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Jason Crumpton

In this course, I'll walk you through some of the major topics that are covered in Organic Chemistry II courses. Each topic is covered in detail with background and practice problems. I'll warn you about common stumbling blocks and mental hurdles students normally face, and I'll give you practical problem solving tips and tricks.  You're going to do AWESOME. :) 

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Carbonyl chemistry (type i and type ii)
  • Carbonyls as nucleophiles (aldol, claisen, michael, malonic ester, etc...)
  • Benzene reactions and aromaticity
  • How to apply fundamental principles to situations instead of tedious memorization!
  • How to use numbering, lettering, and coloring to help keep track of atom movement!
  • How to draw electron flow for mechanisms
  • How to dominate synthesis problems

Syllabus

Type I Carbonyls
Type I Carbonyls and Substitution
Type I Carbonyls and Substitutions
Type II Carbonyls and Addition
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers carbonyl chemistry, including reactions like Aldol, Claisen, and Michael, which are fundamental concepts in organic synthesis
Explores aromaticity and benzene reactions, providing a comprehensive understanding of electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS)
Emphasizes applying fundamental principles over rote memorization, which promotes deeper understanding and problem-solving skills
Includes Grignard reagents and their reactions with carbonyl compounds, which are essential for carbon-carbon bond formation
Discusses protecting groups for carbonyls, which is a crucial technique for complex organic syntheses
Teaches the use of numbering, lettering, and coloring to track atom movement, which can be helpful for visualizing reaction mechanisms

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Reviews summary

Clear organic chemistry ii explanations

According to learners, this course offers exceptionally clear explanations for challenging topics like carbonyl chemistry and aromatic reactions. Students praise the instructor's ability to break down complex mechanisms and provide practical problem-solving tips, which many found very helpful for tackling synthesis problems. While the course is generally met with largely positive feedback, a few learners noted that the pace could be fast at times and that they wished for more practice problems to solidify their understanding.
Some desire more practice problems or different pace.
"I felt the pace was a bit fast in certain sections, requiring pauses and rewinding."
"Could benefit from more practice problems integrated within the lectures or as separate exercises."
"Sometimes the transition between topics felt a little abrupt."
"I needed to supplement with additional practice problems from other sources."
Effectively covers essential Org Chem II material.
"Covers all the essential topics needed for Organic Chemistry II, including carbonyls and aromaticity."
"This course is a great supplement to my university lectures."
"The content aligns well with a standard Organic Chemistry II curriculum."
"Successfully covered Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyl Chemistry in detail."
Strong coverage of synthesis topics.
"The segment on synthesis problems is particularly strong and well-explained."
"I struggled with synthesis before, but this course helped me master it."
"Excellent coverage of how to approach and solve synthesis problems, a key part of Org II."
"The systematic approach to synthesis was invaluable."
Provides useful strategies for solving problems.
"The problem solving tips and tricks shared in the course were extremely helpful for exams."
"This course gave me the tools I needed to approach synthesis problems confidently."
"Learning how to trace electron flow and number atoms made a huge difference in my problem solving."
"The methods for tackling synthesis problems are practical and effective."
Explanations are easy to follow and understand.
"The explanations given in this course are very clear and easy to understand."
"Instructor does a great job explaining the concepts clearly, making complex topics approachable."
"I finally understood the mechanisms thanks to the clear step-by-step breakdown provided."
"The videos clarify many concepts that were confusing from my textbook readings."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Organic Chemistry II - Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyls! with these activities:
Review Organic Chemistry I Concepts
Reinforce your understanding of fundamental organic chemistry concepts. A strong foundation in Organic Chemistry I will make grasping the reactions and mechanisms in this course much easier.
Browse courses on Isomerism
Show steps
  • Review your notes and textbook from Organic Chemistry I.
  • Work through practice problems focusing on nomenclature, resonance, and functional groups.
  • Identify areas where you feel weak and focus your review on those topics.
Read 'Organic Chemistry' by Paula Yurkanis Bruice
Supplement your learning with a well-regarded organic chemistry textbook. This book provides a comprehensive overview of organic chemistry principles and reactions.
Show steps
  • Read the chapters relevant to carbonyl chemistry and aromatic reactions.
  • Work through the example problems in the book.
  • Use the book as a reference when you encounter difficult concepts in the course.
Mechanism Drawing Practice
Improve your ability to draw accurate reaction mechanisms. This course relies heavily on understanding and drawing mechanisms for carbonyl and aromatic reactions.
Show steps
  • Select a reaction mechanism from the course material.
  • Draw the mechanism step-by-step, showing electron flow with arrows.
  • Compare your drawing to the correct mechanism and identify any errors.
  • Repeat this process with different reaction mechanisms.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create Flashcards for Key Reactions
Memorize key reactions and reagents through active recall. Flashcards are a great way to reinforce your understanding of the reactions covered in this course.
Show steps
  • Identify the most important reactions and reagents from each module.
  • Create flashcards with the reaction name or reagent on one side and the reaction mechanism or function on the other.
  • Review the flashcards regularly to reinforce your memory.
Synthesis Problem Challenge
Test your knowledge by tackling complex synthesis problems. Synthesis problems require you to apply your understanding of various reactions to design a multi-step synthesis.
Show steps
  • Find a set of challenging synthesis problems online or in a textbook.
  • Attempt to solve each problem, showing all steps and reagents.
  • Check your solutions against the correct answers and identify any mistakes.
  • Analyze your mistakes and review the relevant concepts.
Read 'Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis' by Kurti and Czako
Deepen your understanding of named reactions and their applications. This book provides detailed explanations of the mechanisms and uses of important named reactions.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Focus on the named reactions covered in the course, such as the Aldol reaction and Friedel-Crafts alkylation/acylation.
  • Read the sections on these reactions and pay attention to the mechanisms and applications.
  • Use the book as a reference when you encounter these reactions in synthesis problems.
Tutor Other Students
Solidify your understanding by explaining concepts to others. Teaching is a great way to reinforce your own knowledge and identify any gaps in your understanding.
Show steps
  • Offer to tutor other students in the course or in Organic Chemistry I.
  • Prepare for tutoring sessions by reviewing the relevant material.
  • Explain concepts clearly and answer questions patiently.
  • Reflect on your tutoring sessions and identify areas where you can improve your understanding.

