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Many non-major students of introductory organic chemistry experience difficulties when first confronted with the classical questions of distinguishing between organic compounds containing different functional groups using basic chemical reactions and explanations of their visual observations. Most of these students have little organic chemistry background and thus no knowledge of spectroscopic methods as a tool for structure determination. They need practice in recognizing and comparing the different functional groups present in selected organic compounds and understanding the reactions each functional group can undergo.
Initial questions where all results and observations of the chemical tests relating to the selected functional groups are systematically tabulated help to develop a methodical approach to analyzing these problems. The tabulated comparisons can facilitate the student's approach to the classical questions, preventing random attempts with no regard for a process of elimination (if applicable).
This method of tabulating the results of chemical tests as an aid to recognizing and comparing compounds with more than one functional group is also of value to the student when analyzing more complex organic and bioorganic compounds later in the course.
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