Organic Chemistry - TPR Review Questions Flashcards

1
Q

Explain the difference between sigmaandpi bonds

A

Sigma: single bonds (result of end-to-end overlap of orbitals)

Pi: double bonds and triple bonds (result of side-to-side overlap of orbitals)

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2
Q

Explain the difference between sp-, sp2-, and sp3-hybridized carbon atoms

A

sp-

two groups bonded 180 degrees apart

sp2-

three groups bonded 120 degrees apart

sp3-

four groups bonded 109.5 degrees apart

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3
Q
A
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4
Q

Name three functional groups that have delocalized electrons

A

All carbonyl containing groups:

Ester

Amide

Carboxylic Acid

Acid Anhydride

Acid Halide

Aldehyde

Ketone

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5
Q

To what term does unsaturated refer to

A

An unsaturated molecule contains one or more rings or a pi bond resulting in less than maximum hydrogens

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6
Q

Rank the four possible types of alky carbocations from least stable to most stable:

A

(least)

Unsubstituted (methyl)

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

(most)

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7
Q

What must be present for resonance to occur?

A

A pi bond so that electrons can be delocalized

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8
Q

What is a chiral center?

A

A carbon atom bearing 4 different substituents

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9
Q

Explain the difference between:

structural isomers

conformational isomers

stereoisomers

A

structural isomers

two molecules with same molecular formula but different connectivities

conformational isomers

same molecular formula but differ in rotations about single bond

stereoisomers

same molecular formula, same connectivities, but groups differ in spacial arrrangements in molecule

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10
Q

What is a different name for geometric isomers?

A

Geometric isomers are a type of diastereomer. They can also be referred to as cis/trans isomers about a double bond or ring.

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11
Q

What are the two types of stereoisomers?

What are the differences?

A

geometric isomers

optical isomers

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12
Q

What is the most stable conformation of methylcyclohexane?

A

The chair form with an equatorial methyl group

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13
Q

What is a racemic mixture?

A

A mixture of enantiomers that are in equal proportions (50/50) and thus do not reflect plane polarized light (no optical activity)

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14
Q

What is a nucleophile?

What is an electrophile?

A

A nucleophile is a species that is electron rich and is attracted to something that is electron deficient to donate a pair of electrons to. It usually has either a full or a partial negative charge associated with it and/or a lone pair of electrons.

An electrophile is a species that is electron deficient, so it is attracted to an electron rich species. It usually has either a full or partial positive charge associated with it.

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15
Q

What is a Lewis Acid?

What is a Lewis Base?

A

A Lewis Acid is an electron-pair acceptor (or an electrophile)

A Lewis Base is an electron-pair donor (or a nucleophile)

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16
Q

What is a leaving group? What makes something a good leaving group?

A

A leaving group is a stable species that detaches itself from a molecule with its electron pair during the course of a reaction

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17
Q

Is inversion of configuration seen in an SN1 or an SN2 reaction? Which yields a racemic mixture of products?

A

An inversion of configuration is seen in an SN2 reaction; and an SN1 reaction yields a racemic mixture

Why?

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18
Q

WIll a more substituted substrate favor the SN1 or the SN2 mechanism?

A

SN1, because the first step is the formation of a carbocation, and more substituted carbocations are more stable

19
Q

Is the rate of the SN1 or the SN​2 mechanism dependent on the nucleophile concentration? Choose one.

A

The SN​2 mechanism is dependent on the rate of the nucleophile concentration

Why? Why isn’t the SN1?

20
Q

What types of isomers are tautomers?

A

Tautomers are structural isomers

Tautomers are isomers of a compound which differ only in the position of the protons and electrons. The carbon skeleton of the compound is unchanged. A reaction which involves simple proton transfer in an intramolecular fashion is called a tautomerism.

21
Q

What is an acetal? What is a hemiacetal?

A

Acetals contain two –OR groups, one –R group and a –H atom. In hemiacetals, one of the –OR groups in acetals is replaced by a –OH group.

