50-Must Know Key Named Organic Reactions and their Mechanisms

Organic reactions involve the breaking and formation of bonds, particularly sigma bonds (single bonds) and pi bonds (double and triple bonds). Organic chemists are often more interested in how a reaction works than in why it occurs. With foreknowledge and experience of the reaction details, chemists can generate new compounds and provide a sequential description of each step in the transformations that result in new products. Reaction mechanisms may consist of many steps, including intermediates (like carbocations, carbanions, free radicals, or other species) or transition states between reactants and products. This article will cover 50 key named organic reactions, including every step in each reaction, and their products. In addition, more information on reaction discovery and applications will be discussed. This list represents just a small percentage of the many chemical reactions known in organic chemistry.