Doc Brown's Chemistry Clinic

1st draft of my unofficial support links for the course

US K12 honors (K-12 honours) Advanced Chemistry

US pre-university Grade 11 and Grade 12 chemistry syllabuses

Some sections may be useful for AP and other elective chemistry courses in the USA

Each topic or unit is linked to potentially useful sections on this site

 READ CAREFULLY  PLEASE remember that despite the fact that my 'advanced level' pre-university chemistry notes are far from complete, and as yet, do not even cover all the basics, but I think there is enough to start a on-site links page. By clicking on the text and [ORGANIC CHEMISTRY], [INORGANIC CHEMISTRY] and [PHYSICAL-THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY] icon links you should find things to help on a particular topic.  The notes-quizzes are not just for your particular syllabus, but are designed to cover, eventually, any advanced level pre-university chemistry specification so you need to pick out the bits which are useful for your syllabus.

 READ CAREFULLY  When you follow a link you will find some useful information on the web page about the topic you are researching. Sometimes the link goes straight to the relevant paragraph but otherwise use the sub-indexes of key words or headings at the top of each page. To return to this page you must click on the <== back on the browser link bar. All the syllabus-topic-unit titles below are taken from the official syllabuses which you can download from the appropriate site.

 READ CAREFULLY   I do not have time to deliver extended responses to email questions and please do NOT ask for past papers.

EMAIL query?comment

 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

ALKANES and OIL:

1. Revision notes on the structure & naming (nomenclature) of ALKANES (and cycloalkanes) notes, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the structure and naming (nomenclature) of alkanes

3. Type in name Quiz on the structure & naming of ALKANES (and nomenclature of cycloalkanes)

4. General Test on "Development of Fuels"

5. Quiz on the Petrochemical Industry

6. Matching pair Quiz on hydrocarbon structure (Drag and drop/printout version)

ALKENES

1. Revision notes on the structure & naming (nomenclature) of ALKANES (and cycloalkanes) notes, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the Structure and naming (nomenclature) of ALKENES

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of ALKENES

HALOGENOALKANES

1. Revision notes on the structure and naming of HALOGENOALKANES (haloalkanes notes parts 1-3), including nomenclature of many isomers

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the structure and naming (nomenclature) of HALOGENOALKANES (haloalkanes)

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of HALOGENOALKANES (haloalkanes)

ALCOHOLS an ETHERS

1. Revision notes on the structure and naming (nomenclature) of aliphatic ALCOHOLS (including classification into primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols), ETHERS, epoxy-alkanes (parts 1-2), including isomers

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the structure and naming (nomenclature) of aliphatic ALCOHOLS and ETHERS

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of aliphatic ALCOHOLS and ETHERS

4. Matching pair Quiz on alcohol, phenol & ether structure (drag and drop/printout version)

5. Matching pair Quiz on alcohols, phenols & ether reactions (drag and drop printout version)

ALDEHYDES and KETONES

1. Revision notes on the Structure and Naming of Aldehydes and Ketones, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Multiple choice on the structure and naming (nomenclature) of Aldehydes and Ketones

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of Aldehydes and Ketones

CARBOXYLIC ACIDS and DERIVATIVES

1. Revision notes on the structure and naming of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS and DERIVATIVES, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the Structure and naming of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS & DERIVATIVES

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS & DERIVATIVES

4. Matching pair Quiz on aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acid and ester structure (drag and drop/printout version)

5. Combined matching pair Exercises on organic molecular structure

ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS

1. Revision notes on the Structure, Classification and Naming of Organic Nitrogen Compounds, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Multiple choice quiz on the Classification, Structure and Naming (nomenclature) of Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen

AROMATIC CHEMISTRY

1. Notes on the Structure and Naming of Aromatic Compounds, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of Aromatic Compounds