Hemiacetal is an intermediate chemical compound formed during the chemical process of acetal formation. Therefore, these two groups have a slight difference in their chemical structure. In detail, the central carbon atom in both of these compounds is a sp3-C atom bonded to four bonds, and out of these four bonds, only one bonding type is different.

22
Q

Fill in the blanks

A
23
Q

Fill in the blanks (acetal/hemiacetal)

A
24
Q

Fill in the blanks (acetal and hemiacetal formation)

A
25
Q

FIll in blanks (acetal/hemiacetal)

A
26
Q

Fill in blanks (acetal/hemiacetal)

A
27
Q

What is a hydride? How does it differ from a proton? How does it differ from a hydrogen atom?

A

A hydride is H:-

A proton is H+

A Hydrogen is H•

(the hydrogen atom is a hydrogen radical)

28
Q

What is an imine?

A

An imine is a the nitrogen equivalent to a ketone or aldehyde

NCRRR or NHCRR

29
Q

What type of mechanism is the saponification of a triglyceride?

A

Saponification is an addition-elimination reaction

30
Q

Name the carboxylic acid derivatives from least to most reactive:

A

(Least Reactive)

amide

ester

acid anhydride

acid halide

(Most Reactive)

31
Q

Give the approximate infrared stretching frequencies for the following functional groups:

a) O-H
b) C=O
c) C=C

A

a) O-H - 3200-3600 cm-1
b) C=O - 1700 cm-1
c) C=C - 1650 cm-1

32
Q

What structural information does an infrared spectrum show?

A

The functional groups present in a molecule

33
Q

What does splitting in a 1H NMR spectrum indicate? What does the number of signals in the spectrum show?

A

Splitting: the number of nonequivalent hydrogens on adjacent carbon atoms;

Number of Signals: The number of nonequivalent hydrogens in the molecule

34
Q

Are molecules with five or fewer carbon atoms that also bear a polar functional group more soluble in the aqueous or the organic layer in an extraction?

A

They are more soluble in aqueous layer

(think of something with 5 or fewer carbon atoms and a polar group as something that is polar, therefore it would interact with water better)

35
Q

What functional groups can be manipulated in an extraction to alter the solubility of a molecule?

A

Carboxylic acids

Phenols (ArOH)

Amines

36
Q

Do polar molecules or nonpolar molecules have lower Rf values in a TLC experiment?

A

Rf = distance traveled by solute/distance of solvent front

Polar molecules have lower Rf values

The stronger a compound is bound to the adsorbent , the slower it moves up the TLC plate. Non-polar compounds move up the plate most rapidly (higher Rf value), whereas polar substances travel up the TLC plate slowly or not at all (lower Rf value).

37
Q

For each of the following chromatographic techniques, name the property or properties that is (are) key to the function of this technique:

a) TLC
b) GC
c) SEC
d) affinity chromatography
e) ion-exchange chromatography

A

a) TLC - Polarity
b) GC - Polarity and Boiling Point
c) SEC - Size
d) affinity chromatography - IMF (intermolecular forces)
e) ion-exchange chromatography - Charge and Size

38
Q

Using R for the side chain, write the general structure of an amino acid.

A

(see image)

39
Q

Are animal amino acids in the D or in the L configuration?

A

In the L-Configuration

40
Q

What are two common techniques used to synthesize amino acids?

A

The Strecker and Gabriel-malonic ester syntheses

(mcat-review.org says no longer a topic on MCAT. Double check this…)

41
Q

Which of the two functional groups of an amino acid is more basic?

A

The amino group

42
Q

What is the pKa of the carboxylic acid of an amino acid?

A

Carboxylic acid is ~ 2

Amino is ~ 10

43
Q

What are the two common names for the bond linking two amino acid residues together in a protein?

A

Amide Bond

Peptide Bond

44
Q

In carbohydrates, in their pyranose form, the anomeric carbon is part of what functional group?

A

The anomeric carbon is part of a hemiacetal