- Student Records
Programme & Unit Catalogues


CH50180: Fundamentals of organic chemistry for non-chemists

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2018/9
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Chemistry
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • COURSEWORK (CW 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions 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.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

CH50180 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Chemistry

Notes: