CHEM 226: Organic Chemistry Laboratory. Spring, 2014
Instructor: Dr. Vincent Sichula
Office: 163 Beauregard Hall
Phone:
e-mail: vincent.sichula@nicholls.edu
985-448-4504
Course Meeting: Mond and Wed, 01:45 pm-04:35 pm
Room: Beauregard Hall 244
Office Hours: Posted on moodle and on the office door.
However, whenever, l am in the office you are welcome to come in and ask questions.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: CHEM 226. Organic Chemistry Laboratory. 2-0-6. Prerequisite:
CHEM 110. Prerequisite or Corequisite: CHEM 222. An introduction to the study of the
properties and preparation of organic compounds. (40.0504)
PREREQUISITES/COREQUISITE: CHEM 110, CHEM 222
REQUIRED TEXTS AND OTHER MATERIALS:
1. James Zubrick, The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, A Student’s Guide to Techniques
2. Safety Goggles—Approved by instructor available in Bookstore
3. Notebook—bound, duplicating notebook with tear out sheets. Available in Bookstore
4. Laboratory Procedures available on Blackboard (be sure they are printed out before class).
REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS: Organic journal articles as assigned.
COURSE GOALS: The student will develop an understanding of and employ proper techniques
used in organic synthesis, data collection, product analysis, and documentation. The student will
also develop skills in chemical literature search and critical analysis of relevant chemical
literature.
STUDENT OUTCOME OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this course the student will be able to
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

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Synthesize various organic compounds
Identify organic compounds using infra-red spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography, gas
chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance
Identify organic compounds using traditional wet chemistry techniques.
Prepare scientific reports utilizing chemical journal articles
Discuss critical analyses of chemical journal articles
COURSE CONTENT:
Day
Schedule of Experiments
Experiment
General Information
01/22
Check In/Safety
01/27
Melting Point Determination
Experiment # 1
01/29
Purifying Acetanilide by Recrystallization
Experiment# 2
02/03
Purifying Acetanilide by Recrystallization
Experiment# 2
02/05
Synthesis and Characterization of Aspirin/
Experiment# 3
02/10
Extracting Caffeine from Tea leaves
Experiment# 4
02/12
Greener Bromination of E-Stilbene
Experiment# 5
02/17
Dehydration of cyclohexanol
Experiment# 6
02/19
Friedel-Crafts Acetylation of Ferrocene
Experiment# 7
02/24
TLC Analysis of Friedel-Crafts Acetylation of Ferrocene
Experiment# 8
02/26
Electrophilic Aromatic Iodination of Vanilline
Experiment# 9
03/03
Mardi Gras Holiday
No class
03/05
Mardi Gras Holiday
No class
03/10
Lecture on IR (Infrared spectroscopy)
03/12
Lecture on IR (Infrared spectroscopy)
03/17
Start: Biosynthesis of Ethanol from Molasses
03/19
Review of Midterm EXAM
03/24
Finish: Biosynthesis of Ethanol from Molasses
03/26
Midterm EXAM
03/31
Lecture on NMR 1H, 13 C
04/02
Lecture on NMR 1H, 13 C
04/07
Experiment# 11
04/09
Lecture on NMR 1H, 13 C
Start experiment: Solid-Phase Photochemistry
Experiment A: Reductions Reactions of 3-Nitroacetophenone
04/14
Experiment B: Reductions Reactions of 3-Nitroacetophenone
Experiment# 13
04/16
Start: Biodiesel synthesis experiment
Experiment# 14
04/18
Spring Break, 04/18/04/21/04/23
No Class
04/28
Finish experiment: Solid-Phase Photochemistry
Experiment# 11
Finish: Biodiesel synthesis experiment
Experiment# 14
IR Lab: Analyzing the Products of experiments A and B
Formal Report Due
04/30
Experiment# 10
Experiment# 10
Experiment# 12
Experiment# 15
05/05
Unknown Lab/ TBD or Medicinal Chemistry Lab
Checkout
NMR 1H, 13 C assignment due, All assignments due:
Unknown Lab/ TBD or Medicinal Chemistry Lab
All assignments due:
05/07
Checkout
NMR 1H, 13 C assignment
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
All students will perform all experiments using proper safety practices.
Prelabs: 10 points/experiment
Lab Report: 20 points/experiment
15 experiments
300 points
Formal report: 50 points
experiment#10
50 points
Post Labs Questions: 10 points/experiment
MIDTERM EXAM:
120 points
1H
NMR, 13C NMR and IR assignment
100 points
Total Points without prelabs and postlabs
570 points
PRELABS. The purpose of prelabs is to prepare you for the experiment. Make sure you read
and understand the lab. I will post the prelab questions ahead of time before the experiment.
POST LAB QUESTIONS: I will post the postlab questions on moodle. The purpose of postlab
questions is to see whether you understood the techniques you performed during the experiment.
LAB REPORT:
Every experiment you will perform has to be reported in your laboratory
notebook as a lab report. The lab report will be due one week after the experiment. Please see
the details below under NOTEBOOK to see how to write a lab report.
FORMAL REPORT: You will write a formal report on Biosynthesis of Ethanol from Molasses
experiment#10. This report should be written in the form of a scientific journal. Details on how
to write a formal report will be discussed. This assignment is due on 04/30/2014.
MIDTERM EXAM: You will have a midterm exam on 03/26/2014. The midterm exam
will cover all the materials you have learned up to this time.
1
H NMR, 13C NMR and IR assignment: This assignment should be submitted on
05/05/2014
Students who choose to give the NMR assignment orally and answer the questions will receive
20 points extra credit.
METHOD OF EVALUATION:
A straight percentage is used to determine grade.
A = 90%
B = 80%
C = 65%
D = 55%
NOTEBOOK
Notebooks must be written legibly to avoid loss of points.

