CH330:
An introduction to molecular structure, functional groups, nomenclature and properties of organic compounds, and reactivity of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and alcohols. Associated topics include reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry and chirality, and methods of spectroscopic characterization. Laboratory includes techniques in the synthesis and purification (recrystallization, extraction, chromatography) of organic compounds and an introduction to applied spectroscopy (UV-vis, FTIR, NMR, MS).
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
The lecture portion of this course will be delivered in-person (or “face-to-face”). Some assignments will be held during the lecture class time, while others will be completed outside of class time.
If the College is forced to suspend in-person instruction due to the pandemic, the lecture portion of this course would be changed to online an asynchronous course. This would require that you watch recorded lecture videos via Blackboard/Office 365 (probably 2-3 per week). Office hours would meet in a virtual contact space through the Blackboard Learning Management System. Assignments (types, numbers, approximate dates) would be kept as closely as possible to the original plan in this syllabus, with assignments being distributed/submitted via Blackboard.
The laboratory portion of the course will be an in-person model, including in-person experiments. If the College must suspend in-person operations, alternative online or out-of-laboratory activities/assignments may be substituted for the planned in-person experiments.
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course…
1. The student will be able to explain the principles of chemistry in relation to chemical and physical
properties, chemical nomenclature, and chemical reactions.
2. The student will be able to perform calculations and solve problems (using computer technology when
appropriate) in relation to items in the previous objective above.
3. The student will be able to analyze, collect and record scientific data.
4. The student will be able to demonstrate the operation of appropriate equipment and instrumentation
relating to the chemistry discipline.
5. The student will be able to analyze and interpret instrumental/experimental data.
The optional, recommended lecture text which this course follows is Organic Chemistry: A Tenth Edition by John McMurray. (ISBN-13: 978-1-951693-98-5). The book can be accessed for free at OpenStax: (https://openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry).
Laboratory experiments will be delivered via “handouts” in Blackboard. A tentative schedule of experiments is provided later in this syllabus.
Overview: Organic Chemistry I is a two-part course: lecture and lab. This is a science-major’s (or pre-professional student’s) course in organic chemistry, designed to teach the structure and nomenclature of organic compounds, the nature of their chemical reactions, the basis of organic synthesis, problem-solving logic as it is applied to chemical problems, and related laboratory skills and practices.
Course Goals and Objectives: This course addresses the following goals/objectives in the Chemistry program (which may be relevant to other programs requiring this course): “Have an understanding of the principles of chemistry in relation to chemical and physical properties, chemical nomenclature, and chemical reactions. Be able to make calculations and solve problems (using computer technology when appropriate) in relation to items in the previous objective above. Be able to properly collect and record scientific data. Be able to setup and operate appropriate equipment and instrumentation relating to the chemistry discipline. Be able to appropriately analyze and interpret instrumental/experimental data.” (from the Chemistry Program Major/Minor Assessment Report).
| Week of Semester† | Chapter(s) | Topics | |
| Week 1 | Chapter 1 Chapter 2 | atomic structure, bonding, Lewis structures, polarity/electronegativity, formal charge, resonance, molecular structures, sigma/pi bonding, hybridization, molecular geometry, molecular orbital theory, isomers. | |
| Week 2 | Chapter 2. Chapter 3. | Intermolecular forces, polarity, solubility, acids and bases, inductive effects, resonance effects, functional groups, basics of mechanisms. | |
| Week 3 | Chapter 3. Chapter 4. | nomenclature of alkanes, properties of alkanes, conformations, cyclic alkanes, cis-trans isomers. | |
| Week 4 | Chapter 6. Chapter 10. | halogenation of alkanes, free-radical chain mechanism. | |
| Weeks 5-6 | Chapter 12. | basics of IR spectroscopy and IR spectral interpretation, basics of mass spectrometry and mass spectral interpretation. | |
| Week 7 | Chapter 5. | chirality, R/S enantiomers, racemic mixtures, biological relevance, Newman/Fischer projections. | |
| Weeks 8-9 | Chapter 10. Chapter 11. | nomenclature, preparation, SN1 & SN2 reactions with mechanisms, stereochemistry. | |
| Week 10-11 | Chapter 7. | nomenclature, cis/trans isomers, E1 and E2 elimination reactions with mechanisms, Zaitsev/Hoffmann products. | |
| Weeks 12-13 | Chapter 8. | electrophilic addition reactions, Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov, hydrogenation, epoxidation, oxidations. | |
| Weeks 14 | Chapter 9. | nomenclature, properties and bonding, reactions, synthesis, keto-enol | |
| Weeks 15-16 | Chapter 13. | basics of NMR spectroscopy and NMR spectral interpretation. |
† The listed week of the semester for each topic is tentative and subject to change as the semester progresses.
