Hi everyone! I’ve been reading through your survey responses for the eliminations chapter. We’ll be reviewing how you’re doing in class and how you do on the post-test tomorrow to design review time on Monday. In the meantime I wanted to point you to the Mastering Organic Chemistry website. This site is run by a Ph.D. organic chemist who loves teaching. There are all kinds of fantastic explanations of various aspects of organic chemistry available for free. He has additional items available for purchase, but his free materials are excellent. If you’re still struggling please check this out. I promise I won’t be offended if his explanations work better for you than mine. Everyone learns differently, so I absolutely believe in providing you with as many alternative resources as possible. It’s all about what helps you!
Tutor Review Session!
A message from your friendly department tutors:
The Organic Chemistry Department Tutors will be holding a review session
for Dr. Link’s upcoming Final. It will be held on FRIDAY,
JULY 26th in PCB 1100 from 4-6 PM, and will have problems on
Chapter 1-8.Our website is http://sites.uci.edu/ochemtutors/ssi-2013-chem-51a/, and
review
packets will be provided.Thanks and best of luck studying for the upcoming final!
Sincerely,
Catie, Michael, Caleb, and Ryan
Visualization of Reactions in 3D
Here is a website that is very helpful with seeing both substitutions and eliminations in 3D. It uses computer generated models to show the steps of the reactions.
If you have trouble imagining things in 3D then go here and explore:
Quiz 5
Quiz 5 key is up.
Partial credit for the mechanism problem WAS given for doing Sn2 (should have been Sn1) but ONLY if the transition state for your Sn2 mechanism was also correct.
Mechanism Notes:
- If a carbocation can be stabilized then it can go through a Sn1 mechanism!
- PRACTICE ARROW PUSHING MECHANISMS: Arrows start only at lone pairs and atoms and end at atoms or bonds. Keep track of where electrons are actually going when you draw a mechanism – what is the consequence of what you have drawn.
- If the nucleophile is already protonated (i.e. EtOH or H2O) then it must eventually be DEprotonated. They do not exist as free ions in solution (Et+/ OH- or H+/OH- {WRONG})
- Deprotonation occurs after the substitution step not in the same step.
- A transition state is NOT an intermediate: This must include dotted lines where bonds are being broken and formed AND partial charges.
Midterms Are Back!
The midterms are in your dropboxes. Please address grading questions to Juliet.
A note about the keys: There are few mistakes in the answer keys that are posted online. These mistakes are NOT present in the keys used to grade the exam!
Missing Glasses (Request from Classmate!)
Please see the note below from your classmate. Contact him at aazadgan@uci.edu
I left my prescription glasses in lecture on 07/17 in BS3 1200. I’m blind
without them. Is there a way to make an announcement to the class via
email in case anyone picked them up? Unfortunately they are not cheap.Description: Black RayBan prescription glasses with green on the inside of
the frame, black on the outside in a black RayBan case. I’ll even offer a
reward to whoever has them.
SN1 Videos (Updated)
UPDATE: The problems should be fixed now.
I’ve had some reports of trouble accessing the SN1 videos, so I pulled them and am working on fixing the problem ASAP. For now make sure you read the sections on SN1 mechanism in the textbook. I’ll add to this post with the problem is fixed (most likely tomorrow morning).
Quiz 3, Exam Key, Class Grades
Quiz 3 files are now available.
Graded exam files should be available by the end of the week.
The exam key is now posted. Both versions are in the same file.
The class is curved, but individual quiz/exam scores are not. Your overall points will be added up and adjusted to account for the percentage that the particular item is of the overall grade. Letter grade cutoffs will be determined based on a curve. The mean is approximately a C or C+. Then extra credit earned from survey participation and pre-/post-test will be added to individual scores.
Exam Seating Issue (IMPORTANT!!!)
We had several people sitting in seats other than those that were assigned without explicit permission to do so. This is ABSOLUTELY not allowed. For the final exam anyone found sitting in a seat that was not assigned to them without having permission will have a zero on the final. Period. You have been warned.
Missing your ID?
I have three IDs. I’ll bring them to class on Wednesday. If you think I might have yours and you need it sooner, you can contact me.