HCCS, Central
CHEMISTRY 2425 COURSE SYLLABUS
Class# 25057, Fall 2014 (2nd Start, 12 Weeks)
Tuesdays: Lecture
5.30 PM – 9.30 PM (LHSB 408)
Thursdays: Lab
5.30 PM – 9.30 PM (LHSB 409)
Instructor: Vishakha Shembekar, Ph.D.
Phone: 713-963-0141
Email: vishakha.shembekar@hccs.edu
Office Location: LHSB 402
Prerequisite: Organic Chemistry I (Chem. 2423)
Credit: 4 (3 Lecture, 3 Lab)
Course Description: Science, pharmacy and medical science majors study aromatic
compounds, heterocyclic compounds, carbohydrates, aromatic substitution and nucleophilic
addition, organic synthesis, and structure determination of organic molecules using GCMS,
and NMR, IR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The laboratory includes appropriate experiments.
Textbook: Organic Chemistry II by John McMurry, 8th edition.
Lab-book: Procedures will be provided as needed
Safety Goggles: Central Bookstore or elsewhere
Calculator with Exp and Log functions
Periodic Table: Copy will be provided, must carry it for all lectures
Students with Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, developmental, vision, hearing, etc) who needs to arrange
reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Services (DSS)
Counselor at the beginning of each semester. Faculty members are authorized to
provide only the accommodations requested by the DSS office. 713-718-7218.
Discipline in the Class: I and all the students in this class, we together share a
responsibility to maintain a positive learning environment for everyone. Please respect
the learning needs of your classmates and assist me achieve this critical goal.
Electronics in the Classroom: Please turn off your phone and other electronic devices
while in the classroom. Strictly NO texting.
Academic Honesty: Zero tolerance for any type of academic dishonesty.
Attendance and Withdrawal Policy: Regular attendance is a key to academic
success. In order to help you succeed, 100% attendance is important. Please
understand that your in-class grade will suffer as a result of absences. Students are
responsible for making up the course work missed due to absence. Excessive absence
may result in student being dropped from course.
Last day for withdrawal: November 1, Friday, 4.30 PM.
For performance or any other reason if you want to drop the course, please do so
before the final withdrawal date. You are welcome to discuss any difficulties you have
before you drop the course. I may be able to help you complete the course.
Tests: 3 tests will be given during the semester. The tests will take 45% of the total
grade. Each test will be focused on specific chapters. The test date and the exact
content is given in the course calendar. Every exam will last for 2 hour 30 minutes,
NO EXTRA TIME.
Lab: The lab takes 10% of the total grade. Each lab will be graded based on your
attendance, participation and performance. Safety is very important in the lab. You
must follow safety procedures at all the times.
Final: A system wide final exam will be given. It is comprehensive. The final exam will
take 25% of the total grade.
Quizzes: After completion of each chapter, on the following lecture day, you will have a
15 min quiz on completed chapter. It takes about 20% of the total grade. It is very
important to prepare for quizzes. The best way to prepare for the quizzes is doing as
many problems as possible in the end of the chapter from the book. I encourage you to
do these problems even though you don’t have to turn them in. Sample quiz questions
are posted online in course material.
Make—up Policy: No make-up allowed for any test, quiz, lab, and the final exam.
Discuss your case with instructor.
Grading Policy:
3 Tests: 45%
Final Exam: 25%
Lab: 10%
Quizzes: 20%
Grading Scale:
90 -- 100 A
80 -- 89 B
70 -- 79 C
60 -- 69 D
Below 60 F
Some useful tips for success in this class
 Attend class regularly
 Study approximately two hours for each hour of lecture
 Read new chapter at home before we start in class
 Practice problems at the end of the chapter
 Review basic math operations and get familiarized with scientific calculator
 Study groups can be very helpful, keep the group small though
 Feel free to contact me with any problems you may have
Course Calendar
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Date (M/D)
09/23
09/25
09/30
10/02
10/07
10/09
10/14
10/16
10/21
10/23
10/28
10/30
11/04
11/06
11/11
11/13
11/18
11/20
11/25
11/27
12/02
12/04
12/09
Introduction & Chapter 13
Lab Safety Training, Expt. 1: IR Spectroscopy
Quiz 1, Chapter 14
Quiz 2, Chapter 15, Chapter 16
Quiz 3, Chapter 16 contd.
Quiz 4, Chapter 17, Exam 1 Review
Exam 1 (Chapters 13 – 16)
Quiz 5, Chapter 18
Quiz 6, Chapter 19
Expt. 2: Aromatic Nitration
Quiz 7, Chapter 20
Expt. 3: Properties of Alcohols
Quiz 8, Exam 2 Review
Exam 2 (Chapters 17 – 20)
Chapter 21
Quiz 9, Chapter 22
Quiz 10, Chapter 23
Quiz 11, Chapter 24
Quiz 12, Chapter 24 contd., Exam 3 Review
Thanksgiving Break
Exam 3 (Chapters 21 – 24)
Final Review
Final Exam (System wide, comprehensive, Ch. 13-24)