ISOMERISM and STEREOCHEMISTRY

1.  Organic Chemistry ISOMERISM general definition (use sub-index at top of page)

2.  Organic Chemistry (1) STRUCTURAL ISOMERISM general definition (use sub-index at top of page)

3.  Organic Chemistry (1a) Chain isomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

4.  Organic Chemistry (1b) Positional isomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

5.  Organic Chemistry (1c) Functional group isomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

6.  Organic Chemistry (1d) Tautomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

7.  Organic Chemistry (2) STEREOISOMERISM general definition (use sub-index at top of page)

9.  Organic Chemistry (2a) Geometrical Isomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

10.  Organic Chemistry (2b) Optical Isomerism (use sub-index at top of page)

11. Spotting optical isomers Q (hand written) (answers)

12.  (2c) Other organic stereochemistry including amino acids-proteins-polypeptides-enzymes (including enzyme inhibition) & isotactic/atactic/syndiotactic poly(propene)

13.  chiral auxiliaries and  combinational chemistry

14.  protein-enzyme structure, function and inhibition

ORGANIC SYNTHESIS and REACTION MECHANISMS

1.  MECHANISM Introduction and terms used in organic chemistry (on the mechanism pages the type of reaction, basic reaction equations and conditions are quoted which may act as a suitable reference, also a reaction index)

2.  Mechanism of the free radical chlorination/bromination of alkanes to make halogenoalkanes

3.  Mechanism of the free radical thermal cracking of alkanes

4.  Mechanism of the ionic catalytic cracking of alkanes

5.  Mechanism of electrophilic addition of hydrogen bromide to alkenes to make bromoalkanes

6.  Mechanism of electrophilic addition of bromine to alkenes with pure bromine to make dibromoalkanes

7.  Mechanism of electrophilic addition of bromine to alkenes using bromine water to make bromo-alcohols

8.  Mechanism of electrophilic addition of sulphuric acid to alkenes

9.  Mechanism of electrophilic addition of water to alkenes to make alcohols [acid catalyst]

10.  Mechanism of free radical polymerisation of alkenes to form a poly(alkene) polymer

11.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes/alkyl halides) Nucleophilic substitution by water/hydroxide ion [S_N1 or S_N2, hydrolysis to alcohol] and  extra notes on kinetics, rds, molecularity, activated complex etc.

12.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes, alkyl halides) Nucleophilic substitution by cyanide ion to make a nitrile

13.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes, alkyl halides) Nucleophilic substitution by ammonia or primary amine to make amines

14.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes, alkyl halides) Elimination of hydrogen bromide to give an alkene

15.  Mechanism: Alcohols - conversion to halogenoalkane

16.  Mechanism: Alcohols - elimination of water to make an alkene [acid catalysed dehydration]

17.  Mechanism: Carbonyl compounds - aldehydes/ketones nucleophilic addition of hydrogen cyanide to give a hydroxynitrile

18.  Mechanism: Carbonyl compounds - aldehydes/ketones addition of hydrogen - reduction with LiAlH₄ or NaBH₄ to give an alcohol

19.  Mechanism of the iodination of ketones e.g. a 2-one like propanone (a methyl ketone)

20.  Mechanism: Acid chlorides/acyl chlorides - nucleophilic addition-elimination reactions - hydrolysis with water to give a carboxylic acid

21.  Mechanism: Acid chlorides/acyl chlorides - nucleophilic addition-elimination reactions - esterification with alcohols

22.  Mechanism: Acid chlorides/acyl chlorides - nucleophilic addition-elimination reactions - amide formation with ammonia or primary amines

23.  MECHANISMS AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS - introduction to arene electrophilic substitution mechanisms

24.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene introduction to electrophilic substitution and nitration to form nitro-aromatic compounds

25.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution chlorination to give halogenoarenes  (similar for bromine, just swap Cl with Br)

26.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution alkylation [Friedel-Crafts reaction]

27.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution acylation [Friedel-Crafts reaction]

28.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution aromatic sulphonation/sulfonation to give sulphonic/sulfonic acids

29.  Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution mechanisms - the orientation of products in aromatic substitution

Some general ORGANIC links

1. A summary of homologous series, functional group names and structure in Organic Chemistry

2. General test on type of Organic Molecule Recognition based on examples of structure and recognition of functional groups, including isomers, so the quiz is mainly on recognition of types of molecules and their structural features and classification

3. Revision notes on molecule shapes - section added on the bond angles of organic molecules

4. ALIPHATIC ORGANIC STRUCTURE and NOMENCLATURE BUMPER MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ

5. Type in name ALIPHATIC ORGANIC NOMENCLATURE BUMPER QUIZ - on most of aliphatic nomenclature based on 6 combined quizzes: alkanes, alkenes, haloalkanes, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives (amides, acid chlorides, esters etc.)

