Questions tagged [organic-chemistry]

Use this tag for questions relating to organic molecules and their properties (structure of organic molecules, spectroscopic properties, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry etc). DO NOT use this tag as the only tag in your question, as this tag by itself cannot appropriately classify your question. Always use this tag in addition to other more specific tags.

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Why water can't mix with oil or cooking oil?

Why water can't mix with oil or cooking oil (both saturated and unsaturated)?
lambda23's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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A thermoset or a thermoplastic?

How do you know if a polymer is a thermoset or a thermoplastic? For example: hydroxybutanoic acid 2-amino-3- hydroxybutanoic acid (I am not sure if these are correct in English) I know what ...
kamal's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
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Why does Naphthalene turn into needle-shaped crystals by sublimation?

I wonder why crystals of Naphthalene are needle-shaped after sublimation. Googling the fact, I could only confirm that it is true but failed to find the reason. Could someone please shed some light as ...
Gigili's user avatar
  • 201
2 votes
2 answers
107 views

Is it possible to prevent methane combining with oxygen?

The output from an anerobic kitchen waste digester is mostly $\ce{CH4}$, and $\ce{CO2}$. If the methane is collected over water; algae/moss may use the $\ce{CO2}$ to grow. Yet oxygen is released ... ...
Everyone's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
504 views

What are the major environmental drawbacks with using methane as a combustable fuel?

What are the biggest environmental issues with using methane, $\ce{CH4}$, (which is found as the major energy source in natural gas, shale gas, biogas, and synthetic natural gas), as a combustible ...
David Walz's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
508 views

Forms of carbon in incomplete combustion

When hydrocarbons burn with little oxygen, carbon is produced. What form do these particulates of carbon come in? Is it a simple molecule like $\ce{S8}$, or a small fragment of a larger structure, ...
Meow's user avatar
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12 votes
4 answers
9k views

Is it possible to synthesise ethers from carboxylic acids?

Is it possible to synthesise ethers from carboxylic acids, and if so, how? By ether I mean an ether in general ($\ce{R-O-R'}$), not just specific examples. I theorised one could perform Fischer ...
Josh Pinto's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
999 views

Are different enclosing mark types in chemical names needed to differentiate between substances?

What is the significance of enclosing marks in chemical names in determining the uniqueness of a substance (organic and inorganic)? Can a simple change in the type of enclosing mark used indicate ...
Mindy's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
1k views

How does 1,3-dichloro-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-trione (dichloroisocyanuric acid) generate hypochlorous acid when dissolved in water?

Can someone draw the reaction that leads to the generation of HOCl when dichloroisocyanuric acid (structure shown below) is dissolved in water?
Richardbernstein's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

If I have a chiral substrate, should I always assume that both enantiomers are present?

Considering the Sn1 reaction of (S)-2,3-dimethyl-3-pentanol, knowing that this molecule has a chiral carbon, should I always assume that both enantiomers are present, and therefore the products of a ...
Leonardo's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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Preparation of alkyl halide from alcohols

$\ce{R-OH + HBr -> R-Br + H2O}$ An $\ce{R+}$ carbocation is formed during this reaction. If $\ce{R}$ is any alkyl group instead of methyl or ethyl, can the beta hydrogen to the hydroxy group be ...
Neo's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
2k views

How should I identify my leaving group in SN1 reactions if there might be more than one option?

Before I can even begin to contemplate the products of a given SN1 reaction, I need to be able to determine what my leaving group will be, which should be a species with a strong conjugate acid, and ...
Leonardo's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
8k views

What are the products in this SN1 reaction?

I am asked to identify the organic/inorganic products of an SN1 reaction between 3-iodopentane and ethanol. I have identified correctly that the substrate is the 3-iodopentane, the leaving group is ...
Leonardo's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
446 views

Is this mystery chemical reducing carbon emissions?

My chemistry is not good enough to solve this problem, and it's driving me crazy. At my job, a sales agent approached me to be their representative in my area for their product. It's a product that ...
Bryan's user avatar
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-2 votes
1 answer
7k views

SN1 like reaction acid-cataylzed hydrolysis of epoxide [closed]

What would be the reaction mechanism for the reaction between epoxide and $\ce{H2SO4}$?
Elisha's user avatar
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17 votes
5 answers
10k views

Are there notable organic compunds which look very similar but have very different properties?

I've seen people arguing for some questionable "miracle cure-all" alternative medicines not scientifically, but by their own logic. A common claim is, that if a compound looks very similar to an ...
vsz's user avatar
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16 votes
4 answers
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Why are solid phase organics often conjugated to HCl?

