Introductory description

The aim of this module is to provide students with a basic understanding of organic chemistry. As such it provides a fundamental look at organic chemical bonding, structure, reactivity, mechanism and synthesis of simple functional groups (18 CATS and 30 CATS). Later parts of the module apply an understanding of organic chemistry to the synthesis and the chemistry of functional groups containing the carbonyl functional group (18 CATS and 30 CATS). The content of this module will be assumed in ALL subsequent Chemistry modules. It provides all entering first years with a common foundational knowledge of organic chemistry.

This will be achieved by a range of teaching methods, primarily lectures and tutorials, but also student centered learning:-including directed reading, problems classes and workshops, set exercises, and computational exercises

The majority of the module content is drawn from components of A-level syllabuses. As such, most students will already be familiar with some aspects of the module syllabus, but the pattern of familiarity will be heterogeneous across the class. The primary aim of the module is to equip all students with the necessary mathematical skills to succeed in their chemistry degree at Warwick. The module is structured to allow individual students to concentrate their time on those bits of the module with which they are unfamiliar.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Drawing of organic structures. Orbitals, sigma and pi bonding, shape, hybridisation, stereochemistry, isomerism, conformation.
2. Cation/anion stability, resonance, delocalisation, aromaticity, acidity, basicity, pKa
3. Mechanism and curly arrows, electrophiles, nucleophiles, radicals
4. Radical stability, mechanism
5. Acidity, free energy diagrams, reaction profiles
6. Substitution mechanisms, SN1, SN2
7. Addition reactions
8. Elimination reactions and chemistry of alkenes and alkynes
9. Chemistry of alcohols, ethers, amines, oxidation and reduction
10. Aromatic electrophilic substitution
11. Carbonyl chemistry, addition, substitution
12. Hydrolysis reactions
13. Grignard, alkyl lithium, conjugate additions
14. Carbonyl enolate chemistry
15. Claisen condensations, aldol condensation, Mannich reactions
16. 1,3-Dicarbonyl compounds and reactions

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the structure, shape, properties and reactivity of organic molecules including their acidity, mechanisms and reactions
• Demonstrate an understanding and awareness of different reactions in organic chemistry and why and how they take place. Have a basic understanding of mechanisms and their stereochemical consequences of nucleophilic substitution, elimination, electrophilic additions/substitutions, oxidations and reduction.
• Have a basic understanding of mechanisms carbonyl and enolate chemistry.
• Use their knowledge of general mechanism and reactivity to postulate mechanisms of organic reactions using curly arrows.
• Use their knowledge to be able to design short syntheses of organic molecules.

Indicative reading list

Essential Text (required)
Clayden, Greeves, Warren and Wothers, Organic Chemistry, Oxford, second edition 2012
Advised text (not required)
Mechanism in Organic Chemistry, 6th Edition, Peter Sykes, Pearson Prentice Hall

Interdisciplinary

Bridges chemistry and biochemistry

Subject specific skills

Problem solving

Transferable skills

Problem solving