Basic knowledge of organic chemistry allows for the synthesis of organic compounds in the lab.
Organic reactions can be categorised into addition, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and condensation reactions.
Addition reactions
- Addition reactions involves:
  - Electrophilic addition reactions
  - Nucleophilic addition reactions
- Electrophilic addition reactions:
  - Electrophilic addition reactions involve an electrophile attacking a carbon-carbon double bond.
  - The reaction of alkenes with electrophiles like halogen and halogen halide belongs to electrophilic addition.
  - Reactions of alkenes with water and hydrogen gas in the presence of acid and nickel or platinum respectively are examples of electrophilic addition.
- Nucleophilic addition reactions:
  - They involve a nucleophile attacking the carbon in a carbonyl group and addition across the carbon-oxygen double bond.
  - An example includes the reaction of aldehyde or ketones with HCN at a high temperature with KCN or NaCN as a catalyst to give hydroxynitrile.
Substitution reactions:
- Substitution reactions involve the replacement of atoms or groups of atoms. These are:
  - Electrophilic substitution reaction
  - Nucleophilic substitution reaction
  - Free radical substitution reaction
- Nucleophilic substitution reaction:
  - Nucleophilic substitution involves an electron-rich nucleophile replacing a leaving group.
  - The examples include the reaction of alkanes with aqueous NaOH, ethanolic KCN and ethanolic NH₃.
- Free radical substitution reaction:
  - Free radical substitution reaction is the one involving the free radicals.
  - Free radical substitution of alkanes by chlorine or bromine in the presence of ultraviolet light is an example.
Oxidation and reduction reactions:
- Oxidation involves the loss of electrons or gain of oxygen, while reduction involves the gain of electrons or loss of oxygen.
- Examples of oxidation include the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes, ketones, or carboxylic acids in the presence of oxidising agents like acidified potassium permanganate or potassium dichromate.
- Examples of reduction include the reduction of aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids in the presence of reducing agents such as NaBH₄, LiAlH₄ to alcohols, as well as the hydrogenation of alkenes.
Hydrolysis reactions
- Hydrolysis involves the breakdown of compounds in acidic or alkaline mediums, such as hydrolysis of nitriles or esters.
Condensation reactions
- Condensation reactions involve the combination of two molecules to form a larger one, producing a small molecule as a by-product, such as the formation of esters from carboxylic acids and alcohols.
Conversion of propane to 1,2-dibromopropane
Conversion of 1-bromopropane to butanoic acid
- Since the initial compound 1-bromoporpane is a three-carbon compound and the final product, butanoic acid is a four-carbon compound, the reagent must be such that it adds one more carbon to the initial compound. So, the reagent V must be KCN in ethanol
- The reaction of 1-bromoporpane and KCN gives butanenitrile. So, compound Q must be butanenitrile.
- The intermediate compound Q should undergoes acidic hydrolysis to turn into a carboxylic acid, So, reagent W must be aqueous HCl.
Conversion of glucose to sorbitol
Conversion of citric acid to tricarballylic acid

21.01 - Organic Synthesis

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