Back to previous Page.. Syllabus for Organic Chemistry
Laboratory (CHEM 315L, 316L, 1 credit each.) July
1, 2009
Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. It does not represent a contract.
Instructor: Dr. Eugene J. Volker, 304 876 5285 (office) , evolker@shepherd.edu. If possible, outside of class communicate with me by email.
Content: In this laboratory course the student will become familiar with the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other interesting organic molecules. Modern instrumental techniques for the separation and characterization of organic compounds will be used. Computers will be employed for molecular modeling. Most of the experiments are structured as investigations of a problem or as the identification of a chemical "unknown". The student will design, conduct, and evaluate some experiments and take part in open-ended investigations. Several experiments are undertaken as cooperative projects where the whole class participates in analyzing data collected by multiple teams.
Text: The lab manual, by E. Volker, "CHEM 315 / 316 Organic Experiments, Fall 2009/ Spring 2010".
Attendance: You are expected to attend every laboratory period and to be there at the beginning of the class so that you can participate in the discussion of the experiment which always precedes actual work. If you miss a laboratory, report the reason to the instructor immediately upon your return to school.
Notebook: 1. Use only 11 by 8 1/2 in. spiral notebooks of 80 pages.
2. Use the format of "The Laboratory Notebook" found in your lab manual.
3. You have to keep a record of every experiment, demonstration, film, or model building exercise in your laboratory notebook.
4. Evaluation of your notebook will be centered on the "Results" and "Discussion " sections, so write these sections with particular care.
Grading: The laboratory grade
will be composed of
1. Three graded experiments in the laboratory notebook, total of 60 points.
2. A 20 point laboratory quiz taken along with the final examination in
lecture.
3. A 20 point term paper on "What I Have Learned In the Organic Laboratory This
Semester", described below.
An "A" is given to the student who obtains 87.5% or more of the 100 points possible for the course, a "B" if he/she is within the next 12.5% bracket, and so on. You can compute your grade at any time during the course. Let's say you have a 15 and an 19, respectively, on the first two graded experiments. The maximum possible scores being 20 and 20, you are at (34/40)*100=85% and you have earned a "B".
Laboratory Term Paper
At the end of each semester of the organic laboratory, the following paper is required. It is worth 20 points.
Topic: "What I Have Learned In the Organic Laboratory This Semester".
Length and Format: 1000 words minimum, in the format used for the research paper. This paper must be an individual effort, no joint papers are accepted.
What is Desired: The title is self-explanatory. Typical approaches may include:
1. A survey of all the experiments done in the laboratory during the semester with a critical look at each one in terms of its usefulness for teaching science in general, and organic chemistry in particular.
2. As above, but limited to a small number of experiments which were singled out because they were particularly good, meaningful, interesting, etc.
3. A paper may be organized along some central theme which encompasses a number of experiments. Chromatography, NMR, IR, distillation, and extraction are some examples. Additional reading should be done on those aspects of the central theme which were not treated in class.
Note: Suppose you decide to write a paper with an emphasis on chromatography or spectroscopy. Always show the connection between the specific experiments you performed in the laboratory and the more general discussion of these topics.
Where to Get Help:
1. Your record of experiments performed in the laboratory, as recorded in your laboratory notebook.
2. The many laboratory manuals and textbooks in the lab or in the reading room (BY-117).
3. Conversations with the instructor.
4. The Internet.
5. The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology.
6. The Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.
When is the Paper Due? The day of the Final Exam
Experiments and laboratory activities will be selected from the list below, although changes to this list are possible.
Building Molecular Models: Families of Organic Compounds
Building Molecular Models: Hydrocarbons and Halogenated Hydrocarbons
Building Molecular Models: Stereoisomers
Building Molecular Models: Reactions of ethers
Building Molecular Models: Glucose
Building Molecular Models: Fischer Esterification
Molecular Modeling with the Computer: General Directions
Molecular Modeling with the Computer: Relative Energies of Alkenes and Alkynes
Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) of Drugs
First Chemical Detective Work: Mystery Mixtures
Synthesis of an Organic Compound
Second Chemical Detective Work: Identification of a Mystery Compound by IR and GC-MS
Polarimetry of an Unknown Amino Acid
Specific Rotations of Amino Acids
Possible Compounds for the Apple IR / H-1 NMR tutorial
Synthesis of Phenacetin from Acetaminophen
Synthesis of Phenacetin from p-Phenetidine
Testing Paper Currency for Dangerous Drugs
Third Chemical Detective Work: Unknown Starting Masterial to Unknown Product
Isolation and Characterization of the Essential Oil of Anise
Photochemistry of Benzophenone
Nitration of Nitrobenzene, Toluene, and t-Butylbenzene
Synthesis of Aspirin from Salicylic Acid
Photoisomerization of Anise Oil
Synthesis of Anethole and its Analogs
Fourth Chemical Detective Work: Transformation of a Known Ketone to an Unknown Product
Synthesis and Biological Testing of the Insect Repellent, DEET. Initial Version
Synthesis by Combinatorial Chemistry and Biological Testing of Antibiotics
Burner Gas
Isolation and Characterization of Lactose from Milk
Stereospecific Synthesis of the Geometrical Isomers of a Natural Product
Is Your Cat Getting his/her Due? Experiments with Nepetalactones
Deuterium Exchange at the α-Carbon of a Ketone
Enol-Keto Equilibrium of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds
Following Mutarotation by C-13 NMR and Calculating the Equilibrium Constant for the Interconversion Between the Alpha and Beta Cyclic Forms of Sugars
UV-VIS Spectroscopy of Organic Molecules .