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ORGANIC CHEMISTRY · EXAM PREPARATION

Organic Chemistry Foundations Review

Review electron flow, acidity, resonance, valence, and reaction reasoning.

Step-by-step teachingPractice + explanationsPrintable review

1. Understand the Concept

Accurate structures and electron bookkeeping are the foundation of mechanism prediction. Arrow tails start at electrons, valence must be preserved, and charges should balance across a transformation.

Your goal: Review electron flow, acidity, resonance, valence, and reaction reasoning.

2. Step-by-Step Exam Strategy

1. Check atom and charge bookkeeping

Ensure the correct atom, formal charge, and molecular formula before proposing a product.

2. Follow electrons with arrows

Start at a lone pair or bond; end at an atom or bond location that receives the electrons.

3. Evaluate acid–base feasibility

Lower pKa means stronger acid; compare the acid on each side of a proton-transfer equilibrium.

4. Apply structure–reactivity trends

Use resonance, inductive effects and steric access to justify mechanism preferences.

3. Visual Reference

fundamentals chemistry exam reasoning diagram
A concise original teaching visual; follow the complete reasoning above for individual cases.

4. Worked Example

Apply the method

Degree of unsaturation for C₆H₆

Ignoring oxygen and sulfur in the standard neutral formula, DBE = (2C + 2 − H)/2 = (12 + 2 − 6)/2 = 4. Benzene contains one ring and three π bonds.

5. Common Mistakes

  • Drawing a curved arrow from a positive charge rather than an electron source.
  • Assuming low pKa means a weak acid.
  • Ignoring the carbon valence limit when drawing intermediates.

6. Practice & Reinforcement

Try the interactive questions below. In Practice mode, each answer includes an explanation. In Mock Exam mode, explanations appear after submitting the full set.

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