Princeton's Secret?

[going2breakdown]

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Hey, I was wondering if anyone here took the MCAT course (Kaplan or Princeton). I'm going through the Princeton Review's organic chemistry review book and I noticed a question based on naming a carboxylic acid, all the answer choices had the same ending, so I could answer it based on process of elimination. In the book, under the nomenclature section, there is no review on how to name carboxylic acids, or any mention of -ene, -yne endings. I decided to flip through some of the old tests to see if they had any naming questions like that. There were none. However, in the Kaplan book, it does review how to name them. Should I go back and review how to name everything, or would that be a waste of time. i.e. Is it highly unlikely I'll be asked to name something in ochem that isn't in my princeton review book?

 

[aspiringdoc09]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone here took the MCAT course (Kaplan or Princeton). I'm going through the Princeton Review's organic chemistry review book and I noticed a question based on naming a carboxylic acid, all the answer choices had the same ending, so I could answer it based on process of elimination. In the book, under the nomenclature section, there is no review on how to name carboxylic acids, or any mention of -ene, -yne endings. I decided to flip through some of the old tests to see if they had any naming questions like that. There were none. However, in the Kaplan book, it does review how to name them. Should I go back and review how to name everything, or would that be a waste of time. i.e. Is it highly unlikely I'll be asked to name something in ochem that isn't in my princeton review book?

I just finished the Nuc Addition and Cycloaddition section (Chapter 6 in TPRH 2010) and noticed that they didn't go over naming for carboxylic acids. They didn't do that for the other chapters either. I did take notes when I had my EK books and noticed that they did, so I guess it would be ideal to have a general overview of it. You just add the "-ic/-oic + acid" to the stem (i.e. acetic acid or benzoic acid). Those are the most common ones. It's not that big of an idea. -ene and -yne is for naming alkenes (c=c) or alkynes (triple c-c bond). Also, the MCAT doesn't really test you on alkenes or alkynes if you look at the AAMC outline. It is a good idea to have a basic understanding in case you come across it in a passage, which doesn't test you on it directly. At least you would have seen it. It's always best to have more knowledge and information than you need. Good luck!