Organic chemistry Definition and 251 Threads

I'm really interested in how psychedelics and their alkaloids do what they do. I'd really like to get a graduate degree in organic chemistry with a focus on alkaloids or a subdivision thereof. But, I'm worried about how I'd make a living by studying things or things similar to things that are...

Homework Statement 8) How might you prepare each of the following molecules using a nucleophilic substitution at some step? a) (CH3)3-O-CH3 b)CH3CH2CH2CH2CN Homework Equations none The Attempt at a Solution I'm really not sure what's being asked. I'm going to assume that I...

" Write an alternate reaction that can be used to prepare the same product that we got in our lab ( changing the metal in the alkoxide or halide leaving group is not sufficient.) Explain the reaction you used, is it expected to be cheaper cost wise, and or produce a higher yield, based on the...

I'm taking orgo 1 this semester, and we just had our first test. I know that's supposed to be the "easiest" test, but let's just say I was pretty lost. I haven't put in much effort so far in chem, and I know I have to get on track now. Is it too late for me to redeem myself? Like do I still...

Homework Statement Histidine is an amino acid. It is not soluble in water but it will dissolve in water when dilute sodium hydroxide is added. The question has two parts to it: part-a) Write an equation for the reaction that occurs between histidine and dilute sodium hydroxide...

What do the indices 6 and 13 stand for in 6,13-pentacenequinone? I know that is related to the position of the substituents in the molecule, but I cannot figure out how to interpret it. Can some one point me to a reference where the basics the nomenclature are explained? Thanks,

Homework Statement Why is petrol suitable to be used as a fuel whereas lubricating oil is more suited to lubricate machine joints? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Petrol has a low boiling point. It combusts more easily to provide energy to the car. However...

For Calculus, there is Spivsk. For Physics, there is Kleppner and Morin. For General Chemistry, there is Pauling. All of these books are introductory, and focus on hardcore conceptual understanding. They are widely received as the most rigorous and best way to learn these subjects. Now...

Homework Statement Homework Equations N/A The Attempt at a Solution I attempted to figure out the mechanism in reverse. I have tried neucleophilic addition of the alcohol to the carbonyl carbon of the ethanal, followed by the addition of the resulting hydroxyl group (from the...

My studies have nothing to do with biology, but I'm just a curious gal so I thought to pick up some ebooks or whatever. I got a good biology base and a good chemistry base, but I never tackled anything in the realm of organic chemistry. I'm more interested in learning about the chemistry of...

What are similiarities between ether and alcohol and how can we use at least 2 physical properties to differentiate between them? For ex, alcohol has a higher boiling point, so what "procedure" would I follow to test the boiling points to find out which is which.

Hello guys I'm taking O-chem right now and it is giving me so much work constantly that I am seriously starting to purely hate it. How am I supposed to do all this? this is ridiculous. I'm still trying to understand the last chapter when we start a new one. My O-chem teacher is nice and all but...

Hi all, I have decided to do a second degree since my first degree (math) hasn't given me many options for work or graduate study that I'm interested in pursuing. I am strongly considering chemical engineering, since I am enjoying my chemistry course so far and have the strength in math to...

I'm reading in my organic chemistry text about the structure of alkyl halides, as a background to why certain reactions happen (specifically radical halogenation). In it there's a table of halomethanes, that tells the bond length, bond strength, and dipole moment. It pretty much looks like...

Homework Statement Pyridine and pyrrolidine react rapidly with dilute aqueous HCl to form the corresponding hydrochloride salts which are easily purified, isolated and stored in a charge. However, pyrrole, which is another nitrogen-containing heterocycle, does not form a hydrochloride salt...

1) My book says that we can distinguish between 2 hydroxy butanoic acid (A) and 3 hydroxy butanoic acid (B) by haloform tests. It says that B gives positive haloform test. I am fine with it. I don't get why A doesnot give positive test as it is also a sec. alcohol . 2)In the base-catalysed...

