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Organic Chemistry

Free Organic Chemistry study guide: 7 units with summaries, key ideas, flashcards and 35 practice questions with step-by-step solutions.

Lines up with: ACS Organic Chemistry exam; MCAT organic chemistry; DAT organic chemistry.

Units

1. UNIT 01

   Structure, bonding and functional groups

   Organic molecules are built from carbon frameworks, and their shape, charge distribution and functional groups control their reactions.
2. UNIT 02

   Alkanes and stereochemistry

   Alkanes adopt different conformations, and stereochemistry describes molecules that differ only in 3D arrangement.
3. UNIT 03

   Substitution and elimination reactions

   Alkyl halides undergo substitution or elimination by SN1, SN2, E1 or E2 mechanisms, chosen by substrate, nucleophile, solvent and temperature.
4. UNIT 04

   Alkenes and alkynes

   Alkenes and alkynes react by addition across their π bonds, with regiochemistry and stereochemistry set by the mechanism.
5. UNIT 05

   Alcohols, ethers and spectroscopy

   Alcohols and ethers have characteristic reactions, and spectroscopy identifies unknown compounds from their spectra.
6. UNIT 06

   Aromatic compounds

   Aromatic compounds are especially stable and react by electrophilic aromatic substitution, guided by substituents on the ring.
7. UNIT 07

   Carbonyl chemistry

   Carbonyl compounds react through nucleophilic addition, nucleophilic acyl substitution and enolate chemistry, forming new carbon–carbon bonds.