Reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry

In the 2025–26 school year, the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences will once again open its digital lecture hall to high school students. A series of online lectures will cover key topics in chemistry relevant to the curriculum—presented clearly by experienced teachers and supplemented with current references to research. This provides a lively insight into exciting questions and methods in modern chemistry. School teachers are also warmly invited!

This time: “
” To enhance understanding of organic chemistry, the focus will be on the detailed sequence of chemical transformations—known as reaction mechanisms. These mechanisms explain why certain substances react with one another in characteristic ways and what products are formed in the process. This knowledge makes it possible to control the course of a reaction and achieve desired results through the careful selection of conditions such as temperature, solvent, or catalyst. The session will introduce the most important mechanisms and types of organic reactions and illustrate the fundamental principles using concise examples.