Keto-Enol Tautomerism: Key Points
Everything you ever wanted to know (and more!) about keto-enol tautomerism.
Read moreelectrophiles
Carbonyl Mechanisms: Neutral Nucleophiles, Part 1
Today, building on the previous 2-part series on mechanisms of anionic nucleophiles in carbonyl chemistry, I’m going to start looking at the reactions of the
Read moreArrow Pushing and Alkene Addition Reactions
Drawing Electron Pushing Arrows In Alkene Addition Reactions The last two posts have been about a pretty amazing new concept. Not only can lone pairs
Read moreIntroduction to Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions
Following up on the 4 most important patters of reactions in Org 1, and introduction to acid-base reactions, here’s the second major pattern. It’s called
Read moreNucleophiles and Electrophiles
Nucleophiles and Electrophiles, Nucleophilicity and Electrophilicity All through the series on understanding where electrons are, and how they flow, we’ve been talking about how the
Read morePartial Charges Give Clues About Electron Flow
There’s a hidden layer of detail beneath chemical structures that students new to organic chemistry often miss. I’m talking about partial charges. Although each of
Read moreNucleophilicity vs. Basicity
Understanding The Differences Between Nucleophilicity vs Basicity Following up on Nucleophiles and Electrophiles, here’s a common question students have about nucleophilicity: 1. What’s the difference
Read moreThe Three Classes of Nucleophiles
I know I’ve said this before, but a whole lot of organic chemistry can be boiled down to “nucleophile attacks electrophile“. A nucleophile is a
Read moreCommon Blind Spot: Intramolecular Reactions
So I bought a belt today (pleather, 75 cents at the Goodwill). and decided to show it off. This is me putting it together. This
Read moreReagent Friday: TsCl (p-toluenesulfonyl chloride) and MsCl (methanesulfonyl chloride)
TsCl (p-toluenesulfonyl chloride) And MsCl (methanesulfonylchloride) As Reagents In Organic Chemistry In a blatant plug for the Reagent Guide, each Friday I profile a different reagent
Read more