6. Tests for organic functional groups notes (use alphabetical index for homologous series, reagents etc.)

7. Organic synthesis redox reactions - including oxidation of alcohols, reduction of aldehydes & ketones, carboxylic acids, nitro-aromatic compounds (nitro-arenes) and nitriles (use top summary table index)

 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

1. Periodic Table Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 1 "Historical Introduction"

2. Periodic Table Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 2 "Electronic Structure and Ionisation Energies" - Electron arrangements - electron configurations and the Periodic Table - s, p, d and f blocks - ionization energy patterns, section on hydrogen spectrum and emission spectroscopy

3. Periodic Table Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 3 "Survey of Period 1: hydrogen H to helium He"

4. Periodic Table: detailed Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 7 Group 1 Alkali Metals and Group 2 Alkaline Earth Metals - detailed revision notes

5. Groups 1-2 data-group trend graphs

6. Multiple choice Quiz on Group 1 Alkali Metals and Group 2 Alkaline Earth Metals (easy start!)

7. Redox analysis of the reaction of chlorine with sodium hydroxide (Redox Part 2, Example 5.14) and other examples involving halogen reactions: 5.2, 5.12, 6.2, 6.6,6.10, 6.11and 6.12 (there is an index for the redox reactions described.

8. Periodic Table Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 10a "3d block Transition Metals Series Introduction and Elements Sc to Mn on Period 4 - detailed revision notes

9. Part 10b 3d-block Transition Metals Fe to Zn - detailed revision notes

10. Part 10c Appendices on Transition Metals: Acidity of hexa-aqua ions * Complexes & ligands - the basics * The shapes of complexes and isomerism *  Electron configuration and colour theory * Redox equations, feasibility, calculating E^øreaction * Catalysis - homogeneous and heterogeneous examples and theory * Balancing redox equations * Stability Constants of complex ions * Colorimetry - quantitative analysis and determining the formula of a complex ion * Preparation of complexes

11. Part 10d Extra 3d block Transition Metals data table, examples of oxidation states in compounds and complexes - complex ions, electrode potential chart, and Hydroxide precipitate pictures

12. Periodic Table Notes Part 11: Compiled tables of data on Groups 1-7,0 and 3d-block-Transition Metals

13. Data-periodicity graphs for elements Z = 1 to 20 Period 1, Period 2, Period 3 and start of Period 4

14.  periodicity graph for elements Z = 1-38 Period 1, Period 2, Period 3, Period 4 and start of Period 5

15.  periodicity graph for elements Z = 1 to 96 Period 1, Period 2, Period 3, Period 4, Period 5, Period 6 and start of Period 7

16. Alphabetical Element name list with symbol and atomic number (Z)

PHYSICAL-THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY

CHEMICAL CALCULATIONS

1. GCSE Atomic Structure Notes including mass spectrometry of elements - the structure of atoms, isotopes, nuclear structure notation, 'simple' electronic structure and the Periodic Table and mass spectrometry for isotope analysis and calculation of relative atomic mass (A_r)

2. Chemical Calculations index - 1. to 16. sections of explanation-examples and quizzes built into the notes, designed up to higher GCSE and basic GCE-AS/IB calculations

3. section 1. relative atomic mass

4. section 2. formula mass

5. section 3. simple reacting mass calculations

6. section 4. % composition by mass of a compound

7. section 5. empirical formula

8. section 6. on reacting mass and % & theoretical yield

9. section 7. introducing moles

10. section 8. Using moles to deduce empirical/molecular formula of a compound/molecule

11. section 9. moles and molar gas volume

12. section 10. Reacting gas volume ratios

13. section 11. making up solutions, concentration & molarity

14. section 12. acid-alkali titration calculations - apparatus/analysis

15. Structured Question worksheet including Acid-Base volumetric titration calculations (answers)

16. section 13. electrolysis calculations

17. section 14. % & theoretical yield, volumetric apparatus & dilution calculations

