Organic Chemistry
A comprehensive course on organic chemistry — from molecular structure, stereochemistry, and nomenclature through reaction mechanisms, functional group transformations, spectroscopic identification, and retrosynthetic analysis — with full mechanistic detail and MathJax equations.
Course Overview
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds — their structure, properties, reactions, and synthesis. This course develops a deep understanding of how molecular architecture determines reactivity, following the tradition of Wade, Clayden, McMurry, and Bruice. From functional group identification to multi-step synthesis planning, you will master the logic of organic transformations and the spectroscopic tools used to characterize them.
Key Concepts
- ● Functional groups: alcohols, carbonyls, carboxylic acids, amines, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics
- ● Reaction mechanisms: nucleophilic substitution, elimination, addition, rearrangement
- ● Stereochemistry: chirality, R/S configuration, E/Z isomerism, optical activity
- ● Spectroscopy: NMR chemical shifts, IR functional group absorptions, mass spectrometry fragmentation
Central Reactions
SN2 Mechanism: $\text{Nu}^- + \text{R-LG} \rightarrow \text{Nu-R} + \text{LG}^-$
E2 Elimination: $\text{B}^- + \text{H-C-C-LG} \rightarrow \text{BH} + \text{C=C} + \text{LG}^-$
Diels-Alder: $\text{diene} + \text{dienophile} \rightarrow \text{cyclohexene}$
Grignard: $\text{RMgBr} + \text{R'CHO} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{R-CH(OH)-R'}$
Aldol Condensation: $2\,\text{RCHO} \xrightarrow{\text{OH}^-} \text{RCH(OH)CH}_2\text{COR}$
Friedel-Crafts: $\text{ArH} + \text{RCl} \xrightarrow{\text{AlCl}_3} \text{ArR} + \text{HCl}$
Part I: Structure & Stereochemistry
Functional groups, IUPAC nomenclature, chirality and stereoisomerism, Newman projections and conformational analysis.
Part II: Reaction Mechanisms
SN1/SN2 substitution, E1/E2 elimination, electrophilic and nucleophilic addition, radical chain reactions.
Part III: Functional Group Chemistry
Carbonyl reactions, carboxylic acid derivatives, amine chemistry, electrophilic aromatic substitution and directing effects.
Part IV: Advanced Topics
NMR/IR/MS spectroscopy, retrosynthetic analysis, pericyclic reactions (Woodward-Hoffmann rules), organometallic catalysis.
Prerequisites & References
Prerequisites
- • General chemistry (atomic structure, bonding, equilibrium)
- • Basic understanding of Lewis structures and VSEPR
- • Introductory thermodynamics and kinetics
- • Familiarity with acid-base chemistry
Recommended Texts
- • Wade & Simek, Organic Chemistry
- • Clayden, Greeves, Warren & Wothers, Organic Chemistry
- • McMurry, Organic Chemistry
- • Bruice, Organic Chemistry