MDCAT Chemistry Syllabus 2026 — 45 MCQs (25%)
Chemistry makes up 45 of the 180 MDCAT MCQs — a quarter of the paper — split across physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry. Organic reaction mechanisms and physical chemistry's numericals tend to separate strong scores from average ones, so both deserve as much practice time as memorizing inorganic trends.
Alcohols and Phenols
- Alcohol vs Phenol
- Chemistry of Alcohols (Ethers, Esters)
- Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution in Phenols
- Nomenclature, Structure, Reactivity of Alcohols
- Nomenclature, Structure, Reactivity of Phenols
Aldehydes and Ketones
- Nomenclature and Structure
- Nucleophilic Addition Reactions
- Oxidation Reactions
- Preparation
- Reactivity of Aldehydes and Ketones
- Reduction to Alcohols
- Tests for Aldehydes (Fehling's, Tollens')
Alkyl Halides
- Elimination Mechanisms
- Grignard Reagents
- Nomenclature, Structure, Reactivity
- Nucleophilic Substitution Mechanisms
Atomic Structure
- Atomic Structure
- Discovery of Electron (Cathode Rays)
- Discovery of Proton
- Electronic Configuration
- Ionization Energy of Hydrogen (Bohr Model)
- Mass Spectrometry
- Planck's Quantum Theory
- Quantum Numbers
- Shapes of Orbitals
- Spectrum of Hydrogen
Carboxylic Acids
- Conversion to Derivatives (Acyl Halides, Anhydrides, Esters)
- Distillation Reactions of Carboxylic Acid Salts
- Nomenclature, Structure, Preparation
- Preparation from Nitriles
- Reactivity of Carboxylic Acids
Chemical Bonding
- Bond Energy
- Chemical Bonding
- Dipole Moment
- Hybridization
- Ionic Character of Covalent Bond
- Isomerism (Stereoisomerism)
- Molecular Shapes (VSEPR Application)
- Nucleophilic Addition Reactions
- Nucleophilic Substitution Mechanisms
- Shapes of Orbitals
- Sigma and Pi Bonds
- VSEPR Theory
Chemical Equilibrium
- Acids & Bases
- Buffer Solutions
- Chemical Equilibrium
- Common Ion Effect
- Haber's Process
- Ka, pKa and Acid Strength
- Le Chatelier's Principle
- Solubility Products
- Yield (Theoretical, Actual, Percentage)
Chemistry of Hydrocarbons
- Acidity of Alkynes
- Alkyl Halides
- Chemical Reactions of Benzene
- Chemistry of Alcohols (Ethers, Esters)
- Chemistry of Alkenes
- Effect of Substituents on Benzene
- Free Radical Mechanism
- Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction
- Hydrogenation of Vegetable Oils
- MOT of Benzene, Resonance, Resonance Energy
- Nomenclature of Alkanes
- Nomenclature of Alkenes
- Nomenclature of Alkynes
- Nucleophilic Addition Reactions
- Octane Number and Cracking
- Preparation of Alkanes
- Preparation of Alkynes
- Reactivity of Benzene
- Shapes of Alkenes (Sigma/Pi Bonds)
- Structure and Reactivity of Alkenes
- Substitution vs Addition Reactions
- Reactivity of Alkynes
- Combustion of Hydrocarbons
Electrochemistry
- Balancing Redox Equations
- Electrochemistry
- Galvanic Cell (Salt Bridge)
- Oxidation and Reduction
- Redox Reactions
- Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE)
Environmental Chemistry
- Atmospheric Pollution (Acid Rain, Smog)
- Environmental Chemistry
Fundamental Concepts of Chemistry
- Chromatography Techniques
- Concentration Units (ppm, Molarity)
- Limiting and Excess Reactants
- Moles and Avogadro's Number
- Purification Techniques (Sublimation, Crystallization)
- Qualitative Analysis (Analytical Tests)
- Stoichiometry
- Yield (Theoretical, Actual, Percentage)
Fundamental Principles of Organic Chemistry
- Definition and Classification of Organic Compounds
- Functional Groups
- Isomerism (Stereoisomerism)
Gases
- Absolute Zero
- Boyle's Law
- Charles's Law
- Graham's Law of Effusion
- Ideal Gas Constant (R)
- Ideal Gas Equation
- Kinetic Molecular Theory
- Plasma State of Matter
- Real and Ideal Gases
- Standard Temperature and Pressure
- States of Matter
Industrial Chemistry
- Adhesives
- Cement Chemistry
- Contact Process (H2SO4 Manufacture)
- Dyes
- Fertilizers and Plant Nutrients
- Metallurgy and Extraction of Metals
- Methanol Synthesis
- Paper and Pulp Chemistry
- Petrochemical Catalytic Processes
- Polymers (Condensation and Addition)
- Saponification (Soap Manufacture)
- Types and Composition of Steel
- Urea Manufacture
- Water Treatment
Liquids
- Anomalous Behavior of Water
- Colligative Properties of Solutions
- Evaporation, Boiling Point, Vapor Pressure
- Hydrogen Bonding
- Intermolecular Forces (Van der Waals)
- Miscibility and Solubility of Liquids
- Properties of Liquids (Kinetic Theory)
- Solubility and Solubility Curves
Macromolecules
- Carbohydrates
- Classification and Structure of Proteins
- Enzymes as Biocatalysts
- Importance of Proteins
- Lipids
- Structure of DNA
Reaction Kinetics
- Activation Energy and Activated Complex
- Factors Affecting Rate of Reaction
- Methods to Study Reaction Rate
- Order of Reaction
- Rate Constant
- Rate of Reaction and Rate Equation
- Reaction Kinetics
Solids
- Crystal Lattice
- Crystalline Solids
- Factors Affecting Shape of Ionic Crystals
- Ionic vs Molecular Crystals
- Lattice Energy
- Metallic Bonding and Conduction
Thermochemistry
- Enthalpy of Reaction
- Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
- First Law of Thermodynamics
- Hess's Law
- Internal Energy
- Spontaneity and Entropy
- System, Surroundings, State Functions
- Thermochemistry
- Thermodynamics (Definition)
Transition Elements
- Chelates and Complex Ions
- Electronic Structure of d-block
s and p Block Elements
- Group I Reactions
- Group II Reactions
- Group IV Reactions
- Group V Reactions
- Group VI Reactions (Oxygen/Sulphur Family)
- Group VII Reactions (Halogens)
- Noble Gases and their Uses
- Periodic Table
- Periodic Trends (Radii, IE, EA, Electronegativity)
- s, p, d, f Block Demarcation