I revisited this topic when studying for the DAT. Chad’s videos listed in the Organic Chemistry Tools article will help a lot. SRS is handy here for memorizing the frequencies for IR and NMR, which is the really difficult part of the topic.

IR

SRS cards should be made for all of the relevant bonds for the course.

Front: C=O IR Frequency: […]

Back: C=O IR Frequency: 1700

Front: N-H IR Frequency: […]

Back: N-H IR Frequency: 3400

 

As a bonus it would be great to even include an example picture in the answer field. Especially useful for distinct bonds like a carboxylic –OH, aromatic waves around 2000, and carbonyl.

Instead of just throwing an IR spectrum into the question field and requiring an answer, try putting an IR spectrum in with an arrow (can be done in MS-paint) asking for the structure it is referring to. This follows the idea of breaking information up into smaller pieces.

I still advocate doing practice problems for IR. It is strange at first and becomes natural with time. Again, the hardest part is memorizing the frequencies.

NMR

Same idea as the IR to memorize all of the frequencies. Also include example problems.

Front: 

               […#] C NMR Peaks

Back:

               4 C NMR Peaks

             Identical carbons

Front:

               […#] H NMR peaks

Back:

              5 H NMR peaks

 

If it seems like it would take a long time to make these cards, the time is quickly made up given how fast the strong memory is made – and how easy it is to review. A small effort now gives back many times over with SRS. Also, making the cards is part of the learning process!

Putting NMR graph examples into the SRS may help. Maybe someone could try it out and post in the comments how it goes.

This covers IR/NMR. Have some more helpful tips? Leave a comment and let us know.

Stereochemistry is different enough from normal organic chemistry to warrant its own article. The best approach I found to stereochemistry is utilizing the Organic Chemistry as a Second Language, Chad’s videos, and lots of practice problems. Information on these can be found in the Tools for Organic Chemistry article.

The first time I truly ‘got’ stereochemistry to the point it stuck was after watching Chad’s videos, taking notes, and putting the examples he draws on the board into the SRS. His explanations are extremely helpful and his examples are clever.

Memorizing examples in the SRS finally made stereochemistry ‘click’ for me. When taking the DAT my memory immediately shot back to the examples in the SRS and it became easy.

Basic Stereochemistry Fact

This model is similar to a regular basic fact.

Front: The highest priority group has the […] atomic number

Back: The highest priority group has the greatest atomic number

 

Front: SN2 reactions […] stereochemistry

Back: SN2 reactions invert stereochemistry

 

Front: […SN] reaction creates racemic mixture

Back: SN1 reaction creates racemic mixture

 

Front: […] mixture is a mixture of R- and S- stereoisomers

Back: Racemic mixture is a mixture of R- and S- stereoisomers

 

Front: Racemic mixture is a mixture of […]

Back: Racemic mixture is a mixture of R- and S- stereoisomers

There will likely be less basic facts than examples given the visual nature of stereochemistry.

Example Cards

The bulk of stereochemistry. Again, Chad’s videos have great examples and I recommend watching and pulling those.

Front:

                                           […]

Back:

                                       Diastereomers

Front:

                 Which C is chiral?

Back:

                Which C is chiral?

                 4 different substituents

 

Note the use of an extra note. This helps sometimes to ensure the answer was reasoned correctly.

Front: 

                […]-Configuration

Back:

                R-Configuration

           H in front inverts answer

This will handle stereoisomer information. I believe the practice problems and SRS together quickly build a strong understanding of stereochemistry. Also, Chad’s videos!

In addition to the SRS there are many helpful tools to help get through Organic Chemistry. These are all tools I used while in Organic Chemistry or while studying for the DAT.

Organic Chemistry as a Second Language introduces concepts in a fair and understandable way. I found it essential and took the place of a tutor. Working through confusions instead of having it taught to me gave me a great understanding of the material.

Chad’s Organic Chemistry videos are made for MCAT/DAT review, and they are helpful for anyone currently in the course. They helped me a lot when I was studying for the DAT and I wish I had them for the MCAT and while I was in Organic Chemistry. If the video is having trouble playing try using VLC Video Player. Copy the things Chad writes on the board onto a piece of paper, then put the examples and facts into the SRS. (Note 8/23/10: Chad’s videos have recently become pay-to-access. I have been told they are updated and higher quality than before. The old videos were worth the asking price, so I imagine the updated ones contain as much or more value. If you have experience with it please post in the comments.)