Homework Statement Hello, We were supposed to fill in the missing products or reagents (I indicated which ones on the paper) but out of 40 points, I got 13. So now I'm a bit worried. I tried to redo it, could someone look it over? (see attached jpg) The Attempt at a Solution My...

Homework Statement Give the structural formula of the organic product formed from the following reaction: CH3COCl + C6H5NH2 Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution The ethanoyl chloride will break into CH3CO(+) and Cl(-) due to polarity. Then, which part of the...

I have a few questions about organic chemistry. First of all, when is it acceptable to leave out the 1's when naming compounds? I've read that it's ok to leave out the 1 for something like bromobutane, as everyone will assume its on the first carbon. What about dibromobutane? Is it still...

Homework Statement The polymerization of propene to polypropylene progresses through a radical mechanism. Complete the propagation step of the reaction mechanism diagram by drawing in the missing lone pairs, radical electrons, atomic charges, and electron-flow arrows where appropriate. 2...

Hi, I've been meaning to switch over to chemistry ( in hopes of doing forensic work in the future ) from math. I have no chemistry background, so I have been self-studying over the summer.. However, the first chemistry course offered at my university is an organic chemistry course. People tell...

Can anyone provide and briefly explain 2 examples of how organic chemistry can be used to improve existing products, and thus provide solutions to newly identified health or environmental problems? One example I was given was unleaded instead of leaded gasoline, but I need 2 others!

Why are sp2 carbons more downfield than sp3 carbons? Is it because the bond length of sp2 carbons is shorter (electrons are more localized-thus more shielded)?

Hi, I am trying to understanding how esters can form a cyclic alkane. Could someone explain the mechanism for this? I would guess that we'd have to hydrolyze the ester in acidic condition to carboxylic acid. The hydroxide then can attack the carbonyl to form a ring, but that would give us an...

So I've always realized that organic chemistry and physical chemistry were huge gaps in my scientific background, and I still can't fill them up for some time, as I have many other subjects to study. But I've read large sections of molecular biology books (like Alberts and Lodish), and I've...

Homework Statement The Attempt at a Solution I'm confused on what is happening in this reaction, and where carbo-cations are being formed. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Hello. I have a query regarding organic chemistry. 1. http://tinyurl.com/y9nvg2p See question number 21. 2. Homework Equations : None 3. The first Carbon atom beneath the top-most CH3 group I can tell is a chiral centre, as it has 4 different groups attached to it (C=O, CH2...

Why does delocalization of the negative charge over the ortho and para positions of aromatic rings increase the stability of the phenoxide anion? Why do the ortho and para positions increase the stability but not the meta position? Please explain. Thank you.

If you dehyrate 1-butanol, wouldn't you get 2-butene due to rearrangement? This is not a homework question. This is an mcat review question. The question asks: when 1-butanol is dehydrated, the new compound's heat of hydrogenation is most likely? The answer is between 30 and 33 kcal/mol It...

Homework Statement http://i.imgur.com/H8p56.jpg 2. The attempt at a solution I'm not quite sure how to start this one... I would assume organolithiation could get me started for the two combining, but I'm not quite sure how to get the 3' carbon to spout that ehtyl group or how to...

Why do ten molecules of toluene that enter a GC column at exactly the same time not reach the detector at the same time? Why are London Dispersion forces of the sample molecules strongly influencing GC measurements? And why are they negligible in TLC experiments on silica gel? I have no...

Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons which are very unreactive. However, they undergo combustion, i.e. they react with oxygen. Why? (Even compounds as unreactive as polythene with over thousands of carbon atoms per molecule undergoes combustion...)

There is lots of talk about how hard Organic Chemistry is, so I ask, what did you think of Organic Chemistry if you took it, and how did you excel at it if you did? What were your weaknesses?

i know this is a physics forum, but i figure you guys might like chemistry too? and i know you guys probably took up to orgo to get your physics degrees. anyways over the summer session assuming i pass my current classes and my classes in the spring, i will be taking orgo 1, orgo 2, and...

