Organic Chemistry Concepts and Mechanisms

Converting Between Fischer, Haworth, and Chair Forms of Carbohydrates

Organic Chemistry Concepts and Mechanisms

In this post I want to go over the three most typical forms of the carbohydrates: Fischer projection for the open-chain molecules, Haworth projections focusing on cyclic pyranoses, and your regular chair conformations. While other structures are possible (and you’re definitely going to encounter them in your course), I’m specifically going to be focusing on …

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Formal Charges

Organic Chemistry Concepts and Mechanisms

Formal charges in organic chemistry is, perhaps, one of the most fundamental bookkeeping devices which is often misunderstood or neglected by students. Why Formal Charges are Important in Organic Chemistry? Knowing formal charges can help us understand the reactivity patterns in reactions, find reactive centers, and make sense out of electron flow in the mechanisms. …

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What is the Difference Between a Transition State and an Intermediate?

Organic Chemistry Concepts and Mechanisms

Understanding the difference between the transition state and an intermediate will help you in drawing the mechanisms, explaining the mechanistic differences, and understanding what exactly is going on in the reaction. So, let’s start by looking at the picture that, I’m sure, you have seen quite a few times by now: On this diagram we …

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