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Chemistry 212 - Organic Chemistry II - Fall Semester 1996

Organic Chemistry
A brief introduction by example

A very simple piece of DNA is shown. Understanding DNA is of interest to many areas including Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Medicine, ... and of course Philosophy. To begin to understand anything about this very special molecule we need to analyze the molecule and then test hypotheses we have come up with.

nomenclature
recognize building blocs and functional groups
properties of building blocs and functional groups
connections between building blocs
polymerization of monomer
3d-stereochemistry of building blocs, monomers, polymers
structure determination

The Four Pillars of Modern Chemisyry


In the modern view of chemistry, Experimentation, Theory & Computing, and Data Analysis are the three equally important sources of hypotheses and their testing grounds. The fourth pillar comprises the ensemble of Learning Methods.

Aristotle (384-322 BC) was very wrong ... we are getting better but beware!

Course Materials

(1) Required Text: Organic Chemistry, Vollhardt, K. Peter C.; Shore, Neil E.; 2nd ed., W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1994. ISBN 0-7167-2010-8. Cost: $76 text only; $92 text plus study guide.

(2) Optional study guide: Study Guide and Solutions Manual for Organic Chemistry, Schore, Neil. E., 2nd ed., W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1994. ISBN 0-7167-2572-X. (Answers to assigned problems will be posted on the Chem212 website and, if needed, in the Chemistry Department on the 2nd floor by the elevator). Cost: $30 study guide alone.

(3) Recommended (highly) model set: HGS Molecular Model Set, C Set for organic Chemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company. ISBN 0-7167-1972-X. Cost: $24.

(4) Computer software for molecular drawing, modeling & visualization, and review & self-study will be made available in the computer laboratory in the Physics Building. This integration of computer-assisted learning methods into Chemistry 212 is a first and your participation is voluntary. If you are enrolled in the honors' section of this class, you will have the opportunity to become involved in the design of computer-assisted exercises.

Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the concepts and principles covered in Chemistry 210.

Lectures
It is very important that you come to class well prepared! Do read the background material before it is covered in class. The lecture will be much more beneficial to you if you do. One of the advantages of being well prepared is simply that you need to write much less during the lecture and, instead, you will be able to follow the lecture intellectually. After the lecture, read the material again and test yourself, possibly in small groups. If uncertainties remain, review the material again or come to office hours.

Discussions - Reviews
If necessary and desired, discussion/review sessions will be scheduled in the evening in order to fit in with your schedules. These sessions are intended to serve three purposes: First, further discussion of the more difficult topics presented in class (not additional material), secondly, discussions of problems, and - most importantly - general Q&A and problem solving strategies. Dates will be announced in class as required.
To encourage discussions amongst yourselves, you will be subscribed to a Chemistry_212 discussion list. There will be several such lists to keep the number of subscribers low. Details about the discussion lists will be given in lecture.

Examinations and Grading
There will be three 1-hour-examinations (100 points each) and a comprehensive final (200 points). The 1-hour-examinations will focus on the materials covered recently, but it is expected that you recall the fundamentals of previously studied chapters. There will be no quizzes.

No grades will be assigned to individual tests. After each examination you will be given a graph representing the performance of the class that will enable you to assess your relative performance. After completion of all of the 1-hour-examinations and before the final examination, you will be informed regarding the point/grade relation. Grades are assigned based on the average of the class and the class distribution. In a previous semester, for example, with a course average of 59 percent, the following cuts were used: Grade A (14.9%) above 76 %, B grade (22.6%) above 64 %, C grade (35.1 %) above 50 %, and so on. Plus/minus grades will be given within this framework. A+ for the top 3 percent.

In concert with the policy of the Department of Chemistry, there will be no make up exams. If a test is missed for a legitimate reason (sickness and the like with some type of acceptable written proof), a score will be determined for this missed test that is based on your average overall performance. If you know in advance, that you will not be able to take an exam for a certain reason, talk to the instructor before the date of that test. If you do miss a test without a legitimate reason, you will receive a score of zero points for that test.

Honors
An honors' section is available. Option (1): Attend six Chemistry Colloquia (Fridays, 3:40, Schlundt 103), write brief summaries of the presentations (one page or less), and hand this report in. Option (2): Research an area of your interest related to organic chemistry and write a term paper on it (5-7 pages, double spaced). Option (3): Explore computer-assisted learning methods and design an exercise. I favor options (2) and (3). If you would like to pursue either option, get the required forms from the Honor's College and see me for advice & approval.

As far as option (2) is concerned, topics that have been selected in the past include, for example, DNA finger printing, alternative fuel sources, ozone depletion and so on. I'd be more than happy to help you with your topic selection and to provide guidance (e.g. literature). Topics that reflect the impact of chemistry on modern society are encouraged. You might get some ideas from the New York Times Science pages or from the Science department of Time magazine.

Option (3) relates to the integration of computer-assisted learning into Organic Chemistry education. You will be involved in testing and developing computer-assisted review and self-study exercises. A typical honors' project would consist in the complete production of one exercise segment from the conception of an idea to writing the student guide to the exercise. If you choose this option, I will instruct you in the usage of software (ChemDraw, Chem3D, MacSpartan) which you can apply to the design of your exercise. I think this is the most interesting and exciting option and you will certainly learn a great deal about chemistry and about computer-assisted teaching & learning technology.

Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is fundamental to activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each personŐs work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that range from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor. Proven academic dishonesty will be reported to the Provost for Academic Affairs and the studentŐs Dean.

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and need accommodations (for example, extended testing time, note takers, large print materials), please inform your instructor privately as soon as possible. In most circumstances, students with disabilities seeking academic accommodations should also register with the Access Office, A048 Brady Commons, 882-4696. As necessary, the Access Office will review documentation about your disability and about the need for accommodations you are requesting. The Access office will then assist in planning for any necessary accommodations.

Excellence is a Habit