Students will focus their efforts on safety, scientific reporting, chemical information literacy, spectroscopic analysis, non-spectroscopic analysis, and standard bench techniques for separation, purification, and synthesis of organic compounds, drawing connections between laboratory procedures and reaction mechanisms. Evaluative tools include pre-lab and post-lab assignments, lab notetaking, reports, and quizzes.
Athena Title
Mod Org Chem Lab I
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in CHEM 2311L, CHEM 2411L
Prerequisite
(CHEM 1212-1212D or CHEM 1312H or CHEM 1412) and (CHEM 1212L or CHEM 1312L or CHEM 1412L)
Corequisite
CHEM 2211
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the class, the student should be able to engage in safe laboratory practices including personal safety and deportment, safe deployment, and the use of laboratory glassware and apparatus, equipment, chemicals, and generated waste using guidelines and basic knowledge about the hazards associated with operations in an organic chemistry laboratory.
By the end of the class, the student should be able to clearly communicate (in writing) information gathered from the laboratory manual and other sources of literature pertaining to the experiments being performed and maintain a complete and organized record of laboratory experimental data and observations in accordance with the format of the scientific notebook.
By the end of the class, the student should be able to apply appropriate mathematical tools to accurately determine calculated results from experimental data by setting up problems and performing calculations related to stoichiometry in organic reactions such as limiting reagent and percent yield and constructing graphs of organic laboratory data and evaluating the results.
By the end of the class, the student should be able to demonstrate proficiency in instrumental techniques as prescribed in the scheduled experiments by using written instructions regarding setup of sample and solvent preparation, interpreting and using data obtained to support reported results, and demonstrating the ability to use the appropriate technology to carry our course requirements.
By the end of the class, the student should be able to use basic techniques for the isolation and purification of organic molecules including distillation, recrystallization, chromatography (TLC and column), and extraction.
By the end of the class, the student should be able to exercise basic synthetic organic chemistry techniques such as setting up reactions, and monitoring the progress of a reaction and characterizing organic compounds using techniques and instrumentation including melting point, boiling point, retention factor, NMR, IR, and UV/Vis spectroscopy.
Topical Outline
1. Recrystallization
2. Simple Distillation and Fractional Distillation of a Mixture
3. Extraction of Nutmeg
4. TLC Analysis of an Analgesic Tablet
5. Using ChemDraw
6. Separation of a Mixture by Extraction
7. Hydrogenation of Olive Oil
8. Preparation of Diphenylacetylene
9. Separation of a Reaction Product Mixture by Gas Chromatography
10. Williamson Ether Synthesis
General Education Core
CORE II: Physical Sciences
Institutional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
