What are the most common Organic Chemistry topics on the MCAT?

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

Hey guys, my exam is a week away and I have been focusing on studying more of my weaker areas and areas which hold a strong exam weight (chemistry, physics). I am looking over organic chemistry and was wondering what the most commonly tested things are? I took the MCAT in May and it only had 8 Ochem questions total on it, as i'm sure the test is starting to phase them out. That's why I don't want to spend a huge amount of time going over it.

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[09ine]

Lol, 5/24 had 3 big passages on OChem so I don't think they're phasing them out.

Memorize and know IR and H-NMR values to help with a few questions and know nucleophiles and electrophiles.

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

I took the 5-19 one and there was only 1 passage with a few discretes

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I took the 5-19 one and there was only 1 passage with a few discretes

I truly hope that this would be the case tomorrow

 

[MedPR]

Lol, 5/24 had 3 big passages on OChem so I don't think they're phasing them out.

Memorize and know IR and H-NMR values to help with a few questions and know nucleophiles and electrophiles.

None of this was on my MCAT.

Anything on the outline is probably high enough yield to prep for.

 

[salim271]

One random thing that I can think of that I believe would be present on almost every test is stereochemistry, cahn ingold rules, etc. That being said, dont focus on any one thing, review the entire range of possible subjects for orgo and focus on your weaknesses and turn them to strengths.

 

[Mehd School]

Isomers are the bane of my existence.

 

[05silvergt]

Isomers are the bane of my existence.

I agree, I hate them as well.

For the exam, if you're not going to have time for a full review, I would imagine knowing sn1,sn2, isomers, and R/S stereochemistry well with a touch of spectroscopy stuff thrown in you may be all right.

 

[nabilesmail]

HNMR,IR,Stereochemistry,SN1SN2 E1 E2

These are the most common and I would know them well.

Following those, get your lab techniques down

 

[impact2d]

Based on 7/06 it could be anything on the outline, seriously. I really don't know if there is such a thing as high yield topics on this test, almost none of the supposed high yield topics were covered on my test.

 

[mua]

a friend of mine took the mcat (the most recent one from today). He had 3 OChem Passages, he was extremely surprised since he hadnt seen this many passages even on practice tests and all... is this getting to be a norm now.

I gave one mcat in 2010 July- 2 ochem passages (1 pure ochem, while the other was mixed with bio)
teh other one in Sept 2011- 1 ochem passage

I was under the impression that they are phasing ochem to a bare min, and therefore hadnt really studied for ochem uptill now. I am planning a Aug (mid) 2012 date, and I just wanted to know as to what other people's experiences or thoughts are regarding the amount of ochem in recent tests, and the topics that are mostly covered. I know the basic topics like stereo chemistry, etc., but what are some of the hard ones. I usually just wing it on the H_NMR stuff, since I just cant seem to gather its concept. but other than those, what are your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[hizziaips]

a friend of mine took the mcat (the most recent one from today). He had 3 OChem Passages, he was extremely surprised since he hadnt seen this many passages even on practice tests and all... is this getting to be a norm now.

I gave one mcat in 2010 July- 2 ochem passages (1 pure ochem, while the other was mixed with bio)
teh other one in Sept 2011- 1 ochem passage

I was under the impression that they are phasing ochem to a bare min, and therefore hadnt really studied for ochem uptill now. I am planning a Aug (mid) 2012 date, and I just wanted to know as to what other people's experiences or thoughts are regarding the amount of ochem in recent tests, and the topics that are mostly covered. I know the basic topics like stereo chemistry, etc., but what are some of the hard ones. I usually just wing it on the H_NMR stuff, since I just cant seem to gather its concept. but other than those, what are your thoughts.

Thanks.

I'm not sure what you expect people to tell you. Someone above said that he (or she) saw 3 orgo passages on an MCAT taken earlier this year. Your friend told you the same thing about an MCAT taken in July. A friend of mine who took an MCAT in April told me that there were also 3 orgo passages on her bio section. Based on these three data points from this year alone, it doesn't seem as if they're phasing orgo out, does it?

Were I in your shoes, I would start with the official orgo syllabus per AAMC. Figure out where your gaps are and try to plug those gaps. After all, you need to know everything contained therein, because any of those topics might show up. For example, perhaps others are correct in that H1NMR, stereochemistry, and SN1/SN2/E1/E2 are "high yield"; however, aldehydes, ketones, acids, and acid derivatives are also fair game. If you see an entire passage dealing with Fischer esterification yet (hypothetically speaking) remember nothing of carboxylic acid chemistry, you probably won't fare so well.

Capisce?

 

[09ine]

I'm not sure what you expect people to tell you. Someone above said that he (or she) saw 3 orgo passages on an MCAT taken earlier this year. Your friend told you the same thing about an MCAT taken in July. A friend of mine who took an MCAT in April told me that there were also 3 orgo passages on her bio section. Based on these three data points from this year alone, it doesn't seem as if they're phasing orgo out, does it?

