ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 227 SECTION 504 (MWF 3–3:50pm)
FALL 2014
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Dr Krish Ponnamperuma (DR KRISH)
Room 1132, Second Floor
(979) 845 4205
drkrish@chem.tamu.edu
1. Course Description: Chemistry of Organic Compounds I (Chem 227) is a course in which we look at organic
chemistry in a manner appropriate for a variety of science and engineering majors and assumes either
completion of Chemistry 101&102 or 103&104. Emphasis will be placed on the general aspects of organic
chemistry, including an introduction to functional groups, synthesis, stereochemistry, and reaction mechanisms.
Organic chemistry concepts provide the molecular basis for the fundamental concepts and observations in many
other disciplines, including biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, genetics, neurochemistry,
oceanography, pharmacology, physiology, and other areas of health science.
2. Course Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course you will be able to:
a) Describe bonding in simple organic compounds in terms of carbon hybridization, geometry, and
polarization.
b) Compare and contrast the structures, properties, and reactions of aliphatic hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes
alkynes), organohalides, alcohols, and ethers.
c) Draw from an appropriate name the structure of simple organic molecules with the above functional groups
including descriptors for stereochemistry (cis/trans, E/Z, R/S).
d) Predict the overall three-dimensional structure of relatively simple organic molecules by applying the basic
principles of bonding, hybridization, and conformational analysis.
e) Use the principle of thermodynamics and kinetics to characterize organic chemical reaction energy
changes, reaction rates, and mechanisms.
f) Depict reasonable reaction mechanisms using curved arrow formalism for reactions involved in the
synthesis and transformation of the above functional groups.
g) Predict the outcome of any given set of organic molecules and synthetic reagents involved in the synthesis
and reactions of the above functional groups using the basic patterns of reactivity and reaction principles
covered in the text.
h) Identify the appropriate starting materials and reagents to synthesize a simple organic molecule which
contains one of the covered functional groups.
i) Predict the type of reaction mechanism involved in nucleophilic substitution reactions of alcohols, ethers,
and organohalides based upon substrate structures, reactant, and solvent characteristics.
j) Solve chemical problems involving the studied functional groups using the basic generalizations and
principles covered in the course and reasoning by deduction and analogy.
3. Major Text/Electronic Resource: John McMurry, Organic Chemistry, Eighth Edition, Brooks/Cole
Publishing Co., 2012 with PAC for TAMU Organic OWL with e-Book and Electronic Study Guide. This is a
Loose-Leaf version of the textbook bundled with the required electronic resources. This bundle is available at
most Bryan/College Station area bookstores. This bundle represents a significant savings over purchasing the
textbook, study guide and PAC for TAMU Organic OWL separately. You MUST have the electronic
resource package, PAC for TAMU Organic OWL, since all graded homework will be electronic. See
“Textbook and OWL Info” on eCampus.
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4. Molecular Models: You will find that a set of molecular models is very useful in this course. Any type is
okay, but the Darling Models sold by the student affiliate chapter of the American Chemical Society at A&M is
recommended. These model kits will be sold by the club below retail price. You will find these models
especially useful in dealing with stereochemical relationships and in visualizing the geometry of certain types of
molecules. You will find them useful in the laboratory as well.
5. eLearning: I will be posting course information throughout the semester on eLearning. This will include nongraded homework assignments, sample tests and test keys.
6. Problem Solving: In order to successfully complete this course it is absolutely imperative that the majority of
your study time be spent reading the relevant chapters in McMurry and working the suggested problems. They
should be faithfully worked on a regular, daily basis. Reading and working lots of problems are sure to result in
improvement in your grade! This advice should not be taken lightly. Merely scanning the answers provided in
the study guide or becoming dependent on the study guide too quickly serves no useful purpose. It's much more
difficult to work a problem than it is to convince yourself that the solution before your eyes is the correct one.
Just ask any previous organic student who took this course how important working problems is. This is the
most crucial factor to your success or failure in this course!
There is quite a bit of memorization associated with this course, but you will eventually find that merely
memorizing answers fails to be enough. This point will be reached more quickly for some than for others, but I
assure you that at some point in time you will realize that memorization is a necessary but not sufficient
condition to ensure that you will do well in the course.
7. Supplemental Instruction: Attendance at these sessions is highly recommended.
8. Office Hours: I will be available in my office during the times I've indicated below for office hours. Please
schedule your visits during my office hours. I will try to meet with you at other times if these times are not
possible.
