Safe to completely disregard Alkenes & Alkynes for the MCAT

[TheRealAngeleno]

So upon looking at the AAMC list of topics for OChem, I understand that Alkenes & Alkynes are not covered. I was wondering if it would be wise of me to completely disregard reviewing any concepts regarding Alkene or Alkyne chemistry. If any recent MCAT'ers could chime that would be great. Thanks a lot.

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[ridethecliche]

I'm still going to look at it.

Why? Because it'll take less than 20 minutes to review as the reactions are pretty easy for the most part, and then there's no chance that they'll try to 'teach' it to me in a passage.

 

[NickNaylor]

For what it's worth, EK still includes a section on alkene/alkyne chemistry even though they acknowledge that they are no longer officially topics...

 

[SteveJMarist]

For what it's worth, EK still includes a section on alkene/alkyne chemistry even though they acknowledge that they are no longer officially topics...

TPR covers alkenes as well. They don't talk about alkynes much though.

I covered them mainly because of elimination reactions. I just think it's good to have that stuff under your belt heading into the test.

 

[study pray love]

wait, so we don't have to know mechanisms involving alkenes or alkynes? what about ozonolysis?

 

[MedPR]

So upon looking at the AAMC list of topics for OChem, I understand that Alkenes & Alkynes are not covered. I was wondering if it would be wise of me to completely disregard reviewing any concepts regarding Alkene or Alkyne chemistry. If any recent MCAT'ers could chime that would be great. Thanks a lot.

They're not covered in the sense that there won't be a discrete asking you for the product of an alkene reacted with warm, concentrated KMnO4. There is a possibility, however, that alkene/alkyne reactions could be tested indirectly. For example, if it asks you about resonance across pi bonds or something related to E1/E2.

 

[study pray love]

thanks medpr- i hear what ur saying. So elimination rxns are tested? bc i couldn't find them in the topic list either

 

[MedPR]

thanks medpr- i hear what ur saying. So elimination rxns are tested? bc i couldn't find them in the topic list either

You're right, I don't see anything on the topic list that would directly or indirectly require outside knowledge of alkenes/alkynes. Too bad for me that alkene reactions was one of the easiest/most fun parts of organic.

 

[Erythropoietin]

thanks medpr- i hear what ur saying. So elimination rxns are tested? bc i couldn't find them in the topic list either

nice nickname

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Alkynes have NOT BEEN TESTED in the last twenty years. Beyond knowing the pKa of an H on an sp-hybridized carbon, it seems pointless to invest even a nanosecond studying something that is not listed as a topic and hasn't appeared on the test.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

So elimination rxns are tested? bc i couldn't find them in the topic list either

Hoffman elimination is listed as a potential topic. It's basically an E2 with a bulky leaving group, so you should know E2 I'd assume.

 

[MedPR]

Hoffman elimination is listed as a potential topic. It's basically an E2 with a bulky leaving group, so you should know E2 I'd assume.

I thought Hoffman elimination was E2 with a bulky base, thus making the Zaitsev product less likely because the base is too bulky to attack the most substituted carbon.

Also, I didn't see Hoffman elimination on the list, but I did see Hoffman rearrangement, which is something different entirely (amide -> amine).

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Also, I didn't see Hoffman elimination on the list, but I did see Hoffman rearrangement, which is something different entirely (amide -> amine).

Look at page 16 under amines, entry 2d. Click here

It lists Hofmann elimination as an amine topic.

 

[study pray love]

nice nickname

thanks

also, can i ask what u guys do on practice tests when they have the benzene ring addition rxns etc bc its no longer tested on the mcat so i essentially forgot all that info and it always brings my bio score down =(

 

[Erythropoietin]

thanks

also, can i ask what u guys do on practice tests when they have the benzene ring addition rxns etc bc its no longer tested on the mcat so i essentially forgot all that info and it always brings my bio score down =(

i would still do it and review them just to get an overall idea and maybe give myself 80% of the points when i score it, though i think i only saw like 1 benzene ring addition in a FL so far

 

[estradiol9]

Benzene ring additions aren't on the MCAT?? -____________- That was the easiest thing for me to learn.