HELP! Organic Chem - functional groups???

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

I have a test tomorrow in Principles of Chem. We're covering organic chem and I'm having a hard time remembering the difference in the functional groups. I think I have alkene, alkane, alkynes down, and I know that alcohol is R-OH-R but everything else is just a blur and I can't figure out a good way to remember them. Any suggestions? I've been trying to figure out mnemonics for them but not having much luck. I'm takinga short break to watch Survivor and then hitting the books again.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

Nobody? I think I've come up with some stupid things to help me remember them. For example, I was having trouble remembering the prefixes ( I knew the obvious ones like hex, non, dec, but couldn't remember meth, but, eth) so this is what I've got:

My Eccentric Preacher Brought Pizza, Hamburgers, Hotdogs, & Onions, but Not Drinks

meth=1

eth=2

prep=3

but=4

pent=5

hex=6

hept=7

oct=8

non=9

dec=10

I also came up with one for each of the functional groups, but they wouldn't make any sense to anyone but me!

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I have no advice. I just wrote them over and over again until I memorized them. That was the only way *I* could get them all down.

Good luck!

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make flash cards and keep going over them. it came down to memorizing them for me.

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