Im trying to name the following molecules 1- CH3-CH2-CH-CH2-CH-CH2-CH2-CH3 l l CH3 CH2 l CH3 2- CH3-CH2-CH-CH2-CH-CH3 l l CH2 CH2...

!Organic chemistry reaction I just wonder is there any ways to predict the catalyst and other conditions for a certain organic reaction to happen?

Homework Statement The experiment was changing dimethyl maleate into dimethyl fumerate, with the intent of being analogous to changing maleic acid into fumeric acid. In the experiment, we added 1 M Bromine in dimethylchlorine to our dimethyl fumerate, put the mixture in a hot water bath and...

Organic Chemistry Reactions - Check my Answers, Please! :) this is the lab that we have to do in class: http://academics.eckerd.edu/instructor/grove/gorgchem/Extraction%20Lab.pdf http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cnIZmcws9cN3v_1TDx7nfg?authkey=Gv1sRgCI-xv4Hl9tampgE&feat=directlink

can someone help me with this question? Draw the most important resonance contributor of the following structure? if its to small http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8417/48084902.jpg

In the Diels-Alder reaction between anthracene and maleic anhydride, why is it carried out in xylenes rather than in ethanol?

1. In the chair conformation, why would 1-bromo-tetrahydropyran be more stable in the axial position, as opposed to the equitorial position? (Hint: consider how the bromo group affects the attached carbon and what the oxygen could do to alleviate that.) 2. No relevant equations 3...

Homework Statement An alkene H---C=C---F ____|_| ___Cl__I reacts with H2 in the presence of Pt. What will the dominant product be? Homework Equations See below. The Attempt at a Solution Syn addition will occur, so the hydrogen atoms will either be in the front or...

After promoting one of the electrons in the 2s orbital, the 2s orbital and two of the 2p orbitals undergo hybridization to form three sp2 orbitals, leaving the other 2p orbital unhybridized. But why is the hybridization necessary? Isn't the three 2p orbitals sufficient to form three identical...

Homework Statement Modern organic chemistry is the study of: a) only molecular compounds b) only petrochemicals c) only natural molecules d) molecules of carbon The Attempt at a Solution I think the answer is c) because organic chemistry looks at molecules of (dead) plants...

and why is biochemistry important in medicine? I kind of know why, but i can't find that much information so I am stuck and i need a bit of help if anyone could help me? Ive read that organic chemistry serves as a basis of biochemistry and biochemistry is the study of chemical processes in...

This is a general Organic Chemistry question. How do the reactivities of the following compare? Acyl Chlorides, Esters, Anhydrides, Amides, Ketones, Aldehydes The Attempt at a Solution I know the following "ladder:" MOST REACTIVE acyl chloride anhydride ester amide LEAST...

Homework Statement I am given isobutane as my starting material, Br2 and benzoyl peroxide as my radical initiators. My final product is the isobutane with Br attached instead of H. I have to design the mechanism. I have tried what seems like an endless combination of mechanism attempts...

Hey guys, I have a quick question. I signed up to take Organic over the summer trying to get in all the pre-reqs for a 2+4 Pharm-D program. I would really like to do well in this class and was wondering is there anything I should review or any good study habits or methods I can use to ace...

Homework Statement I am trying to figure out what is produced from the reaction of sodium borohydride and methyl benzoate. How would you name it? I am really bad at nomenclature... Homework Equations NaBH4 + C6H5COOCH3The Attempt at a Solution My result is bascially methyl benzoate, but...

Homework Statement Draw and name all of the structural isomers of hydrocarbons with the formula C6H12 (cyclohexane). 2. Relevant information This is "only" a grade 11 Chemistry Assignment, therefore I only really need the basics when it comes to isomers- not some of the more complex...