Organic Chemistry I Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Instructor Information

Office Location

Warren Hall 101C

Office Hours

Mondays and Wednesdays: 12:00PM-12:30PM

Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:00PM-12:30PM

Fridays: by appointment

The last day to drop with  "W" is 07/21/2026

 

Course Information

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

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Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

  • consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
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  • consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
    • NOTE:  The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

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Course

CHEM-2423-001 Organic Chemistry I

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: CHEM 1312-minimum grade of C

Course Description

Fundamental principles of organic chemistry will be studied, including the structure, bonding, properties and reactivity of organic molecules; and properties and behavior of organic compounds and their derivatives. Emphasis is placed on organic synthesis and mechanisms. Includes study of covalent and ionic bonding, nomenclature, stereochemistry, structure and reactivity, reaction mechanisms, functional groups and synthesis of simple molecules. THIS COURSE IS INTENDED FOR STUDENTS IN SCIENCE OR PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 4 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Text: Organic Chemistry, 9th Edition, by John McMurry

Other Highly Recommended Materials:  Preparing for your ACS examination in organic chemistry, the official guide, ISBN 0-9708042-0

Lab manual for Organic Chemistry 1, by Seema Saiyed (available in the book store)

Supplies

Recommended: 

Molecular Modeling Set; flashcards; multicolored pens (at least black, blue, red, & green)

Student Performance

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Classify organic compounds by structure, molecular orbitals, hybridization, resonance, tautomerism, polarity, chirality, conformation, and functionality.

2. Identify organic molecules using appropriate organic nomenclature.

3Classify the reactions based on the intermediates they form

4. Describe organic reactions in terms of radical and ionic mechanisms.

5. Use spectroscopic data to determine the structure of organic molecules.

6. Formulate appropriate reaction conditions for the synthesis of simple organic molecules.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Please be respectful of both the instructor and the other students in class.  Turn off cell phones/pagers.  Pay attention in class.  Do not be disruptive.  Please arrive on time, but if you arrive late, do not try to go to your accustomed seat, but quietly take a chair close to the door.  If you are causing a disruption in class, you may be asked to leave.   If there is any evidence of cheating on any homework, quiz, test, or final, you will receive a zero for that item and cannot make it up or replace it and it cannot be dropped.

Please see Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for further information.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu.

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

 

 

Grading Criteria

METHOD OF EVALUATION OF STUDENTS: The final average will be derived from the following weighted grades: Take home quizzes - 20%, Tests - 30%, Labs- 30% and Final - 20%

                Grades are based on 90.00+ = A, 80.00-89.99 = B, 70.00-79.99 = C, 60.00-69.99 = D, and 59.99 and lower = F.

Reading the Text:  It is vital that you read the text BEFORE the lecture.  This will greatly improve your understanding of the topic and therefore your grade.  Organic chemistry is difficult and we need to work as a team, to see you succeed. I will be there to help you, but you need to work hard for it.

Tests: There will be three exams, each at the end of four chapters. First at the end of chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4, second at the end of chapters 5,6, 7,  and 8, the third at the end of chapters 9, 10, 11 and 12

These exams will account for 60 % of the total course grade.

There will be three take home quizzes, each at the end of three chapters, first at the end of chapter 1, 2 and 3, second at the end of chapters 5, 6,  and 7, third at the end of chapters 9, 10, 11 and 12. These quizzes will be handed out 24 hours before they are due and need to be completed at home and turn in on the assigned date. These quizzes will account for 20 % of the total course grade.

Final Exam:The final exam will be worth 20% of the total course grade and is a comprehensive (chapters 1-14) exam (might be ACS standardized exam). There will be no makeup exams.  As an incentive to those who improve on the final exam, the grade of the final exam will replace the lowest “exam grade.”

Laboratory is an essential part of this course, it constitutes 30% of the total course grade( 20% for lab reports and 10% for lab final exam). It is very important that you attend all the labs and go over the experiments before you come to the lab. Organic chemistry laboratory is a dangerous place, so please come prepared and report every incident to the instructor immediately.

