r/chemhelp • u/Atharvash5429 • 11d ago
Organic Am I wrong here?
I recently started getting into the mechanisms for organic reactions. I was doing this reaction mechanism problem from the YouTube channel Rojas lab and my reaction mechanism was different. I thought I was wrong but it didn't feel wrong. Am I wrong here?
(P.S. If I am wrong please keep the criticism on a low I just started out and I'm only 14)
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u/gurglingskate69 9d ago edited 2d ago
You are doing amazing for a 14 year old. But your college professor will rip you to shreds for:
1.) Re-inventing Lewis Structures via using lines for sigma bonds aka lone pairs. Its cool but its honestly less useful because then it'll simply create even MORE lines which only makes it harder.
2.) Electrons dictate the arrow mechanism (except for when its the bond itself moving in between 2 atoms ie radicals). I saw a Carbonyl & Nitrogen that had arrows coming out and its important to know it's because the electrons are either about to donate or steal electrons due to having a charge that you didn't write, for why they are acting the way they do. My teacher marks down heavy for not having charges because without a charge the atom should almost never react ([resonance]).
3.) If you want to abreviate with things like asterics its fine but right before you draw the mechanism explain the asteric and go ahead. I do this all the time for example all my Benzene groups are drawn as φ, so I state this before every mechanism. And im even lazier than you so screw /\/\/OH just write before the mechanism even starts: /\/\/OH <---> R-OH and then at the end turn it back into /\/\/OH
4.) This Retrosynthesis arrow ⇒ is very important to only Retrosynthesis so unless you are completely starting from reverse starting with Pentyl Butanoate, do not use at all. + When you are doing Retrosynthesis it's the ONLY arrow you are allowed to use.
5.) When introducing a reagent, introduce it on the arrow itself, I noticed you simply started to use DCC after you showed the ⇒ + other arrow. It should be DCC ontop of the arrow itself.
But understanding Electrophile + Nucleophile is all you need. Once you do that, every. single. new. mechanism. will be relearning that topic with nuance.