Career center

Learners who complete Organic Chemistry II - Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyls! will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Organic Chemist
An organic chemist designs and synthesizes new organic molecules, often for applications in pharmaceuticals, materials science, or other industries. This course, with its focus on Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyls, is directly relevant. The coverage of carbonyl chemistry, including reactions, mechanisms, and reactivity, provides a strong foundation for understanding complex organic transformations. Furthermore, the detailed exploration of benzene reactions, including halogenation, nitration, and Friedel-Crafts reactions gives the would-be organic chemist insight into aromatic compounds and their reactions. Learning how to use techniques like numbering, lettering, and coloring would reinforce the skills needed to become an effective organic chemist.
Medicinal Chemist
A medicinal chemist applies the principles of chemistry to the design and development of new pharmaceutical drugs. A strong understanding of organic chemistry, particularly aromatic reactions and carbonyl chemistry, is essential. This course strengthens a medicinal chemist's knowledge of carbonyls as nucleophiles through reactions such as Aldol, Claisen, Michael, and Malonic Ester. The course's instruction on drawing electron flow for mechanisms helps the medicinal chemist understand drug interactions at a molecular level. Aromaticity and benzene reactions are also essential for understanding many drug structures.
Research Scientist
A research scientist designs and conducts experiments to investigate scientific phenomena and advance knowledge in a specific field. This course may be useful to a research scientist, especially those focusing on organic chemistry, drug discovery, or materials science. The course's detailed coverage of carbonyl chemistry, benzene reactions, and reaction mechanisms provides a strong foundation for designing and interpreting experiments. Learning how to apply fundamental principles to situations instead of tedious memorization enables the chemist to perform useful and novel research.
Pharmaceutical Scientist
A pharmaceutical scientist is involved in the research and development of new drugs and therapies. This may involve drug synthesis, formulation, analysis, and testing. This course is very helpful to someone who aims to be a pharmaceutical scientist. The course's emphasis on carbonyl chemistry and benzene reactions are common in pharmaceutical compounds. Understanding how to use lettering and coloring reinforces clear and effective practices in synthesis. Furthermore, the course's systematic approach to problem-solving, especially in synthesis, helps one become a more effective pharmaceutical scientist.
Process Development Chemist
A process development chemist is responsible for scaling up chemical reactions from the laboratory to industrial production. This course may be useful, as an understanding of aromatic reactions and carbonyl chemistry is important for optimizing reaction conditions and ensuring product quality. The course's systematic approach to problem-solving and mechanistic understanding helps the chemist troubleshoot and improve chemical processes. Furthermore, the course's emphasis on practical problem-solving tips helps one become a more effective process development chemist.
Toxicologist
A toxicologist studies the harmful effects of chemicals on living organisms. This course is helpful to a toxicologist because many toxic substances contain aromatic rings and carbonyl groups. The course's detailed information on benzene reactions enables the toxicologist to understand how these compounds are metabolized and detoxified in the body. The course's tips regarding problem solving are transferrable to toxicology.
Chemical Engineer
A chemical engineer applies the principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design and operate chemical processes. While chemical engineers often work with large-scale industrial processes, a solid understanding of organic chemistry is vital. This course, with its emphasis on Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyls, helps them understand the reactions and mechanisms underlying chemical processes, particularly those involving organic materials. The course may be useful if one works with reactions, such as halogenation and nitration.
