The Bridge To Organic Chemistry: Concepts and Nomenclature

Book Preface

Organic chemistry is conceptually very organized and logical, primarily as a result of the mechanistic approach adopted by virtually all authors of modern organic textbooks. It continues, however, to present diffi culties for many students. We believe that these diffi culties stem from two major sources. The fi rst is the need for constant, everyday study of lecture notes and textbook with paper and pencil in hand. The second is related to the integrated, hierarchical nature of organic chemistry. Many students become quickly lost simply because their knowledge of bonding, structure, and reactivity from their fi rst course in chemistry is weak or simply forgotten. Concepts such as structural isomerism, Lewis formulas, hybridization, and resonance are generally a part of the fi rst – year curriculum and play a very important role in modern organic chemistry. Organic nomenclature must be quickly mastered along with the critical skill of “ electron pushing. ”

The objective of this short text is to help students review important concepts from the introductory chemistry course or to learn them for the fi rst time. Whenever possible, these concepts are cast within the context of organic chemistry. We attempt to introduce electron pushing early and use it throughout. Nomenclature is treated in some detail, but divided into sections so that instructors can easily indicate portions they deem to be most important. In the last chapter we provide an introduction to mechanisms that utilizes many of the concepts introduced earlier — Lewis acid – base chemistry, rate laws, enthalpy changes, bond energies and electronegativities, substituent effects, structure, stereochemistry, and, of course, the visualization of electron flow through the electron – pushing model. Hence, the chapter shows the value of certain types of reasoning and concepts and contains analyses not commonly found in organic texts.

The text is designed for study either early in the organic course or, preferably, prior to the beginning of the course as a bridge between the introductory course and the organic course. Because the text is designed to be interactive, it is essential that the student study each question carefully, preferably with the answer covered to thwart the ever – present tendency to “ peek. ” After careful consideration of each question using pen and paper, the answer can then be viewed and studied. In this bridge between introductory and organic chemistry we have made a serious effort to review topics as the reader progresses through the text and to focus on important concepts rather than simply to expose the student to different types of organic reactions.

The authors are indebted to Dr. Ronald Hess (Ursinus College), Dr. David Horn (Goucher College), Dr. Anne Reeve (Messiah College), Dr. Edward Fenlon (Franklin and Marshall College), Audrey Stokes, Brittney Graff, Victoria Weidner, Chelsea Kauffman, Mallory Gordon, Allison Griffi th, and William Hancock – Cerutti for helpful suggestions.