Main Reactions of Organic Chemistry and Their Tricks

Wurtz Reaction

• Double the alkyl halides in the presence of sodium and dry ether.

Fittig Reaction

• Double by joining two phenyl groups.

Wurtz-Fittig Reaction

• React by joining one alkyl and one benzyl group.

Kolbe Electrolysis

• Double two alkyl groups by passing electric current through the sodium salt of carboxylic acid.

Frankland Reaction

• Double the reagent in the presence of zinc.

Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner Reaction

• Convert aldehyde ketone into alkane with Zn/HCl or NH₂NH₂/KOH.

Decarboxylation Reaction

• Make alkane by removing CO₂.

Isomerization Reaction

• Isomerize the carbon chain in the presence of AlCl₃.

Aromatization Reaction

• Convert the carbon chain into benzene in the presence of Cr₂O₃ or Al₂O₃ and high temperature.

Dehydration and Dehydrohalogenation Reaction

• Make alkene by removing water or halogen.

Ozonolysis Reaction

• Break near the pi bond and add oxygen on both sides.

Oxymercuration-Demercuration

• Add OH on alkene according to Markovnikov's rule.

Polymerization Reaction

• Passing ethyne in a red-hot tube produces benzene.

Darzens, Finkelstein, and Swarts Reactions

• Form alkyl halides.

Friedel-Crafts Reaction

• Attack on benzene in the presence of AlCl₃.

Williamson Ether Synthesis

• Make ether from alkoxide and alkyl halide.

Rosenmund and Stephen Reactions

• Convert benzyl chloride to benzaldehyde and cyanide to aldehyde.

Haloform Reaction

• Formation of haloform when there are three alpha hydrogens near COO.

Aldol Condensation

• Formation of aldol in the presence of dilute NaOH or KOH.

Cannizzaro Reaction

• Oxidation and reduction of aldehyde without alpha H.

HVZ Reaction

• Add chlorine to alpha carbon.

Hofmann Bromamide Reaction

• Remove CO from amide to make amine.

Balz-Schiemann, Sandmeyer, and Gattermann Reactions

• Remove diazonium ion and add halogen.

Gabriel Phthalimide Reaction

• Formation of primary aliphatic amine.

Kolbe's Reaction

• Formation of salicylic acid in the presence of phenol and CO₂.

Hydroboration-Oxidation

• Apply anti-Markovnikov rule in the presence of H₂O₂.

Gattermann-Koch Reaction

• Produce benzaldehyde in the presence of CO and HCl.

Reimer-Tiemann Reaction

• Formation of salicylaldehyde from phenol.

Carbylamine Reaction

• Convert primary amine to isocyanide.