LIST OF LAB EXPERIMENTS (Tentative):
Most experiments will have a corresponding “handout” document available in the “LAB” folder in the course Blackboard page. Some additional instruction (e.g., hand-outs, video recordings, etc.) may also be provided. The list and order of experiments below is tentative and subject to change. If so, any change will be announced with the appropriate advanced notice.
| Lab Week(s) | Lab Experiment/Activity | |
| 1 | Melting Points and Boiling Points | |
| 2 | Thin-Layer Chromatography: Identification of OTC Pain Medications | |
| 3 | Distillation: Separation of a Mixture of Toluene and Hexane | |
| 4 | Steam Distillation and Liquid-Liquid Extraction of a Natural Product | |
| 5 | HPLC analysis of caffeine | |
| 6 | Infrared Spectroscopy | |
| 7 | Synthesis: Acetylation of D-Glucose | |
| 8-9 | Column Chromatography: Separation and Identification of Compounds from Spinach Leaves | |
| 10 | Acid-Catalyzed E1 Elimination: Conversion of an Alcohol to an Alkene | |
| 11 | NMR Spectroscopy | |
For labs that have “handout” documents, you are expected to read the document before coming to lab.
Some course assignments may be submitted online using the Blackboard system (or email as an emergency backup in case of Blackboard technical difficulties). For documents that are prepared in MS Word (or similar) such as laboratory reports, these files can be submitted as MS Word (.docx or .doc) files or as pdf files . Please do not upload files formatted for Apple Pages, as Blackboard cannot read these; also, do not submit links to online documents, such as those on Google Docs. For other submissions such as test/quiz answers, you may take photos of your written work and upload those to Blackboard (as .jpg or .pdf files). Other assessments will occur in class (e.g., tests).
Tests: There will be two (2) tests, on the approximate dates below. Tests will be of equal value to each other, 100 points. Planned dates for tests are: 10/10 and 12/1. Tests are planned to be taken in class, on paper, unless otherwise notified.
Quizzes: A total of six (6) quizzes will be given. Quizzes will be of equal value to each other, 50 points. Planned dates for quizzes are: 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/24, 11/7, 11/21. Quizzes are planned to be taken in class, on paper, unless otherwise notified. The lowest quiz score will be dropped. A student's first miss quiz will count as their dropped quiz (no makeup available). If a student misses additional quizzes, then makeups may be offered for excusable absences.
“Pop” Extra Credit Quiz: Small extra credit questions may be given during an in-person lecture period. These would generally occur during at the start or end of a lecture period and would be open-note. When given, the “pop” extra credit quiz is due in-class during the class period in which it is given. Students who miss it will not be able to earn the extra points. The point values of these may vary but will typically be small (1-2 points).
Final Exam: There will be a comprehensive final exam either on by the date for final exams for this course as indicated by the College’s final exam schedules (Exam period is 8-10AM, Monday, Dec 8). This final exam is valued at 20 points. The final exam is a multiple-choice style exam.
Lab Assignments*: There will be lab assignments for most experiments, typically consisting# of (1) written lab reports (using the template provided in Blackboard) and (2) a laboratory notebook to be kept while in lab (see chart below for point breakdown). Experiments that occur over a two-week period will be worth double points. A written report will be prepared following the lab report template provided in the Blackboard system. The due date for each report will be about one week after the completion of the experiment; each lab report assignment in Blackboard will have a specific due date. Unexcused, late lab reports will be penalized 10%. No reports will be accepted after the last day of regular classes without an approved excuse. Lab reports cannot be submitted for experiments that were not performed, except with express permission of the instructor. Additional instructions/procedures for lab will be provided in the lab report format/template documents provided via Blackboard. There will also be a required laboratory “clean-up” period, likely during the scheduled lab period of the last week of classes. This activity will be worth 8 points.
The totality of the lab assignments/activities will account for about 25% of the overall course grade.
# For specific labs, participation/completion of the experiment or a worksheet or similar document may replace the laboratory report. This would be an exception that would be specifically announced.
