<p>First off are they really as bad as their reputation. Secondly I realize this question may seem kind of redundant but which is harder. I am thinking maybe after getting through org. chem I you may get the hang of it and org chem II becomes easier to understand?</p>
<p>Organic chemistry in its various incarnations, I and II at some schools, I,II and III at others, is one of the disciplines used to "winnow out" the herd of pre-meds. It sends prospective chemistry majors scurrying for the Business departments. It makes mentally tough engineering students weep.Physics majors ae offended by its lack of a unifying theory. It is so hard it makes National Merit Finalists feel intellectually inadequate. It is possibly the least systematic and most incomprehensible of all the hard sciences. If you cut one class or let your attention falter for an instant you will miss something that you need to learn the subsequent material. </p>
<p>Many private prep schools and some excellent public schools are offering an introduction to organic chemistry for high school students. This gives these students a significant and nearly unbeatable "edge" in the college course. If you have not been blessed with access to such a course, God help you. You are really going to have to put in some time to do well. No one takes this course who does not need to do well in it so competition for grades is extreme. Do not accept offers of food or drink from your classmates in this course. </p>
<p>Oh yes, your question. If you work at it, some of the latter sections do come easier. I thought the middle sections were hardest. </p>
<p>The point of this little tirade is that you should not take this course lightly. Schedule carefully. Budget your time wisely. Live like a monk devoting your life to study until this most difficult obstacle is overcome.</p>
<p>im frightened :(
i need to take both orgo I and II in my future major</p>
<p>Orgo at my school doesn't have that bad of a reputation. To quote a micro-biology major, "It's just a lot of memorization."</p>
<p>I just finished my first semester of honors ochem and I'm currently in my second. I found that ochem is pretty easy. The key is to think about the reactions and whats going on. DO NOT JUST MEMORIZE. If you do it will be an unpleasant experience involving a lot of note cards. Ochem is not as bad as BigG makes it sound.</p>
<p>Its a cakewalk...</p>
<p>I agree, don't memorize. If you get a 'feel' for how everything is supposed to flow and act then you won't have any problems...the only things you'll have to memorize are solvents pretty much. Orgo II builds on Orgo I. It's all cumulative! So if you skimp it in Orgo I, you're not gonna do well in II.</p>
<p>I like watching the pre-meds fail at it though :)</p>
<p>Ochem is really not that bad as long as you study and keep up with it. I also do not recommend memorizing because that really doesn't help you in the long run. When it comes to mechanisms and arrow pushing, you want to know what the reaction happens the way it does and why a nucleophile would attack a certain electrophilic site for example. Sure memorization seems easy to do but as I said, you want to understand how and why a reaction happens the way it does. For example mCPBA creates an epoxide from cyclohexene and ya, that's easy to memorize but if I ask you to show the mechanism for that, can you? My advice is just to always work out the mechanisms and ask yourself "Do I understand what I just did? Do I understand why this particular nucleophile attacks that particular electrophile?"</p>
<p>
[quote]
Organic chemistry in its various incarnations, I and II at some schools, I,II and III at others, is one of the disciplines used to "winnow out" the herd of pre-meds. It sends prospective chemistry majors scurrying for the Business departments. It makes mentally tough engineering students weep.Physics majors ae offended by its lack of a unifying theory. It is so hard it makes National Merit Finalists feel intellectually inadequate. It is possibly the least systematic and most incomprehensible of all the hard sciences. If you cut one class or let your attention falter for an instant you will miss something that you need to learn the subsequent material.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>that is a pretty epic explanation. I was waiting for the part where orgo kills the entire world and makes a joke out of all humans.</p>
<p>whats a nucleophile and such ahhhhhhhhh
im screwed :(</p>
<p>Really though, don't worry about those now, you will learn about them soon enough and by that I don't mean that hell will come on to you soon enough. Like I said, ochem really isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. And remember, ochem builds upon itself (so ya, you need to know ochem I to do well in ochem II) so knowing the basics of ochem is a must before you start doing reactions.</p>
<p>Can someone please answer what do these courses specifically involve? Where do they start off? Inductive and mesomeric effects? Later, earlier?</p>
<p>^ inductive effects and resonance should have already been covered in gen chem or inorganic. As far as effects and stability, they introduce conjugation. It's mainly reactions though. Knowing what solvents and reactants will give you a certain isomer and such. Energies of rxn's. Aromaticity. IUPAC nomenclature...its a pretty broad subject so its hard to list specifically what organic involves.</p>
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Can someone please answer what do these courses specifically involve? Where do they start off? Inductive and mesomeric effects? Later, earlier?
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<p>I'm sure if you poke around the internet you can find some syllabi for whatever class you are looking for</p>