Chemistry (CHEM) 350
Organic Chemistry I (Revision 2)

This version of CHEM 350 closed April 23, 2003. To current version.

Delivery modes: Individualized study with supervised labs

Lab component only
Credits: 3 - Science
Prerequisite: CHEM 217 and CHEM 218. This course is open only to students with CHEM 217 and CHEM 218 or the equivalent to first-year university general chemistry. Students who do not have the formal prerequisites may take the course with the permission of the coordinator, if they are judged to have the necessary background/experience. Concurrent enrolment in CHEM 218 and 350 is not permitted. To avoid unnecessary delays, the course professor will normally grant permission for students to register in CHEM 350 as soon as the final examination in CHEM 218 has been written.
Precluded course: CHEM 345. (CHEM 350 may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for CHEM 345.)
Centre: Centre for Science
Challenge for Credit: CHEM 350 is not available for challenge.
Learn more online: Course home page

>> Overview | Evaluation | Course Materials | Special Features | Course Fees
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Overview

CHEM 350 deals with the chemistry of carbon compounds through a study of the characteristic reactions of the common functional groups. Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, conjugated dienes, substituted aromatics are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of reaction mechanisms in an attempt to show similarities between apparently unrelated reactions. The importance of stereochemistry is stressed throughout the course. An introduction to the use of spectroscopy in the analysis of organic compounds is also included in the course.

CHEM 350 together with the upcoming CHEM 360 course will represent a full-year introductory organic chemistry course at the second-year university level. The compulsory laboratory component of CHEM 350 introduces the student to the basic techniques employed in modern organic chemistry laboratories. Experiments have been selected to illustrate many of the principles encountered in the theoretical part of the course.

Evaluation

To receive credit for CHEM 350, students must achieve a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 percent), a grade of at least 45 percent on each examination, obtain an average of at least 60 percent on the tutor-marked assignments and achieve at least 55 percent on the laboratory work. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Assignments (5% each) Laboratory Work Midterm Exam Final Exam Total
10% 20% 20% 50% 100%

Course Materials

Textbooks

McMurray, John. 1996. Organic Chemistry, 4th ed. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

McMurray, Susan. 1996. Solutions Guide to Organic Chemistry, 4th ed. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

Other material

The course materials include a study guide, a student manual, a laboratory manual, and assignments.

Special Course Features

CHEM 350 has a compulsory laboratory component that requires students to perform a minimum of four days (32 hours) of laboratory work. Credit cannot be given for laboratory work carried out as part of another course, nor may students arrange to do their laboratory work at any other than an Athabasca University-supervised session.

The laboratory session is normally scheduled for four consecutive days in Athabasca in June, July or August or on weekends in Edmonton during the rest of the academic year. For up-to-date information regarding the laboratory schedule contact the course professor or the science lab coordinator, Robert Carmichael, or 675-6276. It is strongly recommended that laboratory work be undertaken when approximately two-thirds of the course has been completed. All lab work and assignments should be completed before the final examination is attempted.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice.
Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

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This page was updated by G. Zahara