(* In the event that the College must suspend in-person operations or some other unforeseeable emergency, the numbers of quizzes, tests, and laboratory assignments may vary from those listed here. A reasonable effort will be made to maintain numbers/types of assessments as closely as possible to the plan in the syllabus. In the event that the College must suspend in-person operations, laboratory assignments will likely become “out-of-lab” assignments, and substitute activities will be provided for the “in-person” experiments listed further below in the syllabus)
- Tests: 2 x 100 points = 200 points
- Quizzes: 5 x 40 points = 200 points
- Lab Assignments: 132 points (per week of lab: 10 points for lab reports; 2 points for lab notebook; 11 planned weeks of lab.).
- Lab Clean-up: 6 points.
- Final Exam: 20 points
Total points: 558
Grades will be assigned using the following scale. At the end of the semester, the instructor may apply a curve to grading scale for the class. If that were to occur, it would only be a curve to increase the assigned letter grades, not decrease, and the curve would be applied to the entire class.
A = 90% or higher C = 65% to 79%
B = 80% to 89% D = 55% to 64% F = less than 55%
Decimals in the overall course percentage will be rounded to the nearest integer. Any decimal that is less than 0.5 will round down to the nearest integer; any that is 0.5 or greater will round up. For example, a grade of 79.46% would round to a 79% and be awarded a letter grade of “C”. A grade of 89.50% would round up to 90% and be awarded an “A”.
Instructor Course Policies
Lecture: Attendance is strongly encouraged for all lecture sessions, but regular attendance in lecture is not, in itself, a part of your course grade. Some course assignments (e.g., tests) are taken during lectures. Failure to complete these due to absence will result in a score of zero for these assignments, unless a valid excuse can be provided. The College’s documents (e.g. Catalog, Student Handbook) list official excuses for absences. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made to excuse absences for important or unavoidable causes. Students who are absent due to suspicion of illness will be excused. In the event of an excused absence, a student will be allowed to make-up or otherwise submit after the due deadline work within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the instructor (see rule for missed quizzes in the "Quizzes" section). Students who fail to turn in quiz/test/exam assignments by the deadline, without acceptable excuses, will receive scores of zeros for those assignments.
Laboratory: Students who miss an “in-person” laboratory period for an excused absence will typically be given an opportunity to make-up that experiment. Please contact your laboratory instructor if you have a lab absence so that the best arrangements can be made. If no possible arrangements can be made for an excused lab absence, an “exemption” may be made by the course instructor such that the lab assignment does not affect the student’s grade. If a student is absent for an “in-person” laboratory period without an acceptable excuse, resulting in the student not performing the experiment, then that student cannot submit a laboratory report for that period and will receive a zero for that assignment.
Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges. See the separate policy dealing with plagiarism below.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of another’s words, ideas, concepts, research or creative production without proper attribution, whether intentional or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism can occur in the submission of one’s own work or in work submitted by a group.
Examples of plagiarism include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The submission of a paper not one’s own, including turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet
- Copying word for word information without quotation marks
- Paraphrasing information (that is, the use of one’s own words with only minor changes to the original)
- Use of information not considered general knowledge without proper citation
- Listing of misleading or false sources on a reference page
- The use of a paper or project for one course that was previously submitted for another course, either at Wilmington or at any other institution.
- Use/copying of another student’s laboratory work/data without prior permission of the instructor.
- The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to generate answers, work, analysis, or writing without permission of the instructor.
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and carries serious academic consequences. Violations will be recorded by the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus and Vice President of External Programs at the Cincinnati Branch Campus.
When an instructor discovers plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs if a main campus student, or the Vice President for External Programs if a branch campus student, in order to determine if the student is a first-time offender. For first offenses, the instructor has the ability to determine the penalty for the offense. Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). For a second offense or more, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus or the Vice President for External Programs for students at the branch campus, will report the offense to the academic standards and appeal committee and gather evidence for a hearing with the student. It is possible that the student will receive a substantial reduction in grade for the course or will fail the course. Multiple instances could even lead to suspension or expulsion from Wilmington College.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP25 Final Exam Schedule Graduate:
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Class Attendance Policy |
Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services
Wilmington College provides accommodations and services for student with a variety of disabilities, including chronic illnesses, psychological, physical, medical, learning, and sensory disability amongst others. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to contact:
Spencer Izor, Associate Vice President of Compliance - Title IX/ADA Coordinator at spencer.izor@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2365 or Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Manager at 937-481-2208 to learn more about the process and procedures for requesting accommodations, or by visiting College Hall Room 306a or the Robinson Communication Center, Room 103.
Religious Accommodations
Wilmington College strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths, and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.