Department of Chemistry, Unit Catalogue 2011/12 |
|
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) |
| Period: |
Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| EX 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| In taking this unit you cannot take CH20149 and take CH20150 |
| Description:
| Aims: To provide the student with a working knowledge of important classes of organic transformations and illustrate how the rate and mechanism of a chemical reaction can be understood in terms of the chemical structure of molecules. To show how experimental kinetic data may be used to elucidate chemical reaction mechanisms. Learning Outcomes: After studying this Unit, students should be able to: * Describe the synthetic chemistry of carbocations, anions and radical species and describe some of the mechanisms involved in their reaction. * analyse experimental rate data for first- and second-order reactions; * describe how the involvement of a reaction intermediate may be deduced; * discuss the stereochemistry of aliphatic nucleophilic substitution; * describe the effects of added ions upon SN1 substitutions; * discuss the role of ion pairs in unimolecular solvolyses; * determine the pH of a buffer solution; * describe the effect of pH on the rates of acid or base catalysed reactions; * distinguish general catalysis from specific catalysis by acids or bases; * describe the features of nucleophilic catalysis; * rationalise the reactivity of molecules using stereoelectronic principles. Skills: Problem solving (T, F, A), Data Analysis (T, F, A), Independent working (F), Group working (F). Content: Aliphatic nucleophilic substitution: 1st & 2nd order kinetics, competing reactions; Deduction of reaction mechanism, evidence for intermediates; Stereochemical evidence for the SN2 mechanism; Evidence for the SN1 mechanism: consecutive reactions, common-ion effect, solvolysis, ion pairs; Acid/base catalysis: solvent levelling, buffers, specific & general catalysis; Nucleophilic catalysis. Review of basic stereochemistry principles. The importance of stereoselective synthesis. Diastereomers and diastereoselective synthesis. Conformation of cyclohexanes - the importance of stereochemistry to reactivity - carbohydrates. Stereochemistry and mechanism. Frontier Molecular Orbital Theory and stereoelectronic effects. Aspects of the chemistry of carbocations, carbanions, radicals, carbenes, nitrenes, and arynes. |
| Programme availability: |
CH20177 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Chemistry
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