Editing Organic chemistry (section)

== Organic reactions ==
{{Main|Organic reaction}}
[[Organic reaction]]s are [[chemical reaction]]s involving [[organic compound]]s.<ref name=March/> Many of these reactions are associated with functional groups. The general theory of these reactions involves careful analysis of such properties as the [[electron affinity]] of key atoms, [[bond strength]]s and [[steric hindrance]]. These factors can determine the relative stability of short-lived [[reactive intermediate]]s, which usually directly determine the path of the reaction.

The basic reaction types are: [[addition reaction]]s, [[elimination reaction]]s, [[substitution reaction]]s, [[pericyclic reaction]]s, rearrangement reactions and [[Redox|redox reactions]].<ref name=March/> An example of a common reaction is a [[substitution reaction]] written as:

:{{chem2 | Nu-  +  C\sX  -> C\sNu + X- }}

where X is some [[functional group]] and Nu is a [[nucleophile]].

The number of possible organic reactions is infinite. However, certain general patterns are observed that can be used to describe many common or useful reactions. Each reaction has a stepwise reaction mechanism that explains how it happens in sequence—although the detailed description of steps is not always clear from a list of reactants alone.

The stepwise course of any given reaction mechanism can be represented using [[arrow pushing]] techniques in which curved arrows are used to track the movement of electrons as starting materials transition through intermediates to final products.