Department of Chemistry, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
CH50180: Fundamentals of organic chemistry for non-chemists |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Masters |
| Period: | Semester 1 |
| Assessment:
| CW100 |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Supplementary assessment information not currently available (this will be added shortly) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description: | Aims: To introduce the basic concepts upon which the understanding of organic chemistry depends, including structure, bonding and mechanism (arrow pushing) in the context of key reactions of organic chemistry. To build upon these basics to develop the concepts and knowledge essential to a sound understanding of modern organic chemistry, including the characteristic properties of organic functional groups (FGs), their interconversions, and their spectroscopic identification. Learning Outcomes: After studying this unit, students should be able to: * Describe the structure and bonding of simple organic molecules in order to explain their chemical behaviour. * Apply nomenclature, notation and diagrams to describe structures and reactions. * Describe and explain the mechanisms of nucleophilic aliphatic substitution and elimination reactions and of electrophilic addition to alkenes. * Apply the methodology of FG interconversions in the synthesis of academically and commercially important target molecules. Skills: Problem solving (T, F, A); Oral communication (F). Content: Lewis structures, resonance, orbitals and hybridisation, conjugation, hyperconjugation. Conformation and configuration; enantiomers, diastereomers. Acids and bases. Solvation. Stability and equilibrium. Kinetics and reaction energy profiles. Characteristic reactions of alkenes and haloalkanes: mechanisms for electrophilic addition to alkenes; aliphatic nucleophilic substitution; elimination. |