My study poem

Well, I'm sitting on campus bored, and I should be studying. But do I want to? Noooooooo! So I decided to write this little poem to ease my boredom and it pertains to a class...so it counts, right?

Reactions, Reactions, Reactions

Organic chemistry, how I loathe thee

Everytime you show yourself.

Your mechanisms and bonds and molecules

Make my life a living hell.

Yet though I hate you

With more passion known to man,

With the help of this poem

An A on this midterm I will land.

SN1 substitution reactions are a thorn in my side

With their special reaction rates.

With two steps and rearrangements possible,

An alkyl halide they make.

SN2 reactions are similar, but slightly more simple

Than those of SN1.

With only 1 step and 1 simple product

My work is quickly done.

When identifying the type of reaction

Remember this simple rule:

SN1 is a poor nucleophile, and SN2 anionic and good.

This is your greatest tool.

Alkane reactions are simple

And even sometimes fun.

But when alkenes undergo elminination

Their double bonds come undone.

When dealing with elimination reactions
Zaitzev's Rule is applied.
Take from the beta-hydrogen with the least H's
And a good grade on your midterm, you will not be denied.

E1 elimination reactions

Also have a multiple step rate.

Removing beta-hydrogens

An alkene product they make.

E2 elimination reactions, as with SN2

Are more simply done.

With one single step, and a (usually) predictable product

These reactions could be considered fun.

E1 and E2 reactions

Have something special one must keep in mind:

Different isomers are possible,

Cis and trans being those two kinds.

Cis has the highest priority groups

On the "z"ame side.

Trans has them opposite

Clearly as a result of pride.

There is one special rule

When dealing with E2,

If only one beta-hydrogen exists

Only one isomer exists too.

Cycloalkanes are cool

And special too

In E1 the leaving group can be equatorial

But must be axial in E2.

When identifying the type of reaction
Remember this simple rule:
E1 uses triethylamine (NEt3), and E2 a small/bulky base and its solvent.
This is another great tool.

Addition reactions of alkenes

Are more complicated still.

With unsaturated molecules,

Their bonds you will fill.

With Alkene reactions,

Markovnikov's rule is put into place:

The electrophile adds to the carbon with the greater number of H's

And every exam you will ace.

The addition of a hydrogen halide

Is simply seen.

Through hydrohalegenation

An alkyl halide is derived from an alkene.

Through the addition of water

With a acid catalyst's aid,

An alkene goes to an alcohol,

And a alkane product is made.

When an alcohol is added to an alkene

With an acid catalyst as well,

An ether product is formed,

And it's easy to tell.

With the addition of a halogen,

Using dichloromethane,

Halogenation reveals a vicinal dihalide

And an intermediate ion that is in one plane.

And finally....

In Oymercuration-Reduction

Water is added in

With no rearrangements possible,

The product is easy to pin.

When taking an organic chemistry exam,

Always keep this in mind:

Just relax, you know more than you think you know,

And you'll do just fine!