TITLE

DATE

PURPOSE: Describe what is expected of the laboratory. This should be only one or two
sentences, in your own words--do not copy from the manuals.
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THEORY: Summarize the theory about the experiment
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PROCEDURE: Read the lab and be familiar with what will be happening. After the experiment
describe how you carried out the experiment briefly in your own words.
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DATA TABLE:
Listing of all of the reagents and solvents used in the experiment. List in
table form only.

reagent or
molecular
product
weight
mass used moles used
or
or
produced
produced
melting
boiling
point
point
density
solubility in
solvents used.
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS: Write all of the major chemical reactions and side reactions for the
experiment.

OBSERVATIONS: All data and everything that occurs in lab as it happens. Colors, smells,
amounts used, mixing, temperatures, apparatus used, time for reaction, spills if they occur
etc. Draw pictures if appropriate, use tables, graphs, equations, etc. Record details such as
Instrument name and maker, model number and serial number, chemical manufacturer,
grade, lot number, expiration date, etc.

CALCULATIONS: Theoretical yield and Percent Yield. You must show all the calculations.

CONCLUSION: Write the final conclusion
Safety goggles must be worn all the time in the lab. Penalties will be given for safety
violations and tardiness (5 points first offense; 20 points and dismissal from the lab
thereafter).
MAKE-UP POLICY:
No make-ups are allowed for the experimental or discussion portion of the class. Late laboratory
reports will be deducted 5 points per day (including weekends).
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: Any student found cheating, including plagiarism, will be
subject to the penalties as stated in the Student Code of Conduct handbook; including but not
limited to a score of zero on exam, review or report, expulsion from the class or expulsion from
the University.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance is mandatory. This is a laboratory class. You must be present to complete the
requirements. The sign in sheet will be available at the beginning of the class and it is your
responsibility to sign your name to show that you attended the lab. If you miss a laboratory with
an excused absence, you will still have to submit the lab report by getting the data from your lab
partners and understanding the experiment.
SEMESTER WITHDRAWALS: The last day to withdraw from the class with a “W” is 28th
March, 2014.
ACADEMIC DISABILITIES POLICY: If you have a documented disability that requires
assistance, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services for coordination of
your academic accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Peltier Hall,
Room 100-A. The phone number is (985) 448-4430 (TDD 449-7002).
ACADEMIC GRIEVANCES. The proper procedure for filing grade appeals or grievances
related to academic matters is listed in Section 5 of the Code of Student Conduct and at he
following link: http://www.nicholls.edu/documents/student_life/code_of_conduct.pdf .
ASSISTANCE WITH STUDYING AND ASSIGMENTS
 The Tutoring Center at 143 Peltier Hall. Call 985-448-4100,
email: tutoring@nicholls.edu, or visit http://www.nicholls.edu/academic-enhancement/
 The Writing Center at 144 Peltier Hall. Call 985-448-4100,
email: tutoring@nicholls.edu, or visit http://www.nicholls.edu/academic-enhancement/
 Online Tutoring through Moodle. Look for the Brainfuse log-in link on the home
page, http://moodle2.nicholls.edu/moodle/
CONTINUED LEARNING FOLLOWING AN EXTREME EMERGENCY:
In order to make continued learning possible following an extreme emergency, students are
responsible for:
 reading regular emergency notifications on the NSU website;
 knowing their Blackboard (or designated system) student login and password;
 knowing how to use and access Blackboard (or university designated electronic delivery
system);
 being familiar with emergency guidelines;
 evacuating textbooks and other course materials;
 contacting faculty regarding their intentions for completing the course.

Faculty are responsible for:
 their development in the use of the Blackboard (or designated) software;
 having a plan for continuing their courses using only Blackboard and email;
 continuing their course in whatever way suits the completion of the course best, and
being creative in the continuation of these courses;
 making adjustments or compensations to a student's progress in special programs with
labs, clinical sequences or the like only in the immediate semester following the
emergency.
CLASS DISRUPTIONS: The use of cellular phones, pagers or any other electronic personal
devices is prohibited in class. Any infractions will result in class being dismissed and
experiments considered over.
This includes but not limited to
 using your phone as timer—get a watch or I will supply stopwatches if needed,
 going to the hallway while a experiment is ongoing to check on texts.
 texting or calling or receiving incoming calls or texts
 receiving alerts regarding incoming texts or calls
 using phone as alarm system.
Note: This is not a binding contract. This syllabus is subject to change throughout the course.