Yttrium2
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Types of Chemistry - What is theoretical?
Is it true organic chemistry is like building Legos in the dark without analytical che'?
What then is theoretical chemistry?
To better understand what's out there may motivate me
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Tsjerk
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Theoretical chemistry is chemistry where you try to predict things that have not been shown in practice yet. You don't even have to propose how the
things you predict could be accomplished in practice.
Any analytical chemist will tell you what you are saying about lego in the dark, but analytical chemists also often tend to forget that a series of
(simple) observations in combination with a sound understanding of the observed system can be just as good, or at least a good indication of what is
being lego'ed.
For example, a compound dissolves, but only when a certain parameter changed, then the temperature rose, the color changed, solubility changed with pH
etc. When everything goes as expected with 10 variables changing, then in the end a simple melting point could be as convincing as a NMR or MS.
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j_sum1
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I learned from chemplayer the importance of sticking a thermometer in your beaker so you know when a reaction is occurring. So, analysis need not be
complicated to give good information.
As for lego in the dark... That is only ever an analogy. Good as a dedcription on occasions, but inadequate for describing mechanisms or predicting.
Theoretical is theoretical. Based on the limited knowledge you have and a bunch of assumptions. What you can theoretically produce depends on your
theory. I am sorry, I fon't understand the point of your question.
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