Important Named Reactions in Organic Chemistry for NEET Exam

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for NEET exam preparation. It involves the study of carbon compounds and their reactions. Understanding the various named reactions is crucial for success in the exam. Here is a list of important named reactions in organic chemistry for the NEET exam:

1. Grignard Reaction:
- This reaction involves the reaction of an alkyl or aryl magnesium halide (Grignard reagent) with a carbonyl compound to form an alcohol.
- It is used for the synthesis of alcohols, carboxylic acids, and various other functional groups.

2. Friedel-Crafts Reaction:
- This reaction involves the alkylation or acylation of an aromatic ring using an alkyl halide or an acyl halide in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst.
- It is used for the synthesis of alkyl and acyl substituted aromatic compounds.

3. Birch Reduction:
- In this reaction, aromatic compounds are reduced using sodium metal and liquid ammonia to form cyclohexadiene.
- It is used for the reduction of aromatic rings to introduce unsaturation.

4. Cannizzaro Reaction:
- This reaction involves the self-oxidation and reduction of an aldehyde in the presence of a strong base.
- It is used for the conversion of aldehydes into alcohols and carboxylic acids.

5. Claisen Condensation:
- This reaction involves the condensation of two ester molecules in the presence of a strong base to form a β-keto ester.
- It is used for the synthesis of β-keto esters and other β-dicarbonyl compounds.

6. Hofmann Rearrangement:
- This reaction involves the rearrangement of a primary amide to an isocyanate intermediate, which then rearranges to form a primary amine with one less carbon atom.
- It is used for the conversion of primary amides to primary amines.

7. Beckmann Rearrangement:
- In this reaction, an oxime is treated with a strong acid to give an amide.
- It is used for the conversion of oximes to amides.

8. Wurtz Reaction:
- This reaction involves the coupling of two alkyl halides in the presence of sodium metal to form a higher molecular weight alkane.
- It is used for the synthesis of symmetrical alkanes.

9. Reimer-Tiemann Reaction:
- This reaction involves the chlorination of phenol using chloroform in the presence of a base to form salicylaldehyde.
- It is used for the synthesis of salicylaldehyde derivatives.

10. Finkelstein Reaction:
- This reaction involves the substitution of one halogen atom with another in an alkyl halide using a different halide salt.
- It is used for the conversion of alkyl halides to different halides.

These named reactions play a crucial role in organic synthesis and are frequently tested in the NEET exam. Understanding the mechanisms and applications of these reactions will help students excel in the examination.