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Basic PHD Viva Questions

This document contains 40 basic questions that could be asked during a PhD viva examination. The questions cover a wide range of fundamental organic chemistry topics including: hybridization; thermodynamics; reaction mechanisms for substitution, elimination, addition, and rearrangement reactions; stereochemistry; spectroscopy; separation techniques; aromaticity; heterocycles; non-covalent interactions; catalysis; pericyclic reactions; acid-base theories; kinetic vs thermodynamic control; cross-coupling reactions; radical reactions; and recent literature. The exam aims to thoroughly test the candidate's underlying knowledge of organic chemistry principles and their ability to clearly explain concepts.

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244 views

Basic PHD Viva Questions

This document contains 40 basic questions that could be asked during a PhD viva examination. The questions cover a wide range of fundamental organic chemistry topics including: hybridization; thermodynamics; reaction mechanisms for substitution, elimination, addition, and rearrangement reactions; stereochemistry; spectroscopy; separation techniques; aromaticity; heterocycles; non-covalent interactions; catalysis; pericyclic reactions; acid-base theories; kinetic vs thermodynamic control; cross-coupling reactions; radical reactions; and recent literature. The exam aims to thoroughly test the candidate's underlying knowledge of organic chemistry principles and their ability to clearly explain concepts.

Uploaded by

m__rubel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic PhD Viva Questions

1. Briefly tell me about your project.

2. Describe sp1, sp2, and sp3 hybridisation and indicate the bond angles of each of these systems.

3. Discuss the relative stability of carbocations.

4. What is meant by ‘intermediate’ and ‘transition state’ – give an example to show each of these.

5. What is meant by G and G‡?

6. Use Cahn-Ingold-Prelog rules for assigning stereochemistry (R/S and E/Z). How is this affected by isotopes?

7. Show, with examples, an SN1, SN2, and SN2’ reaction and be able to draw the energy profiles for each.

8. Show with examples, an E1, E2, and E1CB reaction, understand their mechanistic differences, and be able to
draw the energy profiles for each.

9. What are the 8 possible mechanisms for ester hydrolysis? Describe reaction mechanisms for each of these
and relate to esterification mechanisms.

10. What is the mechanism for the formation and cleavage of an acetal/ketal?

11. Draw the molecular orbitals for butadiene, acrolein, and benzene.

12. What are the six principal classes of reaction?

13. Draw a Newman projection of a compound in your report (chosen by examiner).

14. Describe the Felkin-Anh and related models.

15. Define the terms homotopic, enantiotopic, and diastereotopic and understand how to apply these to a
compound in your report, especially in terms of NMR.

16. Define and illustrate the terms chirality, enantiomers, diastereomers, epimers, meso, and prochiral centre.

17. What is meant by the term Burgi-Dunitz angle (or trajectory)?

18. Show, with and example, a Zimmerman-Traxler transition state for an aldol reaction.

19. What is the length and strength of a C-C, C=C, CC, and C-H bond?

20. Discuss pKa theory.

21. What is the pKa of a proton selected by your examiner from a compound in your report?

22. What are the principles behind NMR, IR, UV, and MS analytical techniques?

23. How would you distinguish between and separate (i) enantiomers and (ii) diastereomers?

24. What are the different NMR techniques you can use to establish stereochemistry?

25. Define aromaticity and use this description to distinguish between the reactions of an alkene and benzene
towards electrophiles.
AJBWatson, University of Strathclyde
26. Using resonance structures, show the difference in reactivity between pyrrole and pyridine towards
electrophiles and compare the basicity of these to heterocycles.

27. Discuss the Friedel-Crafts reaction.

28. Discuss the conformation of substituted and unsubstituted cyclic and acyclic aliphatic compounds.

29. Be able to draw and recognise the different amino acids.

30. Show with examples, the different types of non-covalent interactions.

31. What is meant by nucleophilic catalysis?

32. Discuss the Diels-Alder reaction.

33. Be able to show and define any ring closing reaction by Baldwin’s rules.

34. Show an aptitude to differing reactivities as defined by hard-soft acid-base theory.

35. Describe a reaction that can operate under kinetic and thermodynamic control, highlight the energetic
differences between the two, and be able to draw the energy profiles for each.

36. Be able to show, with examples, the Suzuki, Stille, Sonogashira, Heck, and Buchwald-Hartwig reactions.

37. With reference to the halogenation of alkenes, illustrate the difference between early and late transition
states.

38. Show the different stages of a radical reaction process.

39. Discuss relative stabilities of radical species.

40. Describe and discuss your favourite paper out of the literature for the past six months in an area that is not
directly related to your project.

AJBWatson, University of Strathclyde

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