So the plan was simple. I’d get my work done, and on the side, I’d post some things to this site. Simple, but flawed. My biggest problem was thinking that I’d fully understand Thermodynamics and Organic Chemistry on the first go. So instead, I’m gonna bring you all along for the ride. Hopefully, with a more regimented study plan, I’d not only get more studying done, but I’d upload some more content up to this site.

Organic Chemistry

I need to have learned the following topics by Wednesday, February 19th:

  • Structure and physical properties of carbonyl-containing compounds
  • Synthesis of carbonyls (oxidation and reduction reactions)
  • Reactions of carbonyls with acids and bases
  • Additions to carbonyls
    • Irreversible. Grignard and organolithium reagents.
    • Reversible. Weaker nucleophiles like H2O in hydration reactions
  • Witting reactions and mechanism
  • Stereochemistry of additions
    • Torsional-Strain Model
    • Felkin-Ahn Model
  • Anomeric Effect
  • Acetal formation (aka protection of carbonyls)
  • Imines
  • pKa of carboxylic acids
  • Hydrolysis and esterification reactions
  • Lactonizations

I’ll be honest. I have no idea what any of these terms mean, but I guess that just lets me improve more in a week.

Thermodynamics

So I’m not certain if I’ve said this before, but I’m currently studying Chemical Engineering. At my school, we have a separate class for Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, so what I’m telling you may not directly apply to you. But here’s what’s up:

  • First Law of Thermodynamics (Chapter 2)
  • Volumetric Properties fo Fluids (Chapter 3)
  • Heat Effects (Chapter 4)
  • Second Law of Thermodynamics (Chapter 5)
  • Thermodynamics of Fluids (Chapter 6)

6 chapters… not great, but not terrible.

My Takeaway

Looks like a lot…. and, yeah, it is. I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve been so thoroughly confused about any topic, let alone two of them. If I were to take the test today, I’d likely fail. Right now, the only things I really know are that Entropy is a state function and that carboxylic acids can be reduced to alcohols… I think.

But it’s fine. I have a week to finish this. It’s like my chem professor once told me: If you want to be successful, you’re gonna need ignorance, arrogance, luck, and a whole lotta hard work. Lucky for me, I’ve got the first two.