reactions. Technically, all the info will be available in the passage, but it would help a lot to know the alkene reactions for yourself.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I am using the EK book for Orgo. I am going through the AAMC topics list with the EK book and trying to see areas in the EK book no longer covered on the MCAT.

Does anyone have a list I can cross-reference?

For example:

Hydrocarbons
ALIPHATIC - ALKANES
2. Important reactions
a. combustion
b. substitution reactions with halogens, etc.

So no oxymercuration, hydroboration of alkenes?

I can't find that many "excess" reactions/concepts in the EK book so am I missing something? I could just look over it all and use AAMC topics and stress things on their list.

Free radical reactions are still fair game, and have been known to shown in both general chemistry and organic chemistry passages. As far as combustion goes, you should have an idea that hydrocarbons are the most reduced form of a carbon-based compound, so they have the greatest ability to oxidize and thereby produce the greatest energy upon combustion.

As a side note, I am so very glad you posted this, because in 2004 we (I was part of the editting team on the organic chemistry book) burned some serious midnight oil to make sure the organic chemistry books got the changes they were supposed to. I feel a bit vindicated, because I've heard representatives from certain large companies talk about how their size makes them experts. We love when Goliath gets exposed.

Sorry to turn your thread into a pissing contest, but being the only MCAT-only company, I honestly think we put more effort into making books and a course specific for the MCAT. Sorry to steal your thread to do a little chest pounding, but I guess it's passion getting the better of my senses.

I wouldn't base my studying on those lists. Those lists only give you the BARE MINIMUM that you need to know. True, they don't mention alkenes on the list, which probably means they won't have any discretes about them or anything. However, they could very well have a passage about alkenes and then ask you about alkene reactions. Technically, all the info will be available in the passage, but it would help a lot to know the alkene reactions for yourself.

Sorry to take issue here, but FutureDoctor is 100% correct to trust that particular AAMC official post. The folks at AAMC made a HUGE ordeal after a year of debating before making that decision. Since that time, they have not had any straight alkene or benzene reactivity on the MCAT, in either questions or passages. If you look back at all of the MCAT threads at SDN dating to 2004, I'm sure you'll notice that they honored their promise to omit alkene and benzene chemistry.

They have had diene chemistry such as the Diels-Alder reaction (weird that they'd leave that material), but the only thing covered on alkenes is the orbital theory and spectroscopy aspects.

 

[junkct]

Sorry to take issue here, but FutureDoctor is 100% correct to trust that particular AAMC official post. The folks at AAMC made a HUGE ordeal after a year of debating before making that decision. Since that time, they have not had any straight alkene or benzene reactivity on the MCAT, in either questions or passages. If you look back at all of the MCAT threads at SDN dating to 2004, I'm sure you'll notice that they honored their promise to omit alkene and benzene chemistry.

They have had diene chemistry such as the Diels-Alder reaction (weird that they'd leave that material), but the only thing covered on alkenes is the orbital theory and spectroscopy aspects.

Oh ok. I was just using alkenes as an example, to point out that just because something isn't on the AAMC sheet doesn't mean it won't be tested... out of curiosity, what was the big issue with alkenes on the MCAT?

 

[futuredoctor10]

Yeah I am curious why they took out alkenes on the list/MCAT, because it seemed to be an important part of Orgo with so many reactions involving or producing alkenes...

As a side note, I am so very glad you posted this, because in 2004 we (I was part of the editting team on the organic chemistry book) burned some serious midnight oil to make sure the organic chemistry books got the changes they were supposed to.

That's great you made appropriate changes to the TBR Orgo book! I don't understand why other companies left the material in, if it is not covered anymore, but I guess for people's reference...
and side note, I am using TBR's Phys Sci books and they are awesome!

 

[mars1]

So putting this in practice, with alkenes out and alcohols in (including their oxidation) is oxidation of alkene to vicinal diol in? Do I need to know that one needs to use cold dilute KMnO4 to do this (vs. hot basic solution and H+ which will cleave the double bond)?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

So putting this in practice, with alkenes out and alcohols in (including their oxidation) is oxidation of alkene to vicinal diol in? Do I need to know that one needs to use cold dilute KMnO4 to do this (vs. hot basic solution and H+ which will cleave the double bond)?

It would seem that they could ask about the oxidation aspect, but not about the syn addition aspect of that reaction. It would seem that the following question would be fair.

• Which of the following reagents is responsible for the oxidation of Z-2-pentene into 2,3-dihydroxypentane?
  
  a) LiAlH4 in THF
  b) H3CMgBr in ether
  c) KMnO4 in basic water
  d) HCl/Zn(s) in HOAc

The following question would not be asked:

• The addition of KMnO4 to Z-2-pentene yields:
  
  a) a geminal diol from anti addition.
  b) a geminal diol from syn addition.
  c) a vicinal diol from anti addition.
  d) a vicinal diol from syn addition.

Just use your common sense when studying. And by all means reference the AAMC list, because it would seem that most prep materials on the market have this (and other) untested subject being reviewed.

 

[mars1]

Makes sense. Thanks for the example.