preparing for organic chemistry

[sylus]

Ok so it's been a couple years since I took Gen Chem and I am thinking I should brush up before taking Orgo this fall. What concepts from Gen Chem are the most important to know for Orgo?

Gracias!

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[RySerr21]

Ok so it's been a couple years since I took Gen Chem and I am thinking I should brush up before taking Orgo this fall. What concepts from Gen Chem are the most important to know for Orgo?

Gracias!

gen chem really isnt important to succed in organic chemistry. my school doesn't even make you take all of gen chem before starting ochem... the sequence goes Gen Chem I, Ochem I, Ochem II, Gen Chem II.

also, anything you need to know from gen chem will be in the first chapter of your ochem book.

 

[paradocs we are]

Orgo doesn't build on much of gen chem actually. You'll be fine.

 

[HumidBeing]

There's not much about chem that you would need beyond the very basics like a few chemical symbols. The two subjects are treated very differently. I don't think you have to worry about refreshing your knowledge of chem before the class starts.

The keys to doing well in ochem are to keeping up with the material and doing lots of problems. The course builds on itself as it goes. So, not falling behind winds up being important.

 

[LilHouse]

 

[redlight]

Ok so it's been a couple years since I took Gen Chem and I am thinking I should brush up before taking Orgo this fall. What concepts from Gen Chem are the most important to know for Orgo?

Gracias!

your prof will review gen chem topics s/he thinks are necessary or s/he will point out the topics and leave it up to you to review

however, if you are really uneasy about going into ochem, ive heard that the only topics in gen chem that are repeated in ochem are orbitals/bonding/geometry stuff and acids and bases stuff. this was discussed in another thread like this a few weeks ago.. something about someone taking physics and ochem in the fall and wanting advice

if you want to go the extra mile, you could email the prof or something and explain your situation.. im sure s/he'd be willing to point you in the right direction..

 

[paradocs we are]

The stuff you need for OChem is pretty much the stuff from chemistry that you'll never forget.

If you learned these in general chem, it'd serve you well to review them:

• orbitals/electron configurations/quantum numbers
• electronegativity
• entropy and enthalpy
• determining the number of molecules from the mass of a sample

Those are all very important if you want to understand how the reactions work. Chances are, they'll reteach those skills.

Here's the thing with ochem. There are two ways to get through it.
1) Learning how chemical/physical properties determine which reactions are possible (based on energy chances, hindrance, luck, etc) This requires critical thinking more than anything.

2) Rote memorization. If you memorize everything, you can probably pass with a good grade. You'll spend a lot of time doing it, and you'll really never be able to apply your knowledge without an understanding.

Again, reviewing chem isn't necessary, but it would help if you're really gung ho about it.

I would strongly advise AGAINST choosing route #2.

#1 is close but not bang-on either.

 

[bigman225]

Just work hard once you're in the class. Organic isn't hard if you are disciplined and study consistently (caveat: at some schools it is much harder than others, I goto a state U where there aren't a lot of hardcore chem types)

Let's not kid around guys; there are times in Organic when you just have to have stuff memorized cold. Sure, there is some reasoning tossed in there, but a fair amount of memorization is required. Can I "reason" why the hydrolysis of a tertiary ester is SN1? Yeah, using a host of previously known facts

 

[HolyGrail]

There's a book called "Pushing Electrons" I highly recommend it. Here it is on amazon.com: Pushing Electrons

 

[Marcus Brody]

Preparing isn't that important imo. Unless you don't know things like the number of bonds carbon makes or trends on the periodic table. It might help to know this stuff before you start...

VSEPR theory (mainly just for sp, sp2, sp3)
Dipole, polarity stuff
Lewis structures
Formal charges
Electron configurations.
Trends of the periodic table (size, electronegativity, etc)

There's a book called "Pushing Electrons" I highly recommend it. Here it is on amazon.com: Pushing Electrons

o hai thare.

 

[LilHouse]

 

[Isoprop]

topics from gen chem you probably want to refresh

most important
1. equilibrium/acid-bases (none of the calculations, just pka, equilibrium constants, and le chatlier)
2. vespr and geometry (just sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridizations)
3. thermodynamics (exo vs endothermic and how free energy relates to equilibrium)
4. resonance
5. electronegativity
least important

as someone else mentioned, your prof reviews the gen chem concepts needed for the first 2 or 3 weeks, and i believe the first few chapters in your ochem book will review this material.

i would highly recommend david r klein's organic chemistry as a second language semester 1. very very very useful.