OsO4 (Osmium Tetroxide) for Dihydroxylation of Alkenes
Osmium tetroxide, OsO4 Osmium tetroxide (OsO4) is a useful reagent for the dihydroxylation of alkenes The products of these reactions are 1,2-diols (“vicinal” diols), where the two
Read morePalladium on Carbon (Pd/C) for Catalytic Hydrogenation of Alkenes
Catalytic Hydrogenation of Alkenes With Pd/C (And Friends) Alkenes (and alkynes) will undergo addition of hydrogen (H2) in the presence of a metal catalyst such
Read moreNow Available: The Organic Reactions Flashcard App for iPhone
Today, in partnership with Rich Apodaca of Metamolecular, I’m happy to announce the release of a new app for the Apple iOs: Organic Reaction Flashcards
Read moreSuccess Stories: How Nathan Aced Organic Chemistry (Without It Taking Over His Life)
Loyal reader “Nathan” (not his real name) sent in this note recently on how he managed to do well in organic chemistry without it having
Read moreCyclopropanation of Alkenes
Cyclopropanation of Alkenes Alkenes can undergo addition reactions from carbenes to give cyclopropanes. There are three main pathways for this reaction that are generally covered in introductory
Read moreAlkene Addition Pattern #2: The “Three-Membered Ring” Pathway
The “Three-Membered Ring” Pathway In Alkene Mechanisms: Halogenation, Oxymercuration, Halohydrin Formation, and Acidic Epoxide Opening In the last post we walked through a proposal for
Read moreIntroduction to Acid-Base Reactions
Following up on the 4 major classes of reactions you encounter in Org 1, let’s look at the first of those four: acid base reactions.
Read moreSN1 vs E1 and SN2 vs E2 : The Temperature
SN1 vs E1, and SN2 vs. E2: The Role Of Heat This article assumes you understand the mechanisms of the SN1/SN2/E1 and E2 reactions. For
Read moreHow Chris Aced Org 1 and Org 2
Last semester I had the pleasure of working with “Chris” (a pseudonym) on second-semester organic chemistry topics. Before we met, Chris had already obtained a
Read moreDeciding SN1/SN2/E1/E2 – The Solvent
Secondary Alkyl Halides With Strongly Basic Nucleophiles. The “Ask Your Instructor” Edition In the previous four articles in this series, we covered how to identify where
Read more