Lecture 1a
Motivation
• Why do students take have to take chemistry labs?
• While most lecture courses provide a solid theoretical background
in general chemistry and in organic chemistry, they usually fail to
consider most of the practical aspects of an actual experiment
(i.e., exact conditions, byproducts, product isolation,
characterization)
• Conducting an experiment in lab is often times much more
complicated than chemistry conducted on paper because many
details have a significant impact on the overall outcome of the
experiment
• Performing an actual experiment in the lab is a learning
experience on how to combine many theoretical and practical
aspects together (i.e., theory of the reaction, Le Châtelier
Principle, polarity, acidity, kinetics, etc.)
• Develop manipulative skills that are needed in other sciences
Learning Goals
• At the end of the class you should be able to
• Be able to perform basic laboratory techniques i.e., setting
up and running reactions, be familiar with purification
techniques (distillation, extraction, recrystallization,
chromatography)
• Be able to operate equipment used in the lab correctly
i.e., infrared and UV-Vis spectrophotometer, rotary
evaporator, polarimeter, etc.
• Analyze spectra and chromatograms of your compounds
(IR, NMR, UV-Vis, GC/MS, HPLC)
• Understand experimental design
• Write a report that demonstrates the mastery of the material
• Be familiar with safe work practices in the lab
Course Overview
• Experiments and Activities (tentatively)
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Meeting 1 : Check-in, Coenzyme Synthesis of Benzoin, Molecular Modeling (I)
Meeting 2: Elimination Reaction from 2-Methylcyclohexanols (GC Analysis,
Simple Distillation)
Meeting 3: Reduction of D-(+)-Camphor: (-)-Isoborneol/(+)-Borneol
(GC Analysis, Polarimetry)
Meeting 4: Oxidation of Benzoin (Phase Transfer Catalysis), Molecular
Modeling (II) (Recrystallization, Column Chromatography, HPLC)
Meeting 5: Aldol Condensation (TLC Analysis, UV-Vis, Recrystallization)
Meeting 6: Diels-Alder Reaction (Recrystallization)
Meeting 7: Synthesis of Coumarins (Microwave Synthesis, Fluorescence)
Synthesis of Benzopinacol via Photoreduction of Benzophenone (HPLC)
Meeting 8: Synthesis and Identification of an Ester (Extraction, Vacuum
Distillation, NMR Spectroscopy)
Meeting 9: Finish up Photochemistry Experiment/ NMR Simulations (ACD)
Meeting 10: Clean-up, Check-out, Web Spectra – Combined Spectra Problems
Administrative Issues
• Make sure that you arrive on time to your first in-lab meeting
because if you are more than 15 minutes late, you will lose your
spot in the course. Excuses do not count later on i.e., “I did not
think that the lab meets during week 1” or “I did not find the lab”.
The first sections (1 A (YH 1096), 1 B (YH 1111)) will meet on
1/5/2016 at 1 pm.
• Wait-listed students will be accommodated if space becomes
available (N<20): chemistry, biochemistry > other majors >
extension students, priority in within a group will be given to
seniority
• If you are added to the roster, the instructor will report you to
the department to been enrolled (usually at the end of week 1),
so do not ask about this issue before beginning of meeting 2.
• Note that the online quiz system is independent from URSA
and is administered by the instructor! It will not be active
before the end of meeting 1.
Textbooks/Readers
• The course reader bundle (= main reader (bright yellow),
the Survival Kit reader (generally referred to as SKR,
orange) and the exam collection (pale yellow)) is available
from Course Reader Materials (1081 Westwood Blvd.) for
$65. It is highly advisable to have the latest version (Winter
2016) because this is the basis for the experiments and the
quizzes/final exam.
• Recommended: Mohrig et al., Techniques in Organic
Chemistry (online: $45.99 (4th edition, 180 days) via
coursesmart), most students usually have a copy already
if they were recently enrolled in Chem 30AL
• Organic textbook for reference i.e., Brown and Foote,
McMurry, Wade, Vollhardt and Schore, etc.
Preparation for In-lab Meeting I
• Pre-lab write-up (for more details consult your TA)
• Title
• Purpose
• Introduction (balanced chemical equations, mechanism, key steps in
the procedure)
• Detailed procedure
• Safety information of ALL chemicals used in the project
• Physical properties of ALL chemicals (melting point, boiling point,
solubility, etc.)
• Spectroscopic information (Xerox copy of infrared spectra (reactants
and product) have to be included)
• Reference section
• Answers to pre-lab questions posted on the course website (for sample
report see SKR 9)
Preparation for In-lab Meeting II
• Online Quizzes
• Take the online quiz if is required (meeting 2 through meeting 8)
until 60 minutes before your in-lab meeting. However, it is not
advisable to wait until 12 pm to take the online quiz in case
technically difficulties arise.
• The link to the online quiz is posted on the homework assignment.
• Note that even though you can view/print the online quiz several
times, you can take the quiz only once.
• No answer keys will be posted. If you have problems with the
quizzes (less than 7 points), you should see the teaching assistant
or the instructor to clarify topics before you attend the lab.
• The first quiz will not be active before 1/8/2016 at 2 pm due
to enrollment issues. Please check early if you can log on to
the system so that any problems can be resolved if needed.
Preparation for In-lab Meeting III
• Bottom line: The better you understand what you
are about to do, the easier it will be in the lab. If
you put in the time beforehand, you will be less
stressed in the lab. Copying reports from
friends/room mates, etc. might safe time initially,
but it will show in the end (=final exam), where
many of these students have experienced a
Waterloo in the final exams.
Grades
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In-lab quiz (20 points, starting meeting 2, seven total, lowest score dropped)
Online quiz (10 points, starting meeting 2, seven total)
Infrared assignment (40 points, due by January 15, 2016 at 4:30 pm, no late
submissions will be accepted)
Extra credit project (20 points= 5 points pre-lab + 15 points report, no late
submissions will be accepted)
Library assignment (15 points, no late submissions will be accepted)
Computer assignment (meeting 4, 15 points)
Lab notebook (20 points, due immediately after final exam)
Pre-lab (5 points, pre-lab questions are posted on the course website)
Post-lab (5 points, no post-lab questions!)
TA/Instructor evaluation (10 points per meeting, average student 7-8 points)
Final Exam (March 17, 2016 from 11:30-2:30 pm, room tba) (210 points)
There will be no make-up final exam.
Bottom line: Both the in-lab portion and the final exam have to be passed to
pass the course (=grade higher than “C-”-grade). In order to get a high grade
in the course, the student has to perform very well in both portions, not just
in one portion.
Instructor Information
• Office: Young Hall 3077E
• Office hours (tentatively): MWF 10-11 am, M 3-4 pm and TR 11-12 pm
in YH 3077 or by appointment (please do not schedule an appointment
before 8 am or after 4:30 pm, if you do make an appointment, make sure
to show up on time!)
• Email: bacher@chem.ucla.edu
• Course website: www.chem.ucla.edu/~bacher (Please note that the
instructor does not use CCLE website)
• Course discussion board: www.piazza.com/ucla/winter2016/chem30bl
• The course discussion board has to be used for general questions only.
This means that you cannot post homework or quiz questions!