Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Organic Chemistry Online

thesmug - 3-4-2014 at 18:25

As many of you probably know, I know very little about organic chemistry. I don't have any way to learn it through conventional routes, so do any members know of any free online places to learn organic chemistry? I of course don't expect to find full length college-level courses so a basic introduction would be ok. I am mainly interested in trying to make up my own procedures for syntheses. And before anyone comments, I have used the forum search engine and searched google and the results aren't really that useful to me. Thank you in advance.

[Edited on 4/4/14 by thesmug]

macckone - 3-4-2014 at 18:35

coursera.com has full length college level chemistry without the lab component. Some colleges such as MIT also have course material on-line.

thesmug - 3-4-2014 at 18:36

Thank you very much, macckone!

Chemosynthesis - 3-4-2014 at 18:38

I recommend getting a textbook. Daley and Daley is a free online/PDF book. The hardest part for me would have been reading it on my own without some prompting and answering of questions. Once you read that, you might consider a book on retro synthetic analysis.

BromicAcid - 3-4-2014 at 18:59

Remember, organic chemistry is best learned with a pencil in your hand.

thesmug - 3-4-2014 at 19:46

Quote: Originally posted by Chemosynthesis  
I recommend getting a textbook. Daley and Daley is a free online/PDF book. The hardest part for me would have been reading it on my own without some prompting and answering of questions. Once you read that, you might consider a book on retro synthetic analysis.

Do you know of anywhere where Q&A for this book might be found?
[EDIT] It says you need to order the textbook...

[Edited on 4/4/14 by thesmug]

Chemosynthesis - 3-4-2014 at 23:21

Quote: Originally posted by thesmug  

Do you know of anywhere where Q&A for this book might be found?
[EDIT] It says you need to order the textbook...


Register and it's a free download. They also have videos.

http://www.ochem4free.info/node/1

The authors ask that you do not distribute the book, but it should be completely accessible. I downloaded it years ago to compare with Clayden, March, etc. Seemed fine.

kavu - 4-4-2014 at 00:43

http://www.khanacademy.org/science/organic-chemistry

http://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/

hyfalcon - 4-4-2014 at 04:21

Quote: Originally posted by Chemosynthesis  


Register and it's a free download. They also have videos.

http://www.ochem4free.info/node/1

The authors ask that you do not distribute the book, but it should be completely accessible. I downloaded it years ago to compare with Clayden, March, etc. Seemed fine.


Anyone have any experience with their paid service? Is the, at the moment $49.95, worth the expenditure?

forgottenpassword - 4-4-2014 at 08:52

Quote: Originally posted by thesmug  
As many of you probably know, I know very little about organic chemistry. I don't have any way to learn it through conventional routes, so do any members know of any free online places to learn organic chemistry? I of course don't expect to find full length college-level courses so a basic introduction would be ok. I am mainly interested in trying to make up my own procedures for syntheses. And before anyone comments, I have used the forum search engine and searched google and the results aren't really that useful to me. Thank you in advance.

[Edited on 4/4/14 by thesmug]



The problem with online material is that it often lacks the same quality control and proof-reading that a printed book has. If you learn someone's incorrect idea of a concept as though it were 'fact', then it could lead to misunderstandings and difficulties in your later study when you come to apply that 'knowledge'. Most online material comes from books anyway, so I think that it is better to get your information straight from there, which will also force you to learn it in a structured and logical way. Online material is no substitute for a well written textbook, especially if you hope to have a thorough understanding of the material, rather than a collection of vague and disconnected understandings.

This is the best general organic chemistry book that I am aware of: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Chemistry-Jonathan-Clayden/d... and it is more than sufficient for a very good knowledge of the foundations of organic chemistry to graduate-level. In fact it is the book that I used almost exclusively at university. You will have no trouble specializing in any area of organic chemistry once you have learned the basics of mechanism and so on described in this book.

For practical laboratory techniques a very good, broad, and easily readable book is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Organic-Chem-Survival-Manual/dp/11...

If you decide to pursue organic chemistry as a student or professionally, I would highly recommend that you also study the theory of separation and analysis, for which this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chemical-Separations-Principles-Tech... gives an excellent overview of the whole area, as well as sufficient depth to make the knowledge practically useful even at research level.

Those 3 books cover the entirety of most synthetic chemistry, from planning the desired reaction itself; to carrying-out, separating and analyzing your products. The textbook by Clayden is definitely worth buying for a start, I would suggest, even if it only serves as an unread general reference book on organic chemistry. :D


[Edited on 4-4-2014 by forgottenpassword]

hyfalcon - 4-4-2014 at 11:15

They also don't seem to have contact information on their website. That makes me leery.

smaerd - 4-4-2014 at 12:04

Buy a used text-book. Sit down and do a chapter a week. Answer every problem in the book. That's how I learned it because my professor did not lecture.