Entry requirements

Organic Chemistry I, 10 credits.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• describe synthetical processes relevant to organic-chemical reactions and discuss the mechanism of these reactions
• discuss stereochemical problems related to chemical transformations
• correlate the structure of compounds to their reactivity
• give examples of how the properties of organic compounds , including their reactivity, can influence environmental and economical decisions
• plan and carry out fundamental organic transformations of significance for organic synthesis, carry out simple risk assessments and in-session laboratory documentation and oral/written presentation of the contents and results of laboratory sessions.

Content

Organic-chemical reactions of industrially and biochemically relevant compound classes: Arenes, esters, alcohols, aldols, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, peptides and nucleic acids. Reaction mechanisms to build/degrade carbon compounds. Examples for common reagent within synthetic chemistry (oxidation, reduction, Lewis acids and Lewis bases, Grignard reagents, organolithium reagents). Mechanisms for catalytic reactions: acid-base catalysis, enzymatic catalysis, metal catalysis (also in biological systems). Organic-chemical reactions in water. Comparison between synthesis in biological systems and industrial synthesis. Overview of spectroscopic methods in organic chemistry (UV, IR, MS, NMR).

Instruction

Lectures, problem solving sessions and laboratory work.

Assessment

Written examination(3 credits). The laboratory sessions correspond to 2 credits. The final grade is awarded when all components of the course have been passed. The final grade is a weighted sum of the results of the written examination and the laboratory sessions.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.