CHEM 6210

ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Course Syllabus
Spring 2008

8:00-8:55 AM MWF
Room 413 FH

Instructor Office Phone E-mail
Dr. Crouse 313 FH 3515 dcrouse@tntech.edu

Text Author
Advanced Organic Chemistry Reinhard Bruckner

ISBN 0-12-138110-2

2002

Most new graduate students took organic chemistry as sophomores but have had little exposure since. Because of this, they recall organic as a jumbled, encyclopedic accumulation of facts, too vast to understand or recall significant details. In other words, students are typically too busy learning the bark of every 'tree' to step back and see the 'forest', that is the broad general principles which govern the physical and chemical properties of organic compounds.
The purpose of this course is to bridge that gap, between the organic the student should recall and the mainstream material the student will encounter in the current literature. To accomplish this, we will deviate from the classical 'functional group' approach and concentrate on the basic concepts and mechanisms of organic (and really all) chemistry. This is not to say that we will not study reactions, but that we will strive to simplify and highlight the fundamentals common throughout organic reactions. At the same time, we will introduce the student to new material, hopefully in a manner which will enable them to understand current literature.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
WEEK OF CHAP. TOPICS Notes
JAN 14 0 Introduction, basics of bonding & mechanism -
JAN 21 HO Wave Mechanics, Huckel MO model No Class Monday
JAN 28 HO LCAO equations, pi energy -
FEB 4 1 Radicals - chain mechanisms -
FEB 11 2 Nucleophilic Substitutions -
FEB 18 2, 3 Substitutions
Additions to olefinic systems
-
FEB 25 3, 4 Additions
Eliminations
-
MAR 3 -- Spring Break  
MAR 10 4 Elimination processes Mid-Term Exam
MAR 17 5 Aromatic Substitutions -
MAR 24 6 Nucleophilic Acyl Substitutions -
MAR 31 7, 8, 9 Nucleophilic additions, Carbonyl additions
Ylide reactions
-
APR 7 10 Enolate reactions -
APR 14 11 Rearrangements -
APR 21 12 Thermal cycloadditions, Orbital Symmetry --

HO = Selection from "Notes on Molecular Orbital Calculations" by John Roberts, 1961.

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, May 1, 8:00-10:00 AM, Room 413 FH.

GRADING
Problems 30%
Literature Project* 15%
Mid-Term Exam 25%
Final Exam (comprehensive) 30%

*STUDENT LITERATURE PROJECT        DUE APRIL 16, 2008

Each student will be assigned a number of common organic reactions. They will assemble information on these reactions, including basic equations, references, mechanisms, and special features. The student will also conduct a search of the recent literature to locate specific examples of the use of each reaction. This information will be assembled into a report using the attached FORMAT.
All student reports will be combined and distributed to the class. Students may be responsible for this material on the final exam.

Reaction List

Organic Chemistry Resources


Students with a disability requiring accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS). An Accommodation Request (AR) should be completed as soon as possible, preferably by the end of the first week of the course. The contact is located in the Roaden University Center, Room 112; phone 372-6119.

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