Materials Scientist
A materials scientist researches and develops new materials with specific properties, often involving organic polymers and composites. This course may be useful to a materials scientist because aromaticity and benzene reactions can be essential for understanding the structure and reactivity of many polymers. Also, the course's coverage of carbonyl chemistry helps one understand the synthesis and modification of polymer structures. By warning learners about common stumbling blocks, the course helps someone become a more effective materials scientist.
Environmental Chemist
An environmental chemist studies the chemical processes that affect the environment and develops solutions to environmental problems. This course may be useful to an environmental chemist, since they often deal with organic pollutants and their degradation pathways. The course's coverage of aromatic compounds and their reactions, as well as carbonyl chemistry, helps them understand the fate and transport of many organic pollutants in the environment.
Food Chemist
A food chemist analyzes the chemical composition of food products and studies how processing and storage affect their quality and safety. This course may be useful to a food chemist because many food components, such as flavor compounds and preservatives, contain carbonyl groups and aromatic rings. The course's detailed coverage of carbonyl chemistry enables the chemist to understand the reactions that occur during food processing. Likewise, the course's lessons on benzene reactions help one understand the fate of aromatic compounds in food.
Formulation Chemist
A formulation chemist develops and optimizes the composition of chemical products, such as paints, coatings, adhesives, and cosmetics. This course may be useful to a formulation chemist. The course's lessons on aromaticity and benzene reactions are relevant because these compounds are often used as solvents or additives. The course's lessons on carbonyls may be useful, as carbonyl-containing compounds are found in several product formulations. The course's practical problem-solving tips are also helpful.
Science Teacher
A science teacher educates students in scientific principles and concepts. This course is helpful to a science teacher, especially one who teaches organic chemistry. The course's clear and concise explanations of complex concepts, as well as its use of visual aids, helps one explain organic chemistry to students in an engaging way. Furthermore, the course's emphasis on problem-solving skills helps the teacher prepare students for exams and research.
Biochemist
A biochemist studies the chemical processes that occur in living organisms. This course may be useful to a biochemist, as many biological molecules, such as amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, contain carbonyl groups. The course's detailed coverage of carbonyl chemistry enables the biochemist to understand the reactions that these molecules undergo in biological systems. Also, aromatic rings are key components of amino acids and nucleotide bases.
Patent Attorney
A patent attorney prosecutes patent applications and advises clients on intellectual property matters. A strong background in organic chemistry is helpful for a patent attorney specializing in chemical inventions. This course in particular may be useful. The course's detailed lessons on carbonyl chemistry and benzene reactions helps one understand the nuances of chemical synthesis. Furthermore, the course's emphasis on mechanistic understanding helps the attorney analyze the patentability of chemical inventions.
Science Writer
A science writer communicates scientific information to a general audience through articles, blog posts, and other media. This course may be useful to a science writer who covers topics related to chemistry. The course's clear and concise explanations of complex concepts, as well as its emphasis on visual aids like numbering, lettering, and coloring, helps one communicate information effectively to readers. The course's systematic approach to problem-solving may be useful.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Organic Chemistry II - Aromatic Reactions and Carbonyls!.

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