18. section 16. Gas calculations involving PVT relationships, PV = nRT and determining molecular mass of a volatile liquid

19. Structured Question worksheet on Acid-Base, silver nitrate for chloride and EDTA volumetric titration calculations (answers)

20. Structured Question worksheet on Redox Volumetric Titration Calculation Questions (answers and working)

21. Experimental question style - redox titration (ans) based on Q1 of above

Spectroscopy

1. NMR problem solving

2. Planck's Law calculation question (ans)

Equilibria

1. Advanced Chemistry Equilibria Part 1. Dynamic molecular equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle

2. Equilibria Part 2 K_c and K_p equilibrium expressions and calculations

3. Equilibria Part 3 equilibrium and industrial processes

4. Equilibria Part 4 Partition and solvent extraction, solubility product and ion-exchange

5. Equilibria Part 5 pH, weak-strong acid-base theory and K_a, k_b and K_w equilibrium calculations

6. Equilibria Part 6 Salt hydrolysis, Acid-base titrations-indicators, pH curves and buffers

7. Equilibrium Part 7 Redox equilibria, half-cell electrode potentials, predicting feasibility of a reaction, electrolysis and electrochemical series

8. Equilibria Part 8 Phase equilibria-vapour pressure, organic molecule examples - bond polarity, boiling point and intermolecular forces

Atomic structure, bonding, molecule shapes and states of matter

1. Atomic Structure Notes including mass spectrometry of elements - the structure of atoms, isotopes, nuclear structure notation, 'simple' electronic structure and the Periodic Table and mass spectrometry for isotope analysis and calculation of relative atomic mass (A_r)

2. Multiple choice quiz on  Atomic structure, isotopes & 'simple' electronic structure of atoms

3. Periodic Table Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Notes Part 2 "Electronic Structure and Ionisation Energies" - Electron arrangements - electron configurations and the Periodic Table - s, p, d and f blocks - ionization energy patterns

4. Introduction to BONDING

5. Revision notes on the basics of Ionic BONDING

6. Revision notes on the basics of Covalent BONDING and small molecules

7. Revision notes on the basics of Covalent BONDING and giant structures

8. Revision notes on the basics of Metallic BONDING

9. Revision notes on shapes and bond angles of simple molecules (VSEPR), ions, transition metal complexes and a section on shape and bond angles in organic molecules

10. States of Matter: gas-liquid-solid revision notes

11.  States of Matter Part II More advanced topics on the Ideal Gas Laws, p-V-T and PV=nRT calculations, kinetic particle model-theory and ideal and non-ideal real gas behaviour (compressibility factors and Van der Waals equation)

12.  Section on bond polarity in organic molecules, boiling point and intermolecular forces

Part 5 Energetics

1. Basic notes of exothermic and endothermic reactions and calculation of enthalpy changes from 'simple' calorimetry experiments and resulting data

2. Enthalpy of formation, enthalpy of combustion and Bond Energy Calculation Questions  (answers)

3. Kinetic versus thermodynamic stability - includes a free energy-entropy calculation example

Part 6 Rates - Kinetics

1. Notes for the basics of rates of reactions

2. KINETICS - advanced rates of reactions revision notes: temperature effect and activation energy, homogeneous catalysts & heterogeneous catalyst, obtaining data, rate expressions and orders of reaction, deducing orders of reaction

3. KINETICS - advanced rates of reactions revision notes: Selected case studies of kinetics and rate expressions and calculations, deriving the activation energy E_a from kinetics-rates data and Kinetic versus thermodynamic stability

4. Kinetic versus thermodynamic stability

Part 7 Oxidation and reduction - REDOX REACTIONS

1. Revision notes on Inorganic redox reactions - Part 1 electronegativity, explaining oxidation and reduction reactions and oxidation state/oxidation number changes

2. Revision notes on Inorganic redox reactions - Part 2 analysing and constructing full redox equations from half-cell reactions

3. redox titration calculation questions (all with worked out answers)