Learning Outcomes On completing these problems you should be able to:
•	Demonstrate an understanding of the bond forming and breaking processes in fundamental types of reaction in Organic Chemistry.
•	Draw the "curly" (or "curved") arrows that organic chemists use to depict bond forming and breaking processes.

The mechanism of an organic reaction is the sequence of steps in the reaction, including details of what bonds are formed and/or broken in each step.   Understanding the mechanisms of organic reactions is key to understanding Organic Chemistry, and is also essential to being able to use the reactions to make useful compounds.

 

How To Use This Page:  You will be presented with reactions in the structure drawing window below, and asked to draw the curly arrow mechanisms.   Start by selecting the type of reaction you would like to work on, by clicking on one of the buttons below. Then select the level of difficulty appropriate to your prior learning and your own learning goals.   Then click on the "Get Problem" button and follow the instructions that will appear in the purple box underneath. Note that it is a limitation of the editor that it can be tricky to select curly arrows to delete them. It can be easier to draw another arrow going in the opposite direction to cancel out the orginal arrow. Alternatively, you can use the 'reset problem' button and start drawing the arrows again. The score shown below right will give an indication of your progress.   Select a different reaction type or level of difficulty when you wish to move on. Click here to watch a brief video on using the ChemInteractive Quiz.

Please give us your feedback (click this link)
ChemInteractive is currently being piloted at the University of Manchester. Your feedback on your use of the tool would be much appreciated and will influence its continued use and future development.

Choose a type of mechanism   Click on a name to get help on that type of mechanism. Resonance Substitution and elimination Electrophilic addition to alkenes Acyl substitution Nucleophilic addition to C=O Electrophilic aromatic substitution All mechanisms

Choose the level of difficulty Easier More difficult

Problem instructions	ChemDoodle Editor	Feedback and Score
Draw curly (curved) arrows on the structure(s) on the left to show how the structure(s) on the right is(are) formed. When you are finished click the "Check Mechanism" button.