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Organic Chemistry Syllabus
A comprehensive study of carbon-based compounds covering structure, bonding, functional groups, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, spectroscopy, and synthesis.. The complete Organic Chemistry outline — 7 subjects, 32 chapters and 124 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
Organic Chemistry subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
5 chapters · 21 topics
Stereochemistry and Conformational Analysis4 chapters · 14 topics
Reaction Mechanisms of Aliphatic Compounds4 chapters · 14 topics
Hydrocarbons: Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatics5 chapters · 21 topics
Functional Group Chemistry: Alcohols, Ethers, and Carbonyls5 chapters · 22 topics
Nitrogen Compounds, Spectroscopy, and Biomolecules5 chapters · 18 topics
Synthesis and Retrosynthetic Analysis4 chapters · 14 topics
Organic Chemistry flashcard decks
356 question-and-answer cards across 7 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
- Structure, Bonding, and Acid-Base Chemistry — 50 cards
- Stereochemistry and Conformational Analysis — 52 cards
- Reaction Mechanisms of Aliphatic Compounds — 50 cards
- Hydrocarbons: Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatics — 50 cards
- Functional Group Chemistry: Alcohols, Ethers, and Carbonyls — 50 cards
- Nitrogen Compounds, Spectroscopy, and Biomolecules — 55 cards
- Synthesis and Retrosynthetic Analysis — 49 cards
How to work through the Organic Chemistry syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Functional Group Chemistry: Alcohols, Ethers, and Carbonyls carries 22 topics while Synthesis and Retrosynthetic Analysis carries 14. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Organic Chemistry.
The ~95 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
Organic Chemistry syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Organic Chemistry syllabus?
Organic Chemistry covers 7 subjects: Structure, Bonding, and Acid-Base Chemistry, Stereochemistry and Conformational Analysis, Reaction Mechanisms of Aliphatic Compounds, Hydrocarbons: Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatics, Functional Group Chemistry: Alcohols, Ethers, and Carbonyls, Nitrogen Compounds, Spectroscopy, and Biomolecules and Synthesis and Retrosynthetic Analysis. Together they contain 32 chapters and 124 named topics.
How much do you have to study for Organic Chemistry?
The full Organic Chemistry outline breaks down into 32 chapters, 124 topics and 0 sub-topics. Functional Group Chemistry: Alcohols, Ethers, and Carbonyls is the largest single subject with 22 topics across 5 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole Organic Chemistry syllabus?
Roughly 95 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 5 weeks.
Are there Organic Chemistry flashcards?
Yes — 356 question-and-answer flashcards across 7 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this Organic Chemistry syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Organic Chemistry syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.