Organic Web is an interactive web site for teaching and learning organic chemistry through a concept-map interface that allows students to see the “big picture” while also making detailed information accessible through a series of “clicks.” The web-like structure of the Internet allows for a much more logical presentation of the subject matter of organic chemistry (which is itself web-like) than is possible with traditional textbooks. Textbooks are linear in structure, by design, and promote memorization or surface learning of the material, which rarely leads to success. Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon compounds, and Organic Web organizes the content of organic chemistry into three main categories: Structure; Reactivity; and Synthesis. A logical place to begin the study of organic chemistry is by examining structural features of organic compounds, and how organic compounds are classified and categorized. These topics are covered in the Structure module. The Reactivity module reviews concepts related to chemical reactions, including thermodynamic and kinetic considerations, general types of reactions that organic compounds undergo, and how to represent the mechanisms of those reactions. One of the most interesting facets of organic chemistry is the synthetic pathways that allow for the inter-conversion of organic compounds. You will learn that most types of organic compounds can be converted to most other types, either in one step or through a series of steps, and this connectivity contributes to the “big picture” of organic chemistry, as a web-like scheme of reactions that is presented in the Synthesis module.