Were I in your shoes, I would start with the official orgo syllabus per AAMC. Figure out where your gaps are and try to plug those gaps. After all, you need to know everything contained therein, because any of those topics might show up. For example, perhaps others are correct in that H1NMR, stereochemistry, and SN1/SN2/E1/E2 are "high yield"; however, aldehydes, ketones, acids, and acid derivatives are also fair game. If you see an entire passage dealing with Fischer esterification yet (hypothetically speaking) remember nothing of carboxylic acid chemistry, you probably won't fare so well.

Capisce?

Damn, first post with the most.

Well said.

 

[mehc012]

3 orgo passages?! That gives me a little hope...I'm really really hoping for an orgo-heavy test, and was a bit concerned at the rumor that they were deemphasizing it. I wasn't planning to be premed when I went through college, so I didn't take any courses with the MCAT in mind, but fortunately chem (my major) is featured in both the PS and BS sections!

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Most of the AAMC practice tests have about 3 orgo passages on them. I don't understand why people are always so surprised to see 3 orgo passages on the real thing.

As for what's most common, that would be whatever is the most fundamental to understanding orgo. Nabilesmail already hit it on the head: SN1/SN2/E1/E2, stereochemistry, and IR/NMR, and it helps to be familiar with lab techniques in the event you run into an experimental passage. However, it's worth pointing out that everything on the AAMC outline is fair game and it is extremely likely that your test will contain some of the lesser-tested items on it. And in accordance with Murphey's Law, your MCAT is sure to focus only on the subjects you're weakest in.

 

[shaboobly]

orgo, to me, is always the same. you have some compound, reacting with some other compound and will form a product. all similar functional groups, reagents, etc most of the time do the same thing (for instance a base (or nucleophile) will always pull a proton (hydrogen atom) first (if it's easily accessible and depending on the type of base used). memorize the basics on how things behave and you will be golden (dont neglect spectroscopy, however, as a lot of the passage could boil down to analyzing this data).

 

[chanadlerbong]

Just wondering if anyone can elaborate on which HNMR and IR values should be memorized. I don't really know any HNMR values other than 9.5 ppm being an aldehyde shift and Left/Downfield/Deshield. For IR, I only know 3200-3500 (broad) = -OH, 1700 = carbonyl, 2200 = alkyne/nitrile (triple bonds). Are there any more I should really know or will they give me the chart of values to figure out IR/NMR data? Thanks!

 

[shaboobly]

Just wondering if anyone can elaborate on which HNMR and IR values should be memorized. I don't really know any HNMR values other than 9.5 ppm being an aldehyde shift and Left/Downfield/Deshield. For IR, I only know 3200-3500 (broad) = -OH, 1700 = carbonyl, 2200 = alkyne/nitrile (triple bonds). Are there any more I should really know or will they give me the chart of values to figure out IR/NMR data? Thanks!

IR should prob know the akyl and vinyl hydrogens at 3000. it tells a lot if you are given structures of the answers and nmr data and you can weed out the ones without vinyl. the OH is good, aldehyde, carbonyl, ether, and prob amines

NMR can be determined based off the electronegativity of the surrounding atoms (more electronegative = pull electron density and desheilds protons = further downfield). and remember you cant do C12 NMR (no magnetic moment).

 

[MadRadLad]

Do we really have to know a bunch of different reagents for the MCAT? (such as knowing what LiAlH4, LDA, PCC, etc. all do?)

Or will the questions be mostly conceptual? TPR SWB's orgo is killing me with some of the reagents that I don't remember. I realize I still have some content review to do but how much of this will be tested on the MCAT?

 

[shaboobly]

Do we really have to know a bunch of different reagents for the MCAT? (such as knowing what LiAlH4, LDA, PCC, etc. all do?)

Or will the questions be mostly conceptual? TPR SWB's orgo is killing me with some of the reagents that I don't remember. I realize I still have some content review to do but how much of this will be tested on the MCAT?

you have to realize what those reagents do bro. they all have hydrides which are strong reduction reagents and will all donate hydride.

another example is oxidation reagents.. when you see a reagent with a lot of oxygens, it will probably oxidize something.

or another one such as a base (which can also be a nucleophile). when you think about it a lot of the reactions can be predicted just by breaking each reactant into its ions or partial charges from polarity.

 

[MadRadLad]

Right I understand these ones in particular, I was just wondering to what extent we would have to know a bunch of different reagents and/or particular reactions.

 

[shaboobly]

a lot of the times the relevant reactions will be given as well as the reagents and the set up and what not. they will ask you like specific things about what's going on, for instance how an oxidation state changes, or what would this product be if you use something else.

 

[jowens817]

HNMR,IR,Stereochemistry,SN1SN2 E1 E2

These are the most common and I would know them well.

Following those, get your lab techniques down

I bought the EK complete study package and it said the new MCAT does not test elimination reactions. Are you speaking from experience or are you saying just be familiar with them (i.e. high temps likely favor E rxns)?

 

[Wolfpack93]

I bought the EK complete study package and it said the new MCAT does not test elimination reactions. Are you speaking from experience or are you saying just be familiar with them (i.e. high temps likely favor E rxns)?

I think they are speaking from experience. From 4 years ago