MWF 4 – 6pm
9. Examinations
a) Major Exams: Exams will cover the material in the text and the lecture material as well as any other
assigned material. There will be 4 major exams of 100 points each. These will contribute a total of 400
possible points to your course total. There will be no exam scores dropped. Exams will be 50-55 minutes in
length and will be comprehensive but material covered since the previous exam will be emphasized.
Makeup examinations will be given only for University-excused absences provided the appropriate
documentation is given within the time frame of 2 working days of the end of the excused absence (see
TAMU Student Rules, http://student-rules.tamu.edu, under the “Attendance”). This university policy has
an absolute deadline by which you must notify the professor/instructor of any excused absence!
You must contact me the day of the examination or before the examination if you must miss an exam for any
reason. Do not take this admonition lightly as some people receive zeros on exams and usually F's in one or
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more of my courses each semester for this very reason. I am very serious about this!
You are adults, and it is your responsibility to notify me in the specified time frame if you have a legitimate
University-excuse for missing an exam. One day can be the difference between the opportunity to take a
makeup exam and a zero! Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to contact me and to arrange for a makeup
exam. It is not MY responsibility to contact you.
b) Final Exam: A mandatory, comprehensive 200 point final exam will be given at the time dictated by the
University schedule. This exam will not be returned to you. You may, however, look at your exam in my
office.
c) Exam Schedule: A tentative, but reasonably accurate, schedule for the 4 major exams is given below.
Changes in major exam dates will be announced at least three days in advance. If you miss class and do not
find out about the changes that is your problem and it is not a valid reason for requesting a make-up exam.
The date for the final exam is firm as set by University policy. Final exam for this section will be given on
December 16th.
Exam Dates
Exam #1………………September 24th (Wednesday)
Exam #2………………October 15th (Wednesday)
Exam #3………………November 5th (Wednesday)
Exam #4………………November 24th (Monday)
Final Exam
Section 504 (MWF 3 - 3:50pm)….December 16th (Tuesday)…10:30am-12:30pm
d) OWL Homework: Graded homework assignments will be given in OWL throughout the semester. OWL
assignments will contribute 100pts (14%) towards your course total. OWL assignments consist of end-ofchapter problems and homework pool problems. There are also tutorials and simulations which are optional
(non-graded). You must complete the OWL assignments by the due date. No extensions will be given.
10. Daily Seating and Exam Seating: You will have assigned seats on the days that exams are given. ID's must be
presented upon request at exams or you run the risk of getting a zero if I do not know who you are. You may sit
anywhere you want on the other days.
11. Course Grade: Your course grade will be based on your performance in the OWL assignments, exams and the
final exam. There will be 700 possible points based on the four 100-point hour exams = 400pts (57%), OWL
assignments = 100pts (14%) and the final exam = 200pts (29%).
12. Cheating: Cheating will not be tolerated. The minimum penalty for cheating will be an automatic zero
on the exam in question. Suspension from the University may also result. Don't risk it. It's not worth it.
13. Exam Regrading: If you have a question concerning the grading of your exam you may submit the entire
exam for complete regrading. This is only fair. If you want credit for questions incorrectly graded in a way
that penalized you, you must be willing to accept the fact that there may have been a question incorrectly
graded in your favor. Do not worry that I will seek ways to take away partial credit or penalize you because
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you want your exam re-graded. This almost never happens. I will be fair. The exam must be submitted for
regrading by the next class meeting after the date the exam was returned to the class. Failure to pick up your
exam on this day is not an acceptable excuse for having it re-graded at a later time. Do not write anything on
the exam after it is returned to you if you wish to have it re-graded. Exams upon which corrected answers
have been marked will not be re-graded. After the next class period all grades are considered to be final.
Thus, if you believe that you deserve some partial credit you must take care of this immediately or forfeit
your right to have the issue considered. I will not debate this issue at the time of assignment of final grades.
14. Progress: I will attempt to let you know your approximate class rank and approximate letter grade throughout
the semester. In cases where your record of an exam score and mine do not agree, I consider it your
responsibility to bring the matter to my attention at the earliest possible moment and to show me the complete
exam in question. Therefore, do not dispose of your exams until you are convinced your course grade is
correct.
15. Course Syllabus: Listed below is a syllabus with approximate lecture coverage and approximate examination
points indicated.
