Rules of the Day 4-04-07

Click here for today's lecture roadmap sheet

1. There are four new concepts associated with chapter 19. Click on these one at a time to get more information.

A) Reactions favor the formation of weaker bases at equilibrium (provides a motive), so you need to have a Table of pKa values

B) Enolates as nucleophiles

C) Beta-Dicarbonyl species are especially acidic

D) Conjugate addition to alpha,beta unsaturated carbonyl species.

2. The Robinson annulation is a Michael reaction followed by an aldol reaction to make a six-membered ring. Talk about a basketball reaction!!! This reaction is important because it helps make steroid rings, and steriods are important pharmaceuticals; hormones such as birth control pills and corticosteroids such as prednisone are steroids.

3. The importance of enolates is that they make carbon-carbon bonds in the context of reactions that generate products having functional groups that can react further.

4. Learn the KRE's of the different enolate reactions, keeping in mind that several are hard to spot. It takes practice!! That is the only way to solve synthesis problems. Remember to work backwards and count carbons.

Homework: Begin homework Set 8. Click here to download a copy. Read: Finish reading Chapter 20 Problems: 20.1-20.5