Many uncharged organic compounds are sold in solid phase with HCl conjugate - e.g. the antihistamine diphenhydramine.HCl or the derivitizing agent pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine.HCl, among many ...
Drew Steen's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
70k views

What does the "D" group represent on a chiral center?

I am trying to figure out the configuration for this chiral carbon to answer a homework question, however they arbitrarily include a "D" group as shown in the image. My guess is that it is some higher ...
Leonardo's user avatar
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25 votes
2 answers
7k views

What is the IUPAC nomenclature of alkane with large numbers of C atoms (more than 200)?

What is the IUPAC nomenclature for alkanes with large numbers of $\ce{C}$ atoms (more than 200)? For example, what is the IUPAC accepted name for $\ce{C_{205}H_{412}}$?
lambda23's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Clathrate Compounds with Quinone

I prepared a compound "$\ce{SO2}$-Quinolclathrate" by dissolving hydroquinone and sodium sulfite with hydrochloric acid in warm water. After this, I tested a little sample of the product on a flame ...
ordinary chemistry student's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
633 views

Name of a proton bonded to a hydroxyl carbon

What do you call the proton in a CH-OH configuration? When discussing an NMR spectrum, I can talk about the hydroxyl proton, but it seems clumsy to refer to "the proton on the hydroxyl carbon".
Anthony's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
31k views

Acetic acid freezing distilation

How can acetic acid be distilled by freezing when its freezing point is above the freezing point of water. Examples on the web show the water portion of the vinegar as ice and the acid as a liquid ...
NccWarp9's user avatar
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11 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is the name of the "primary" carbon in a benzene derivative?

If we have a benzene with a single substituent, such as chlorobenzene, what do we call the carbon atom to which the group is attached? I'm familiar with the ortho- meta- para- nomenclature, but the ...
Anthony's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
6k views

Is this the lowest chair conformer of Beta D-galactose

I drew the conformer (below) and I'm wondering if this is the most stable chair conformation. Three of the bonds are equatorial so it looks like the most stable to me.
user176105's user avatar
-6 votes
1 answer
180 views

Number of hydrogen molecules necessary in acetonitrile/butanediamine polymerisation [closed]

The beginning of the picture, from the word 'Acrylonitril' to the word 'structuurformule:', means the following: Acrylotitrile reacts with 1,4-butanediamine. When you use a lot of acrylonitrile, under ...
kamal's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
3k views

What is the product formed in the reaction of dimedone and benzaldehyde?

I'm having a hard time deducing the structure of the product formed when dimedone and benzaldehyde react in the presence of catalytic piperidine. I think that a Knoevenagel reaction will get me to ...
wolfik's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
15k views

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Chemically speaking, what are the biggest differences between saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids? What are the effects of those differences on the geometry of the molecule? And what is ...
kamal's user avatar
  • 193
3 votes
2 answers
628 views

Is alkene reaction with hydrogen to form an alkane an addition reaction?

I have seen in some textbooks that such a reaction is listed under reduction of alkenes. I understand that the double bond is getting reduced to single bond and one hydrogen atom is added to each of ...
Thale's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
226 views

Thought Experiment: Applying a high frequency high voltage to methane

I am in the process of constructing a kitchen waste digester (vegetable/fruits) from which, hopefully, over time adequate methane may be collected to burn. The digester won't be complete for several ...
Everyone's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
17k views

Which has one monochlorination possibility?

Which would have one monochlorination possibility? 2,2-dimethylpropane: or 2-methylpropane: It seems I'm missing something because I thought both would only have one monochlorination possibility. ...
DillPickled's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to fluorinate polyethylene?

I seek to put a layer of fluorine on a rotationally molded cross-linked polyethylene (XPE) plastic gasoline tank. I sell tanks and they will be more eco-friendly if I can accomplish this. I am an ...
Krista K's user avatar
  • 193
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

What sort of molecules or polymers are used in OLED displays?

OLED displays have been emerging as competitors for LCD displays for some time and are now common in mobile phones (see comparison of a Google Nexus 1 and an iPhone here) The displays use small ...
matt_black's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
910 views

What would happen to a Water/Lard Mix under pressure and high heat?

If water is mixed with lard oil and heated (creating some super-critical water), how does this affect the volatility of the mixture in comparison if it is a pure mix of either water, or lard oil? ...
Tirzah Vernon's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

Which C-C bond would break first, the one in ethane, or 2,2-dimethylpropane?