Using printer paper instead of loose leaf paper. A stack of several hundred will cost a few dollars. The lines on loose leaf paper can be mentally constricting and get in the way of the material. I only realized how beneficial this after making the switch. A clever person shared this idea with me.

Practice problems from the book are usually good hints to what may come on an exam. Before I began using SRS to study I would do problems over and over again until I could barely think. Creatively putting them into the SRS using the Organic Chemistry models will save time and brain frying. If there is a solutions book to the textbook, I recommend that as well. Costs less than taking the class again!

Going to class

Some people like the rubber/plastic models. I used mine to make animal shapes. They may help when tackling stereochemistry.

A cool trick I found to quickly count carbons:

  Since the carbon chain is “open”, having one terminal carbon “up” and the other “down”, we know it is an even number of carbons.

 

Each circled bar is two carbons. Four bars = 8 carbons.

 

  Since the carbon chain is “closed” in that it begins and ends at the same side, we know there is an odd number of carbons.

Each circled “bar” is 2 carbons. Count the number of bars and add one. Five carbons!

Organic Chemistry is famous for being the ‘weed-out’ class at universities. Horror stories are thrown around all the time. The reality is that it is a regular class with a different type of material to learn. It only takes more effort than a comparable-level science course because moving electrons and atoms around is a new concept and ‘feeling’.

For understanding Organic Chemistry I recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language by David Klein. It was with me every time I studied Organic Chemistry I and helped make sense of the new ideas and techniques necessary to complete Organic Chemistry problems. $30 is a reasonable price for the book considering a tutor could charge $20 for one hour.

Organic Chemistry is different. The best approach I have found is to utilize good In-Class Techniques, SRS cards, and practice problems. This is the class where I realized the benefits of removing oneself from the competition loop and avoiding complaining. It would be helpful to read both of those articles before practicing the information found in this one. Also check out the basic class models for a better understanding of making cards.

To solve and understand Organic Chemistry thoroughly, it is necessary to memorize the information. Fortunately with SRS this is fast and easy. While it is necessary to ‘understand’ Organic Chemistry, it is impossible to reason through problems without having many other reactions and information memorized. This makes SRS a perfect tool to learn Organic Chemistry with.

As another note, the program I use for all of these drawings and for making SRS cards is called ChemSketch. It is free and easy to use. Instructions on how to use it for SRS purposes is found in the article Organic Chemistry: Using ChemSketch to Make Molecule Drawings.

Basic Reactions

The basic reaction cards will be the most common. They are simple and effective. Simply make the full reaction and place it in the “Back” slot on the card. Occlude the part of the reaction that you want to memorize and place that picture in the “Front”. This is usually the reagent or product. Sometimes it is good to make two cards, one with the reagent occluded and one with the product occluded.

Front:

Back: 

Front:

Back:

Practice problems are a great source of example reactions! I found it is useful to just keep it to one reaction per card. To do long synthesis problems it is important to just know the smaller reactions that they list.

Basic Facts

Organic Chemistry does have some basic facts to memorize. Most of these deal with SN1/SN2, E1/E2 material – and some stereochemistry. Remember to stick to one fact per card.

Front: SN2 prefers […] solvents

Back: SN2 prefers protic solvents

Front: […amount] substituted alkenes are more stable

Back: More substituted alkenes are more stable

Front: Ground-state Nitrogen has […#] bonds

Back: Ground-state Nitrogen has 3 bonds

Reaction with Detail

To memorize the name of a reaction simply include it below the picture of the reaction.

Front:

                                                          […]

Back: 

                                                   Hydroboration

Reaction Mechanisms

Reaction mechanisms are doable in the SRS. I believe they are best learned by using the SRS in conjunction with writing the information out and never making mistakes. Cards can be made for each step of long reaction mechanisms. Here is a simple example:

Front:

Back:

These models will make it through most of Organic Chemistry. For more specific topics check out the articles on Stereochemistry and IR/NMR Readings.