Overview
Chemistry 305: Organic Chemistry Theory I deals with the chemistry of carbon compounds through a study of the characteristic reactions of the common functional groups. 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. The course also includes an introduction to the use of spectroscopy in the analysis of organic compounds.
CHEM 305 and its companion course, CHEM 306, represent a full-year introductory organic chemistry course at the second-year-university level. There is no laboratory component is this course.
Outline
CHEM 305 is comprised of the following 16 units:
- Unit 1 – Structure and Bonding
- Unit 2 – Polar Covalent Bonds: Acids and Bases
- Unit 3 – Organic Compounds: Alkanes and Their Stereochemistry
- Unit 4 – Organic Compounds: Cycloalkanes and Their Stereochemistry
- Unit 5 – Stereochemistry at Tetrahedral Centers
- Unit 6 – An Overview of Organic Reactions
- Unit 7 – Alkenes: Structure and Reactivity
- Unit 8 – Alkenes: Reactions and Synthesis
- Unit 9 – Alkynes: An Introduction to Organic Synthesis
- Unit 10 – Organohalides
- Unit 11 – Reactions of Alkyl Halides: Nucleophilic Substitutions and Eliminations
- Unit 12 – Structure Determination: Mass Spectroscopy and Infrared Spectroscopy
- Unit 13 – Structure Determination: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Unit 14 – Conjugated Compounds and Ultraviolet Spectroscopy
- Unit 15 – Benzene and Aromaticity
- Unit 16 – Chemistry of Benzene: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
- use structure, including conformation and stereochemistry, to recognize and designate (e.g., R/S or E/Z) stereochemistry and explain the reactivity and stability of an organic molecule.
- explain the roles of nucleophiles, electrophiles, electronegativity, and resonance in organic reactions.
- use physical data (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy) to elucidate organic structure.
- name and draw skeletal structures of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, organohalides, and conjugated and aromatic compounds.
- design syntheses of organic molecules involving the compounds you have drawn.
- draw key reaction mechanisms involving those same compounds and/or predict the outcome of reactions based on your understanding of the mechanisms you have drawn.
Evaluation
To receive credit for CHEM 305, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 45 percent on each of the examinations, as well as an average grade of at least 60 percent on the assignments.
The weighting of these grades is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1 | 10% |
| Midterm examination | 30% |
| Assignment 2 | 10% |
| Final examination | 50% |
| Total | 100% |
The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Kennepohl, D. (n.d.). Athabasca University Chemistry 350 Organic Chemistry I. Open Education Resource (OER) LibreTexts Project. https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Athabasca_University/Chemistry_350%3A_Organic_Chemistry_I
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the CHEM 305 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the challenge exam. There are two parts to the exam, which must be written on the same day or on two consecutive days.
| Activity | Weight |
| Challenge exam: Part I | 40% |
| Challenge exam: Part II | 60% |
| Total | 100% |
Challenge for credit course registration form