Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

(Prepared with the assistance of the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry)

Currently there are many excellent organic chemistry textbooks whose contents can provide a sound basis for organizing an introductory organic chemistry course for chemistry majors. In general these textbooks include more information than can be covered in the time allotted for organic chemistry, and often some of the textbook material is not presented. However, the introductory course should provide grounding in a range of topics including the following. Fundamental Aspects of Bonding and Structure, including molecular orbital and valence bond concepts, isomerism (i.e., constitutional and stereo), electronegativity, electron delocalization and aromaticity.
Correlation of Physical Propertio with Molecular Structure, including boiling points, solubilities, and spectra (¹H and ¹³ CNMR, UV and Visible, IR, and mass).
Correlation of Chemical Reactivity and Molecular Structure, including concept of Bronsted and Lewis acids and bases and the influences of electronic and steric effects in the gas phase and in solution.
Reaction Mechanisms, including nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution, addition and elimination reactions, free radical reactions, cycloaddition reactions, molecular rearrangements, photochemical reactions, oxidation and reduction reactions, and meta- mediated reactions.
Chemical Kinetics, inoluding a brief introduction to rate laws, catalysis, and the relationships between thermodynamics and kinetics and the application of kinetics to the elucidation of organic reaction mechanisms.
Detailed Emphasis on Functional Group Chemistry, including the preparation, reactions, and nomenclature of the major classes of organic compounds and polymers and biopolymers.
Detailed Consideration of Polyfunctional Substances, including the major classes of biological compounds and natural products.
Concepts In Molecular Recognition, including examples of host-guest complexes, enzymes, biological receptors, and nucleic acids.
Organic Synthesis, including moderately challenging "sequence syntheses" with exercises in retrosynthetic planning, the application of modem synthetic methods including organometallic reagents, and the use of protecting group strategies.

In addition to the topics listed above, a chemistry major course should provide (a) relevant historical perspectives of organic chemistry and (b) industrial ramifications of organic processes. The laboratory associated with the chemistry majors' course in organic chemistry should provide grounding in the following experimental techniques.

Isolation and Purification Techniques, including extraction, distillation, sublimation, crystallization, and chromatography (column, thin layer, gas-liquid, and HPLC).
Spectroscopic Techniques, including hands on use of UV/Vis, IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopy for the identification of appropriately chosen "unknown" compounds.
Synthesis Techniques, including the synthesis of an appropriately selected group of "simple" organic compunds.
Library and Communication Techniques, including bibliographic instruction in manual and electronic methods and experience with written reports and keeping a laboratory notebook.

Team research projects and independent project designs are encouraged. There is no single recommended scale for these experiments, and the quantities of chemicals used range from milligram to multigram quantities. It is recommended that the laboratory material traditionally referred to as "Qualititative Organic Analysis" be incorporated into the second semester of the two-semester laboratory sequence associated with the majors' course in organic chemistry. An advanced laboratory course in organic chemistry might then be devoted to modern methods of organic synthesis (eg. multi-step syntheses) and advanced aspects of chemical separation and identification designed as an introduction to modern methods of organic chemical research.