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Organic Chemistry I
CHEM250 | 3 Credits
Get a grasp on the basics of organic chemistry. In Organic Chemistry I, we’ll introduce topics like how molecules are built and bonded, and cover organic compounds and functional groups, stereochemistry, how organic reactions work, and more.
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About Organic Chemistry I
What You’ll Learn
Organic Chemistry I is foundational in providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles of organic chemistry. Explore a range of topics, including structure and bonding, introduction to organic molecules and functional groups, stereochemistry, and organic reactions.
- Predict geometry from a valid Lewis structure.
- Correlate curved arrows to show the reaction between a nucleophile and an electrophile.
- Order the highest and lowest energy conformations using Newman projections.
- Determine if two non-identical compounds are constitutional isomers, enantiomers, or diastereomers.
- Calculate ΔHo of a reaction.
- Predict the appearance of the product(s) of an Sn1 or Sn2 reaction.
- Predict the appearance of all products of an elimination reaction.
- Calculate degrees of unsaturation.
- Contrast reactions of acetylide anions.
- Use spectroscopy to identify compounds.
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WANT US TO CHECK?Course Details
Our Organic Chemistry I online course delves into specific organic molecules, such as alkanes, alkyl halides, alkenes, and alkynes, and their synthesis. Additionally, you’ll learn about mass, infrared, and NMR spectroscopy while taking this course.
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ACE Code:
OOSL-0112
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Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites to take Organic Chemistry I, though we highly recommend concurrent enrollment in General Chemistry (CHEM101).
Course Text
The required eTextbook for this course is included with your course purchase at no additional cost.
- Smith, Janice. Organic Chemistry. 7th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2024. ISBN: 9781264141531
Course Checkpoints
Structure and Bonding
- The Periodic Table
- Bonding
- Lewis Structures
- Isomers
- Exceptions to the Octet Rule
- Resonance
- Determining Molecular Shape
- Drawing Organic Structures: Hybridization
- Ethane, Ethylene, and Acetylene
- Bond Length and Bond Strength
- Electronegativity and Bond Polarity Polarity of Molecules
- Oxybenzone–A Representative Organic Molecule
Introduction to Organic Molecules and Functional Groups
- Functional Groups
- An Overview of Functional Groups
- Intermolecular Forces
- Physical Properties
- Application: Vitamins
- Application of Solubility: Soap
- Application: The Cell Membrane
- Functional Groups and Reactivity
- Biomolecules
Alkanes
- Alkanes—An Introduction
- Cycloalkanes
- An Introduction to Nomenclature
- Naming Alkanes
- Naming Cycloalkanes
- Natural Occurrence of Alkanes
- Properties of Alkanes
- Conformations of Acyclic Alkanes—Ethane
- Conformations of Butane
- An Introduction to Cycloalkanes
- Cyclohexane
- Substituted Cycloalkanes
- Oxidation of Alkanes
- Lipids—Part 1
Stereochemistry
- Starch and Cellulose
- The Two Major Classes of Isomers
- Looking Glass Chemistry—Chiral and Achiral Molecules
- Stereogenic Centers
- Stereogenic Centers in Cyclic Compounds
- Labeling Stereogenic Centers with R or S
- Diastereomers
- Meso Compounds
- R and S Assignments in Compounds with Two or More Stereogenic Centers
- Disubstituted Cycloalkanes
- Isomers—A Summary
- Physical Properties of Stereoisomers
- Chemical Properties of Enantiomers
Understanding Organic Reactions
- Writing Equations for Organic Reactions
- Kinds of Organic Reactions
- Bond Breaking and Bond Making
- Bond Dissociation Energy
- Thermodynamics
- Enthalpy and Entropy
- Energy Diagrams
- Energy Diagram for a Two-Step Reaction Mechanism
- Kinetics
- Catalysts
- Enzymes
Alkyl Halides and Nucleophilic Substitution
- Introduction to Alkyl Halides
- Nomenclature
- Properties of Alkyl Halides
- Interesting Alkyl Halides
- The Polar Carbon–Halogen Bond
- General Features of Nucleophilic Substitution
- The Leaving Group
- The Nucleophile
- The Mechanisms for Nucleophilic Substitution
- The SN2 Mechanism
- The SN1 Mechanism
- Carbocation Stability
- The Hammond Postulate
- When Is the Mechanism SN1 or SN2?
- Biological Nucleophilic Substitution
- Vinyl Halides and Aryl Halides
- Organic Synthesis
Alkyl Halides and Elimination Reactions
- Alkyl Halides and Elimination Reactions
- General Features of Elimination
- Alkenes—The Products of Elimination Reactions
- The Mechanisms of Elimination
- The E2 Mechanism
- The Zaitsev Rule
- Stereochemistry of the E2 Reaction
- The E1 Mechanism
- SN1 and E1 Reactions
- When Is the Mechanism E1 or E2?
- E2 Reactions and Alkyne Synthesis
- When Is the Reaction SN1, SN2, E1, or E2?
Alkenes and Addition Reactions
- Calculating Degrees of Unsaturation
- Nomenclature
- Properties of Alkenes
- Interesting Alkenes
- Lipids—Part 2
- Preparation of Alkenes
- Introduction to Addition Reactions
- Hydrohalogenation—Electrophilic Addition of HX
- Markovnikov’s Rule
- Stereochemistry of Electrophilic Addition of HX
- Hydration—Electrophilic Addition of Water
- Halogenation—Addition of Halogen
- Stereochemistry of Halogenation
- Halohydrin Formation
- Hydroboration–Oxidation
- Keeping Track of Reactions
- Alkenes in Organic Synthesis
Alkynes and Synthesis
- Nomenclature
- Properties of Alkynes
- Interesting Alkynes
- Preparation of Alkynes
- Introduction to Alkyne Reactions
- Addition of Hydrogen Halides
- Addition of Halogen
- Addition of Water
- Hydroboration–Oxidation
- Reaction of Acetylide Anions
- Synthesis
Spectroscopy
- Mass Spectrometry and the Molecular Ion
- Alkyl Halides and the M + 2 Peak
- Fragmentation
- Fragmentation Patterns of Some Common Functional Groups
- Other Types of Mass Spectrometry
- Electromagnetic Radiation
- The General Features of Infrared Spectroscopy
- IR Absorptions
- Infrared Spectra of Common Functional Groups
- IR and Structure Determination
- An Introduction to NMR Spectroscopy
- 1H NMR: Number of Signals
- 1H NMR: Position of Signals
- The Chemical Shifts of Protons on sp2 and sp Hybridized Carbons
- 1H NMR: Intensity of Signals
- 1H NMR: Spin–Spin Splitting
- Spin–Spin Splitting in Alkenes
- Using 1H NMR to Identify an Unknown
- 13C NMR Spectroscopy
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
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Your score provides a percentage score and letter grade for each course. A passing percentage is 70% or higher.
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- 4 Graded Exams
This course has an open-book Final Exam. No calculators are permitted.
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3 Credits
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