topics covered in organic chemistry

[vargant]

Are alkenes, alkynes, E1 and E2 reactions, ethers, and benzenes going to be covered in the organic chemistry section of the MCAT? I'm looking at the study guide for organic chemistry by AAMC, and these topics are not mentioned.

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[Avicenna04]

Good question. EK tells us Alkenes wont be on there, but then gives a whole chapter on them and has a lot of "know this reaction for the exam" type tips in that chapter. I don't know what to believe anymore.

Anyone know?


Were alkenes recently completely taken out of the test? Thats a lot of reactions i dont mind memorizing.


Any recent test takers know?

 

[Avicenna04]

I just opened the EK flashcards... lol... makes me want to know the answer to this even more.

 

[artaxerxes]

Are alkenes, alkynes, E1 and E2 reactions, ethers, and benzenes going to be covered in the organic chemistry section of the MCAT? I'm looking at the study guide for organic chemistry by AAMC, and these topics are not mentioned.

alkynes, probably not. Maybe some Q. in realations to other things, like Cynide, or acidity.
Alkene I've not seen the KMnO4 type reactions, you know what I mean, haven't seen hydroboronation on any of my exams. But you will need to know E1 and E2, regioselectivity, melting point characterisitics that sort of thing.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Before 2003, alkene and benzene chemistry was tested. For some reason, they removed those when they reformatted the MCAT in 2003 (used to be VR 65 que first, PS 77 que second, 2 essays, and then BS 77 que).

Alkyne reactions have never been tested, although the acidity of a terminal alkyne and it's utitlity as a nucleophile in an SN2 reaction is fair game.

Elimination is still a topic as far as I know (it's on their list and they have asked about it before... a search here will show this). Also, diene addition (1,2 vs. 1,4) is a fair subject for some reason, so additions to pi-bonds is a potential topic.

If you ask me, the test writers just write whatever the heck they want and AAMC doesn't check to see whether if it meets their criteria from the topic list. I might be wrong.

 

[RoadRunner17]

I would think those topics are still fair game, but would be presented in a passage with the background information necessary to answer the ensuing questions. You're not going to see alkene reactions on discretes problems, I think. But don't be surprised if you see those missing topics show up in passages.

 

[hector219]

I'm posting mostly just to revive this thread and get more opinions.

My main question is whether the questions are more conceptual, specific reactions, or maybe even biochem applications.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I'm posting mostly just to revive this thread and get more opinions.

My main question is whether the questions are more conceptual, specific reactions, or maybe even biochem applications.

If you look at the MCAT topic threads for the past year (2008 exams), then you'll notice that there has not been any benzene chemistry, alkyne chemistry, or straight alkene chemistry.

There have been passages on E1/E2 and Diels Alder material. It looks like they talk about hydration and hydrogenation of a fatty acid, so the biochemistry reactions of alkenes are fair game.

Basically, it looks like they followed their released list (in the MCAT essentials) in terms of what topics are covered.

It's interesting that some prep materials still go into alkene chemistry in their books and flashcards. It just goes to show you that they don't really spend much time changing or updating what they teach/cover.