Exam #2 answers

Exam #2 went quite well. You can pick up your exams from the box outside my office and download selected answers.

I apologize for the long delay in returning this exam. You know the main reason why everything got held up, but I regret the delay just the same.

A couple of comments beyond those in the answer sheet:

• The first step in problem #1 is quite difficult to think about. The other steps are more straightforward and everyone dealt with them more reliably. You are still having some problems with labels. Cycloadditions get [m+n], sigmatropic rearrangements get [m,n], and electrocyclizations get DIS/CON (and maybe number of electrons).
• The first step in problem #2 is nearly impossible to think about. Well, I exaggerate. You can think about it, but it is too difficult for an exam problem. Sorry. Interesting note: most of the remaining steps did not need to be analyzed because they duplicated steps in problem #1, but most of you analyzed these steps just the same. So it goes.
• Only one person built all four transition state models correctly. Two people built two models correctly. Two people were stumped or misled by the models that they had (which weren’t transition state models). I was hoping that the last problem on HW #8 would prepare everyone adequately for this exam problem, but I guess not. Is there something I could have done differently that would have helped?