Organic Synthesis
- Sciences
- 400 level
- 2 credit units
- 68 pages
- 10 units
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and applications of organic synthesis. It covers oxidation and reduction reactions, transformation of alkenes, alcohols, and arenes, and catalytic hydrogenation. Students will learn about various reagents, reaction mechanisms, and named reactions such as Aldol, Wittig, and Diels-Alder. The course emphasizes practical applications and synthetic strategies in organic chemistry.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, problem solving
- Practical work
- No
- CHM312: Organic Chemistry I
- CHM316: Physical Chemistry I
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of CHM416, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
CHM416 · UNIT 1 Oxidation reactions
Oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids. The alcohol is first oxidized to an aldehyde. Under the reaction conditions, a molecule of water adds to the carbonyl group to form a hydrate which is subsequently oxidized to the carboxylic acid.
What you should be able to do
- Define and differentiate between oxidation and reduction reactions in organic chemistry.
- Predict the products of alkene, alcohol, and arene transformations.
- Explain the mechanisms of named reactions such as Aldol, Wittig, and Diels-Alder.
- Apply catalytic hydrogenation techniques for reducing functional groups.
- Synthesize organic compounds using various oxidation and reduction methods.
- Describe the acidity and reactivity of alkynes and acetylenes.
What it prepares you for
- Organic Chemist
- Pharmaceutical Chemist
- Research Scientist
- Chemical Synthesis
- Materials Scientist
- Pharmaceuticals
- Petrochemicals
- Agrochemicals
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Reduction Reactions
Unit 2: Reduction of functional groups
Requires understanding of various reducing agents and their specific applications, including complex metal hydrides and dissolving metals.
- Module 3: Some named reactions
Unit 3: Diels-Alder Reaction
Involves understanding the stereochemistry and regiochemistry of the reaction, as well as the influence of substituents on the diene and dienophile.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 52 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Oxidation Reactions
Unit 1: Oxidation reactions · 4 hours
Define oxidation reaction.. Identify oxidizing reagents.. Study the successive dehydrogenation of ethane.. Understand oxidative transformation of methane..
- Week 2Module 1: Oxidation Reactions
Unit 2: Transformation of Alkenes to epoxides, diols and carbonyl compounds · 4 hours
Discuss conversion of alkenes to epoxides using peroxyacids.. Understand the mechanism of epoxidation.. Study the conversion of alkenes to syn-1,2-diols using KMnO4 and OsO4.. Learn about the stereospecific process of syn hydroxylation..
- Week 3Module 1: Oxidation Reactions
Unit 3: Transformation of alcohols to carbonyls · 4 hours
Describe the oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes and carboxylic acids.. Learn about the use of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC).. Study the oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones.. Understand why tertiary alcohols are not easily oxidized..
- Week 4Module 1: Oxidation Reactions
Unit 4: Transformation of arenes (Benzene and other Aromatic Hydrocarbons) · 4 hours
Discuss the oxidation of alkylbenzenes using sodium dichromate and nitric acid.. Understand the reaction mechanisms involving chromate and permanganate esters.. Study the industrial importance of oxidizing side-chain methyl groups to aromatic carboxylic acids..
- Week 5Module 2: Reduction Reactions
Unit 1: Catalytic hydrogenation · 4 hours
Define reduction reaction.. Recognize reduction in organic reactions.. Explain types of reduction reactions: catalytic hydrogenation, hydride-transfer reagents, and dissolving metals.. Understand the advantages of each method..
- Week 6Module 2: Reduction Reactions
Unit 2: Reduction of functional groups · 4 hours
Describe conversion of functional groups by reduction.. Give appropriate reagents for specific functional group transformation.. Mention some named reduction reactions: Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner.. Explain the mechanism of these named reactions..
- Week 7Module 2: Reduction Reactions
Unit 3: Acetylenes · 4 hours
Describe the nature of the bond in acetylenes.. Discuss the acidity of alkynes.. Explain how acetylenes can be prepared.. Give details of various methods of synthesis of alkynes..
- Week 8Module 3: Some named reactions
Unit 1: Aldol and Aldol-type Reactions · 4 hours
Explain the mechanism of the Aldol condensation.. Discuss some Aldol-type reactions: Reformatsky and Perkin reactions.. State the applications and limitations of each of these reactions.. Give the synthetic applications of this type of reaction..
- Week 9Module 3: Some named reactions
Unit 2: Wittig Synthesis of C=C bond · 4 hours
Explain methods of preparation of phosphorus ylides.. Discuss the mechanism and stereochemistry of Wittig reaction.. Describe the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction.. Give some synthetic applications of the Wittig reaction.. List some advantages of the Wittig reaction..
- Week 10Module 3: Some named reactions
Unit 3: Diels-Alder Reaction · 4 hours
Describe the Diels-Alder reaction.. Show the mechanism involved in the reaction.. Give examples of dienes and dienophiles.. Present some applications of the reaction in synthesis..
- Week 11Module 1: Oxidation Reactions
Review of Module 1: Oxidation Reactions · 4 hours
Review all the oxidation reactions and oxidizing reagents.. Practice problems on oxidation of alcohols and alkenes.. Solve Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) related to Module 1..
- Week 12Module 2: Reduction Reactions
Review of Module 2: Reduction Reactions · 4 hours
Review all the reduction reactions and reducing reagents.. Practice problems on reduction of functional groups.. Solve Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) related to Module 2..
- Week 13Module 3: Some named reactions
Review of Module 3: Some named reactions · 4 hours
Review all the named reactions: Aldol, Wittig, and Diels-Alder.. Practice problems on reaction mechanisms and synthetic applications.. Solve Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) related to Module 3..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed reaction maps linking oxidation and reduction reagents to specific functional group transformations.
- Practice drawing mechanisms for Aldol, Wittig, and Diels-Alder reactions, focusing on stereochemical outcomes.
- Review the acidity of alkynes and their role in synthesis, including alkylation reactions.
- Solve all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and review feedback thoroughly.
- Focus on understanding the applications and limitations of each named reaction.
- Use flashcards to memorize key reagents and their specific functions in organic synthesis.
- Allocate study time proportionally to the weight of each module in the final examination.
Questions students ask about this course
What is CHM416 about?
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and applications of organic synthesis. It covers oxidation and reduction reactions, transformation of alkenes, alcohols, and arenes, and catalytic hydrogenation. Students will learn about various reagents, reaction mechanisms, and named reactions such as Aldol, Wittig, and Diels-Alder. The course emphasizes practical applications and synthetic strategies in organic chemistry.
How many units does CHM416 have?
CHM416, Organic Synthesis, has 10 units across 3 modules, over 68 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is CHM416?
CHM416 carries 2 credit units, at 400 level in Sciences.
Is CHM416 hard?
CHM416 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and problem solving work.
How long does CHM416 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 10 units.
How is CHM416 assessed?
CHM416 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What do I need before starting CHM416?
CHM312: Organic Chemistry I CHM316: Physical Chemistry I
What can I do with CHM416?
Organic Chemist, Pharmaceutical Chemist, Research Scientist, Chemical Synthesis and Materials Scientist.