LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CUNY NATURAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

SCC 251.161A/B

Organic Chemistry 1

Fall 1 2014

Course Coordinator: Professor J. Gonzalez

Office: M-220-B
Email: jagonzalez@lagcc.cuny.edu
Instructor Lecture: Professor J. Gonzalez
Office hours: Tues and Thurs
Instructor Lab: Prof Janet Gonzalez
Office: M-220-B
Email: jagonzalez@lagcc.cuny.edu
Course Description: This course is part I of a two-semester sequence emphasizing the
synthesis, structure, reactivity and mechanisms of reaction of
organic
compounds. This course will include a systematic study of
alkanes,
alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols, thiols,
stereochemistry,
substitution reactions, and elimination
reactions. The Laboratory stresses
synthesis, purification, separation
and identification of organic
compounds. The prerequisites are:
MAT096/MAB096, and SCC202.
Lecture:

Lecture meets Tues and Thurs from 9-10:30 in room E-330.

Lab:

Meets Tues from 11:45-4:25 room E-314

Materials:

Text: Organic Chemistry 8th edition, John McMurray, Thomson-Brooks

Cole, 2010.
Lab Manual: Macroscale and Microscale Organic Experiments 6th
edition, Kenneth L Williamson, Houghton Mifflin, 2008.
Lab Book: Bound laboratory notebook.
Software: Subscription to Sapling Learning: www.saplinglearning.com
This program will be used for homework and tutoring
Safety Goggles: All students are required to bring safety goggles to
EVERY lab session
Scientific Calculator: All students are required to have their own
calculator, Not cell phone calculators. Borrowing calculators will
allowed during exams nor quizzes.
Study Guides: Study Guide and Solutions Manual, Susan McMurray,
Thompson-Brooks Cole, 2008 (optional).
Pushing Electrons: A Guide to Students of Organic Chemistry, 3rd edition,
Daniel P. Weeks (optional).

not be

Some Advice:

The amount of material covered in this 12 week course is considerable.

is
to
II.
this is
Many

Please stay current with the chapters and homework. This course
cumulative, the ideas and concepts introduced early will be used
develop strategies not only later in this course but also in organic
Do not wait for the last minute to study or try to cram for this class,
impossible!
Do not attempt to memorize. Success in this course is based on
understanding WHY reactions happen and How mechanisms occur.
of the concepts in this course will become clear after you've had a chance
to analyze and review. This review period is essential therefore
you need to schedule regular study periods of at least 4 hours per day
because as the semester progresses playing catch-up will be impossible.
Write, write and re-write your notes! Listening to lectures and looking at
slides will lull you into thinking that you understand the material

but this

before a

is not so, only by writing and again re-writing the notes will you truly
understand the ideas and reactions.
Form study groups with your colleagues, network! You will be amazed at
how much you can help each other.
Make the most of the resources you have available, other books, online
sites, tutoring and OFFICE HOURS! Do not wait till the day
major exam to find the instructor---that will be too late.
Finally stay focused and involved, if you give organic chemistry a chance
it's really fun, Good Luck!

Instructional Objectives:
Successful students will learn, understand and be able to apply the
following concepts; Bonding, molecular orbital theory, orbital
hybridization, molecular shapes and polarities of
molecules.
Acid-Base theory.
Stereochemistry and stereoisomerism.
Application of thermodynamic and kinetic concepts to organic reactions.
Nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions.
Nomenclature, structure, properties and synthesis of the following
compounds; alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and alkyl halides.
Structural determination using Mass spectroscopy and NMR
Internet based research and computer applications to the study of organic
chemistry.
To cultivate an appreciation of the role of organic chemistry in various
biochemical processes.
Evaluation:

Exams (3)
Cumulative Final
Homework (12) @ 10 each
Lab Reports (10) @ 30 each
Pre-Lab Quizzes (10) @ 5 each

300 points
200 points
120 points
300 points
50 points

Lab Exam Final

Total

50 points
1000 points

Grading Standards: A minimum of 60% of 1000 points must be earned in order to receive a passing
grade for the course (D-)
Grading Scheme:

A = 93-100%
B+ = 87-89.9%
C+ = 77-79.9%
D+ = 67-69.9%
F = less than 60%

A- = 90-92.9%
B = 84-86.9%
C = 73-76.9%
D = 63-66.9%

B- = 80-83.9%
C- = 70-72.9%
D- = 60-62.9%

Academic Integrity Policy:

Students are required to observe the College Policy regarding cheating on
examinations and quizzes. A complete statement of the policy is
available
at the student counseling services. Academic Dishonesty
is prohibited
in the City University of New York and is punishable by
penalties ranging
from a grade of F on a given test, research paper or
assignment, to an F
in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the College.
Attendance Policy: Attendance at all class sessions, lecture and laboratory, is essential for proper
understanding and mastery of the course material. A student who is absent
from
more than one laboratory session seriously jeopardizes his/her grade for
the
course.
Make-up Policy:

There will be no make-up exams or quizzes. A student who has missed a test or
quiz must have a doctor's note. There will be no make-up labs.

