Advanced Organic Chemistry Practice Problems !exclusive! Jun 2026

You attempt a thermal dimerization of 1,3-cyclohexadiene to form a cyclooctadiene derivative. The reaction fails completely. However, when you irradiate the mixture with UV light, you isolate a single [4+4] cycloadduct.

Take Problem 1 (the norbornyl system) and draw the complete potential energy diagram comparing the classical vs. non-classical pathway. When you’re done, move to Problem 5—try to synthesize strychnine on paper. advanced organic chemistry practice problems