I have drawn the figures and determined intuitively that the larger molecule's $\ce{C-C}$ would break first. I made this assumption that ethane has the stronger $\ce{C-C}$ bond and I am correct, ...
Leonardo's user avatar
  • 2,158
3 votes
1 answer
709 views

Breakdown of valine

What are the chemical reactions responsible for the breakdown of valine in the body? I know oxidative deamination is part of the process but how is valine further broken down from an keto acid to ...
Pablo Jomer's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

The effect of structure on the boiling points of organic molecules

Why do molecules like methoxyethane, ethoxyethane and so on have lower boiling points than isomeric alcohols? I think it has something to do with the structure, but I don't exactly know what it is.
kamal's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is this the correct relative Brønsted acidity in these four acids?

We are asked to sort these four acids by increasing Brønsted acidity: The problem is, I am confused why $\ce{H2F+}$ is the strongest acid of them all. I understand that stronger acids will have ...
Leonardo's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
138 views

How does the work that won the 2012 Sustainable Chemistry Award contribute to sustainable chemistry?

I'm seeking a lay explanation for how the work of Dr Marc Taillefer that won the 2012 European Sustainable Chemistry Award, contributes to sustainable chemistry. From the press release, Dr. Taillefer ...
410 gone's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
272 views

What chemical file formats are compatible with 3D printing?

I would like to print some molecules rather than building them using a kit. What file formats work?
bobthejoe's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
437 views

Is it possible to get energy from frozen methane without oxygen?

In one of the solar system documentaries it was mentioned there are moons in the solar system with lakes of frozen methane. Assuming humans or robots or whatever could make it there, would there be a ...
jimjim's user avatar
  • 173
8 votes
2 answers
910 views

Proper IUPAC name of a substituted cyclohexenol

Here's the molecule: So far I've tried: 6-methylcyclohex-2-en-ol and 4-methylcyclohexen-3-ol but both are wrong. I'm rather confused as to where I should start: the alcohol or the double bond?
Tori's user avatar
  • 81
4 votes
1 answer
74k views

Order of elements in a formula? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Why is methane's molecular formula conventionally “CH4”, while water is “H20” (among others)? If I have a formula containing 4 hydrogen atoms and 1 ...
Mohamed Ahmed Nabil's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
13k views

Boiling point of vodka

What is the boiling point of vodka? I have found the boiling point of ethanol, ~173 (degrees) F. However, I am unable to find the boiling point of vodka. I found some information on it, but I do not ...
prolink007's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
512 views

The Evans auxiliary: rotational freedom of the benzyl group - stereoselectivity still guaranteed?

I created the L-Phenylalanine based Evans auxiliary bearing a benzyl group with help of a molecular model set and got into some questions. The structural formula will do: As I suppose a low ...
tstone-1's user avatar
  • 362
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Lewis structures of H₂(C)xCH₂ molecules

I need to calculate the angles between CCC, CCH, HCH in the following molecules: ethene ($\ce{H2CCH2}$), propa-1,2-diene ($\ce{H2CCCH2}$), and buta-1,2,3-triene ($\ce{H2CCCCH2}$). If I'm not ...
joshua's user avatar
  • 323
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

How do amines react with flue gases to absorb CO₂?

I'm reading this article about carbon capture from the combustion of fossil fuels. In this article, it says that amines are used as a chemical absorbent to capture the $\ce{CO2}$ from the exhaust of ...
Paul's user avatar
  • 427
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the correct lewis structure of SCH⁻?

I need to find the Lewis structure of the ion $\ce{SCH^-}$. I think the Lewis structure should be: $\ce{S=C-H}$, with one lone pair on the carbon and two lone pairs surrounding the sulfur. Is this ...
joshua's user avatar
  • 323
0 votes
1 answer
578 views

Product/(s) of the following reaction

I was wondering what the product will be in the following reaction: $$\ce{H3COOCH3 ->[\ce{H+}]} \:?$$ I was thinking about $\ce{CH3COOH}$ being a product but I do not know the mechanism.
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
14k views

Can acidic conditions break disulfide bonds

I am denaturing a protein using organic solvent and acid (49:49:2% water:methanol:acetic acid), but I want to maintain the disulfide bonds. My chemistry knowledge isn't good but disulfides are broken ...
Anake's user avatar
  • 143
10 votes
1 answer
5k views

Interpreting a formula tattoo

I saw on the Internet and I'm curious as to what compound is represented by it.
Sorin Buturugeanu's user avatar