Study sheets · 25 rows · portrait

Mnemonics and study tips

Every mnemonic and rule of thumb in the library, grouped by what it is for — mechanism, stereochemistry, reagents, spectroscopy and general strategy. The revision-week sheet.

Mnemonics and study tips

25 rows · Octet · sample of the first 8 rows

Mechanism

Mechanism — Mnemonics and study tips. Every mnemonic and rule of thumb in the library, grouped by what it is for — mechanism, stereochemistry, reagents, spectroscopy and general strategy. The revision-week sheet.
Topic	Mnemonic	What to remember
SN1 vs SN2	SN2: Strong Nucleophile, Secondary or primary	SN2 works best with methyl and 1° substrates (steric hindrance matters). SN1 works best with 3° (carbocation stability matters). 2° can go either way - look at nucleophile strength and solvent.
E1 vs E2	E2: Everything (H and LG) leaves at the same time	E2 requires anti-periplanar geometry (H and leaving group 180° apart). E1 makes the more stable carbocation first. Bulky bases favor elimination over substitution.
Zaitsev vs Hofmann Products	Zaitsev = "Z" for "Ze more substituted" alkene	Zaitsev (most substituted alkene) is favored with small bases. Hofmann (less substituted) is favored with bulky bases like KOtBu or with poor leaving groups.
Markovnikov's Rule	Rich get richer: H goes to C with more H's	In electrophilic addition, the electrophile (usually H⁺) adds to the carbon with MORE hydrogens, forming the more stable carbocation on the more substituted carbon.
Anti-Markovnikov Addition	Peroxides promote anti pattern	HBr + peroxides (ROOR) = anti-Markovnikov via radical mechanism. Only works with HBr (not HCl or HI). Hydroboration-oxidation also gives anti-Markovnikov alcohols.
Carbocation Stability	3° > 2° > 1° > methyl (like a countdown)	More substituted carbocations are more stable due to hyperconjugation and inductive effects. Watch for rearrangements (hydride and methyl shifts) to form more stable carbocations!
Nucleophilicity vs Basicity¹	not defined	Nucleophilicity = how fast it attacks carbon (kinetic, steric matters). Basicity = equilibrium with proton (thermodynamic, pKa matters). Good nucleophiles aren't always strong bases (e.g., I⁻, RS⁻).

Stereochemistry

Stereochemistry — Mnemonics and study tips. Every mnemonic and rule of thumb in the library, grouped by what it is for — mechanism, stereochemistry, reagents, spectroscopy and general strategy. The revision-week sheet.
Topic	Mnemonic	What to remember
R/S Configuration	CORN rule or Steering wheel method	With lowest priority (#4) pointing away: clockwise = R (rectus = right), counterclockwise = S (sinister = left). Priority: higher atomic number > lower.

Built from the studyTips collection. Tips are the source records' own wording.

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