Comments on: Learning vs. Memorization In Organic Chemistry

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 20:09:10 +0000

In reply to Daniel. No, because in the example of the ring, the lone pair is not in the same plane as the pi-orbitals in the aromatic ring and is therefore not resonance stabilized. This is a classic trick question in the aromatic chapter. There is also no resonance stabilization in the nitrile case.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:26:41 +0000

For question 2, with the nitrogens, isn’t it more complicated than just the orbitals? I get That the tertiary amine would be the least acidic. But when you compare the conjugate bases on the other two wouldn’t the resonance of the ring stabilize the c.base more than having the charge localized in one sp hybridized orbital?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:39:30 +0000

I think you have a typo in your ** footnote. Water has an sp3 hybridized oxygen.

By: Kemo

Kemo — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 03:39:59 +0000

I don’t think we need to memorize like Pauling and Woodward, we have ipads now! but no technology can replace our understanding of concepts, because only then are we able to pose new questions.

By: James

James — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:13:30 +0000

In reply to Curious Wavefunction. You're right, it is a really curious mixture of memorization and conceptual thinking. I'm going to write a future post about some of the ways in which memorization can really help.

By: Curious Wavefunction

Curious Wavefunction — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:40:48 +0000

Nice post. I still think that memorization definitely helps more than we sometimes give it credit for, especially in fields like chemistry and biology where there are a large number of empirical facts not derivable from first principles. Many of the leading chemists like Woodward, Pauling etc. were also known for the vast amount of literature they had memorized; these facts would serve as a reference point for thinking about other matters. So if you do have a good memory you should certainly put it to good use while remembering, as you said, that understanding should have a higher priority.