October 1, 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 17)
URL:
http://bit.ly/dyzxhy
Rating:
Strong Points: A collection of useful “cheat sheets”
Weak Points: No electron movement depicted in reaction flashcards
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
Students of organic chemistry will probably appreciate the casual style of this educational app, which includes humorous references and mnemonics (and even a chemistry humor section). While not the most professional chemistry reference app in either tone or design aesthetic, the Organic Chemistry Essentials app is composed of a number of chemical reactions and facts that are, well, essential to learning organic chemistry. These include sections dedicated to determining R versus S stereochemistry, tips for interpreting NMR spectra, and a review of the properties of various organic reagents. One limitation to the app is that it does not depict electron movement in its reactions, instead reducing the tutorials to mere exercises in the memorization of reactants and products.