Homework:

All homework assignments will be on Sapling. No written homework

assignments will be accepted. The subscription cost is $30.00
To register for the site follow the instructions below:
1. Go to http://saplinglearning.com
2a. If you already have a Sapling account, log in then skip to step 3.
2b. If you have Facebook account, you can use it to quickly create a
Sapling Learning account. Click the blue button with the Facebook symbol
on it (just to the left of the username field). The form will auto-fill with
information from your Facebook account (you may need to log into
Facebook in the popup window first). Choose a password and time zone,
accept the site policy agreement, and click "Create my new account". You
can then skip to step 3.
2c. Otherwise, click "create account. Supply the requested information
and click "Create my new account". Check your email (and spam filter) for
a message from Sapling Learning and click on the link provided in email.

3. Find your course in the list (you may need to expand the subject and
term categories) and click the link.
4. Select a payment option and follow the remaining instructions.
Once you have registered and enrolled, you can log in at any time
to complete or review your homework assignments. During sign up
and throughout the term - if you have any technical problems
or grading issues, email to support@saplinglearning.com
explaining the issue. The Sapling support team is almost
always more able (and faster) to resolve issues than your
instructor.
Laboratory: A complete, accurate record is an essential part of laboratory work. A lab
report will be required for each lab performed. Your lab reports must be
recorded in a bound laboratory notebook. The required format of the lab
reports is shown in your laboratory manual. You will be expected to have
all of the relevant information and create a protocol about the running of
an experiment entered in you notebook before coming to laboratory so
that your lab manual should not be needed when you are conducting the
actual experiment. All lab reports must also be submitted through safe
assign first as a draft and then as a final version. A hardcopy will be
handed into the instructor.
Notes:

Topics covered:

Sept 4
Sept 24-26
Oct 3-4
Oct 12
Oct 13
Oct 14
Nov 4
Nov 27-30
Dec 5
Dec 8
Dec 9-15

First Day of Classes

No Classes Scheduled
No Classes Scheduled
No Classes Scheduled
College Closed
Follow Fri Schedule
Last Day to withdraw with a W grade
College Closed
Last Day of Classes
Reading Day
Finals

Week 1/2 Atoms, molecules, bonding, polar and nonpolar molecules,

intermolecular forces, solubilities, Lewis structures, preliminary ideas of
resonance, arrow formalism, acids and bases. Introduction to orbitals, molecular
orbital description of bonding, hybridization, structure of methane.
Week 3 Alkanes- conformational analysis, structural isomerism and
nomenclature, alkyl groups and intro to cycloalkanes.
Week 4 Nomenclature cycloalkanes, Cis Trans, ring strain conformations axial
and equatorial bonds, mono and di substituted cycloalkanes

Week 5 Stereochemistry- chirality, enantiomerism, R-S notation, diastereomerism,

optical resolution. Ring systems- strain, stereochemistry
of cyclohexane, conformational analysis of cyclohexane and its
substituted derivatives, bicyclic and polycyclic compounds.
Week 6 Kinds of Organic reactions, curved arrows, eqilibria rates and energy
changes. Describing reactions energy diagrams and transition states
Week 7 Alkene Structure, preparation and uses, calculating degree of unsaturation.
Nomenclature, Cis-Trans isomerism, structure and bonding, nomenclature, E-Z
notation, hydrogenation, relative stabilities. Alkynes- structure and bonding,
relative stabilities, double and triple bonds in rings
Week 8 Preparation of alkenes, mechanisms of elimination reactions,
halogenation, addition of water, oxymercuration, hydrogenation,
epoxidation Additions to alkenes- mechanism of hydrogen, halide additions,
regiochemistry, resonance effects, carbocation stabilities, addition of other
unsymmetrical reagents, hydroboration, dimerization and polymerization of
alkenes.
Week 9 Alkynes Preparation , elimination reactions, addition of hydrogen halides
and dihalides, oxidative cleavage formation and alkylation of acetylide anions and
intro to organic synthesis
Week 10/11 Alkyl halides, substitution reactions of alkyl halides- SN 2 and SN 1
mechanisms. Elimination reactions- E1 and E2 mechanisms.
Week 12 Infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
spectroscopy.
Lab Safety:

Please be aware where safety equipment is located (Safety Shower, Eye Wash
Station, Fire Extinguishers, Fire Blankets, First Aid Kits and Emergency
Exits).
Students are required to wear safety glasses at ALL times for laboratory
work and to
observe all safety rules. In the lab there is no smoking, no eating, no
drinking, no
open toe shoes or sandals and you MUST have goggles for
every lab. These
rules exist for your safety and the safety of everyone in the
lab. If you violate any of
these rules you will be asked to leave the lab and you will
receive a zero grade for
that lab.

Lab Experiments: Week 1

Lab Safety Procedures, Lab Reports and Reference Style

Week 2

Melting Points and Boiling Points

Week 3

Crystallization

Week 4

Extraction of Caffeine

Week 5

Simple Distillation

Week 6

Fractional Distillation

Week 7

Thin-Layer Chromatography

Week 8

Column Chromatography

Week 9

Steam Distillation Limonene (posted on blackboard)

Week 10

Alkene from Alcohol

Week 11

Synthesis of Aspirin

Week 12

Lab Final

There will be a 15 min quiz before each lab