CHEM 125A - Freshman Organic Chemistry I
Lecture 24 - Determining Chemical Structure by Isomer Counting (1869). Half a century before direct experimental observation became possible, most structures of organic molecules were assigned by inspired guessing based on plausibility. But Wilhelm Korner developed a strictly logical system for proving the structure of benzene and its derivatives based on isomer counting and chemical transformation. His proof that the six hydrogen positions in benzene are equivalent is the outstanding example of this chemical logic but was widely ignored because, in Palermo, he was far from the seats of chemical authority. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 24 - Determining Chemical Structure by Isomer Counting (1869) |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. How Did Kekule Know Benzene is Hexagonal? |
| [00:20:10] | 2. Koerner's System of Isomer Counting and Chemical Transformation |
| [00:29:53] | 3. Koerner's Assumptions on Replacement and Experimental Distinguishability |
| [00:34:23] | 4. The Koerner Equivalence Proof |
| References |
| Lecture 24 - Determining Chemical Structure by Isomer Counting (1869) Instructor: Professor J. Michael McBride. Resources: Professor McBride's website resource for CHEM 125 (Fall 2008). Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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