The final exam for lecture, will be according to AC schedule.  Special rules for the final will be discussed beforehand.  Again, if special accommodations become necessary, arrangements must be made BEFORE (at least 24 hours) the exam date and you must have permission IN WRITING from me to take an exam at an alternate time.

 

Attendance

 

Attendance in class is expected.  Dropping the course is the sole responsibility of the student.  Failure to officially withdraw will result in a grade of F. 

Last day to withdraw from courses is November 22, 2016

       Students can only scan in during 15 minutes before class starts up to 30 minutes after the class starts. (If they scan before or after this window, the system won’t count them present.)
·         The students may use their plastic I.D. or virtual I.D. in the Ellucian Go app (free).
·      If a student did not show up until Sept. 7th, 2016, he/she will be dropped from the course and will not be reinstated

Calendar

OUTLINE OF COURSE  These chapters will be discussed, time permitting, during the semester.

 

Week

Topics, Chapters, Homework, Exams

1

Introduction, Syllabus, Grading, Etc, Revision of hybridization, Lewis structures, emp. formula, formal charge and functional groups.

2

 

Chapter 1: Structure and Bonding

Chapter 2: Polar covalent bonds; Acids and bases

3

 

Chapter 3: Organic compounds: Alkanes and their stereochemistry

 

4

Chapter 4: Organic compounds:  cycloalkanes and their stereochemistry

5

Test # 1

Chapter 5: Stereochemistry at tetrahedral centers

 

6

 

Chapter 6: An overview of organic reactions

 

7

Chapter 7: Alkenes: Structure and reactivity

8

Chapter 8: Alkenes: Reactions and synthesis

9

Test # 2

Chapter 9: Alkynes: An introduction to organic synthesis

 

10

Chapter # 10: organohalides

11

 

Chapter 11:Reactions of alkylhalides: nucleophilic substitutions and eliminations

 

12

Continue11 + chapter 12: Structure determination: mass spectrometry and IR

13

Test # 3

Chapter# 13: Structure determination: NMR

14

Chapter 14: Conjugated compounds and UV spectroscopy

15

Review from the ACS study guide

16

Final Exam: According to AC schedule( probably on 12/14/2016 inWH  205 at 9:00AM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Room # SB 311

Week

Experiments

1

Safety procedures in organic chemistry laboratory and check in

 

2

Experiment 1: Determination of melting point

 

3

Experiment 2: Simple extraction

 

4-5

Experiment 3: Separation of two component mixture by extraction

 

6

Experiment 4: Crystallization and recrystallization

 

7-8

Experiment 5: Crystalliztion and recrystallization using two solvent system

 

9

Experiment 6A: Distillation

 

10

Experiment 6B: Gas chromatography

 

11

Experiment 7: Qualitative analysis of functional groups

 

12

Experiment 8: Modeling exercise

 

13

Experiment 9: Isomerization of Maleic acid

 

14

Experiment 10: Synthesis of banana oil

 

15

Review for final exam

 

16

Final exam,( probably on Wednesday, 12/07/2016)in Science building, room # 311

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

 

Additional Information

Additional helpful books are available in my office and the Science Enrichment Center.  There is a CD on the 4th floor of animated reactions that will be very helpful throughout the semester, as well.  Most resources I have in my office including modeling kits, supplementary texts, and additional problems are available for check-out.

Web Portal:  Every student has an account in AC Connect.  You need to check this daily.  Handouts, grades, schedules and email contact will all be made or posted on AC Connect. 

Grade Disputes:  While I encourage you to come to me with questions about answers on assignments anytime, if you wish to dispute a grade or have a grade changed, you must contact me about it within two weeks of the grade being posted on AC Connect or there will be no change to the grade.

INFORMATION SHEET/SIGNATURE:  You must fill out and return the information sheet for this class (handed out during class) You must also sign it to signify that you have read and understand the syllabus.  ***This syllabus is subject to change.  You will be informed of any changes to the syllabus in class, email, and posting in AC Connect.***             

Syllabus Created on:

08/16/16 3:07 PM

Last Edited on:

08/19/16 2:13 PM