Chapter
Title
Approximate
# MWF Lectures
1……………… Structure and Bonding……………………………………………………...
2……………… Polar Bonds; Acids and Bases………………………………………….......
3……………… Organic Compounds: Alkanes and Their Stereochemistry…………………
4……………… Organic Compounds: Cycloalkanes and Their Stereochemistry………….
Examination #1
2
2
3
3
5……………… Stereochemistry………………………………………............................. ….. 3
6……………… Organic Reactions………………………………………..…………………... 2
7……………… Alkenes: Structure and Reactivity…………………………………………… 3
Examination #2
8……………… Alkenes: Reactions and Synthesis…………………………………………
9……………… Alkynes and Organic Synthesis…………………………………………..
10…………….. Organohalides………………………………………………………………
Examination #3
3
3
2
11…………….. Reactions of Alkyl Halides: Nucleophilic Substitution and Elimination…... ….4
17…………….. Alcohols and Phenols……………………………………………………………3
Examination #4
18…………….. Ethers and Epoxides; Thiols and Sulfides…………………………………….. 4
Final Exam
TOTAL: 38 LECTURES + 4 EXAMS = 42 Class Periods
16. Tutors: Be very, very careful if you choose to use a private tutor or one of the "professional" tutoring services.
Anyone can advertise themself as a tutor; even people who made C's and D's in courses profess to be able
to
tutor. I suggest that you very carefully interview any tutor as to his/her background in organic chemistry. Some
tutors are very good but even the very best should not be considered a substitute for lots of hard work on your
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part. It just doesn't work that way in organic chemistry! Utilize any resource that helps you learn organic
chemistry but do not look for shortcuts. There aren't any.
17. General Advice and Comments: I enjoy teaching and am very willing to help you, but I must be convinced
that you are putting in your share of effort. Most of you are probably apprehensive about this course to some
extent and that's good. A little panic is good for you. Too much panic can be disastrous, however. How can
you avoid too much panic? Concentrate on what you do know and not on what you don't know when you sit
down to take the exams. The time to concentrate on what you don't know is before the exam. I expect the
average on my exams to be around 60-70% with the high grade usually being in the range 85-95%. The grades
will be adjusted to reflect the fact that the exams are designed to really test your knowledge by providing for a
"large spread" on either side of the median. Approximate cut-offs: A = >88-90%, B >= 78-80%, C >= 60-62%,
D >= 50-52%, and F < 50%. In general, the grade distribution will be similar to that for the other chemistry 227
sections but could be higher or lower depending on your performance. That is up to you. Some of you will be
very good, some of you will be average, and some of you will have a difficult time with organic chemistry. Not
everyone can make an A or B, but I'm convinced that almost everyone can pass this course with a C or better if
they work hard and keep up. Daily preparation is important!
18.
Other Important Dates
September 5th (Friday)……………....... Last day for adding/dropping courses.
November 21st (Friday)…………………Last day for all students to drop courses with no penalty (Q-drop)
or withdraw from the University.
November 27th – 28th……...................... Thanksgiving break.
December 8th (Monday)…………………Last day of class for MWF.
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Plagiarism
Plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas, words, writings, etc. that belong to someone else.
You are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if
you have that person’s permission. For further information, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M
University Student Rules (http://student-rules.tamu.edu) under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.”
Copyright Notice
All handouts used in this course are copyrighted and may not be copied without my expressly granted permission.
By “handouts,” I mean all materials generated for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes,
exams, lab problems, in-class materials, review sheets, problem sets or other materials. Tutors and tutoring services
are expressly forbidden from copying any or all of these materials. Only students currently enrolled in the class
may make a single copy of this material for their personal use.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy Statement
The following ADA Policy Statement (part of the Policy on Individual Disabling Conditions) was submitted to the
UCC by the Department of Student Life on May 26, 1997. The policy statement was forwarded to the Faculty
Senate for information.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive
civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students
with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their
disabilities. if you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of
Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building, or call 845-1637.
Aggie Honor Code
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”
Upon accepting admission to Texas A&M University, a student immediately assumes a commitment to
uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning, and to follow the philosophy and rules of
the Honor System. Students will be required to state their commitment on examinations, research papers,
and other academic work. Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the TAMU community
from the requirements or the processes of the Honor System.
For additional information please visit: www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor
On all course work, assignments, or examinations at Texas A&M University, the following Honor Pledge
shall be pre-printed and signed by the student:
“On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic
work.”
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