Reactor

1. Reactor Christopher Maloney

2. Project Overview • Drawing by hand is by far the most efficient way to describe molecules. • Current chemistry programs implement drag-and-drop “building block” systems that are difficult to use • Drawing a large molecule 6 times in a reaction scheme is discouraging and time consuming • As if students don’t have enough work to do already

3. Project Overview • Once the molecule is sketched, it’s difficult to tell if it’s the correct product or even possible in the real world • More importantly, what’s the next step? There are hundreds of reactions to choose from…all of which behave differently under a number of variable conditions • There is always more than one way to synthesize a molecule; books and answer keys typically show just one or two pathways

4. Br 1° Halide Substitution (Sn2) Elimination (Sn2) Approach • Students should be able to sit down with a tablet, sketch a molecule that they see in class or in the book exactly as they would naturally on paper • As the user hovers over functional centers in the molecules, options are presented based on extensive knowledge of chemical reactivity

5. Br H Approach • The mechanism of the reaction is displayed, giving the student understanding of why the reaction works • An additional option is to provide critical feedback as the student attempts to draw the mechanism manually Base : Need strong base, good leaving group, heat Beta hydrogen must have antiperiplanar steriochemistry To eliminate primary OH, convert to sulfonate ester first, or treat with strong acid

6. Participants • Christopher Maloney