Home Page: Taber home page.
Chem 332
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Delaware
Syllabus
Organic Chemistry Lecture
M-W-F, 10:10-11:00
BRL 101
Office Hours: 202 LDL M 11:00-1:00, W 3:00-4:00 TA: T 4:30-5:30
W: 831-2433
Fax: 831-6335
I will be glad to schedule other appointments (maximum 30 minutes, once a week) if additional help is needed. I can be reached at Douglass F. Taber. I will not talk with you about the course on the day of the exam.
Tutors are available, but it is far more effective to recruit a study buddy. Learning organic chemistry is like learning a new language. It is best accomplished by practicing with someone else. For each homework, choose an older homework of that number. Each work it through on your own, then swap, and grade each other harshly, following the posted key. Repeat the process with another older homework of that same number, until you are doing well - then do the current homework on your own, and turn it in. Use the same procedure to prepare for each exam. This is by far the best way to make sure that you really know that material as you go along.
Texts: Organic Chemistry, Vollhardt & Schore
Organic Chemistry Study Guide, Schore
Molecular Model Set
Honors Section: In addition to the regular lectures, there is an Honors discussion group that meets from 9:10-10:00 Friday mornings. Please contact me if you are interested in participating.
Grading: There will be three hour exams and a final. These exams will be of equal value, totaling 90% of the grade. All exams will be open book and open notes. In addition, there will be weekly homework assignments, that will together count 10% of the grade. You can approach these problem sets as a group or individually. Make sure, however, that you understand the material, as you will be on your own on the exams.
Homework: Homework will be posted on the course Web site no later than Friday lecture. Completed homework must be turned in by the end of lecture on Monday to receive credit. If you cannot make it to class, faxed homework is acceptable. Answer keys for homework, examples of previous homework with answer keys, and previous exams with anwer keys will all be posted on the Web site. A complete set of old HW with answers and old exams with answers is also available from The Copy Maven as a coures packet.
Schedule: Hour Exams Wednesday Mar. 3rd, Friday April 2nd, Friday April 23rd. Final exam:
Rules for Naming Organic Molecules: see Organic Nomenclature.
Through this semester, the rest of Vollhardt will be covered. You will be responsible in the homework and on the exams for all material covered in lecture. YOU WILL FIND IT EASIER TO LEARN THE MATERIAL IF YOU READ THE ASSIGNED SECTION FROM VOLLHARDT BEFORE YOU COME TO CLASS, THEN AGAIN AFTER CLASS.
Week 1: (Wednesday February 11th) Chp.21 - Amines
Homework #1- due Monday Feb. 16th, 10 a.m.
Week 2: (Monday February 16th) Chp. 17, 18 - Aldehydes and Ketones
Homework #2
Week 3: (Monday February 23rd) Chp. 19, 20, 23 Carboxylic Acids, Dicarbonyl Compounds, Sigmatropic (electrocyclic) Rearrangements
Homework #3
Week 4: (Monday March 1st)
Monday: Study old Exam #1's, and bring your questions!
Tuesday, March 2nd Review session, 4:00-5:00 pm, 214 BRL
Wednesday March 3rd Hour Exam #1
HW #5
Friday: Ring-forming Reactions: Carbenes pp. 496-498 Photochemical 2+2
Week 5: (Monday March 8th) Ring-forming Reactions continued: Intramolecular aldol condensation, Robinson annulation, Dieckmann, Diels-Alder 600-607, 796-799, 805-810, 1041
Chp. 15, 16 Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Homework #5
Week 6: (Monday March 15th) Chp. 15, 16 Chp. 22 Benzene Substitution: Diazonium Salts
Homework #6 (due Monday March 29th)
March 22nd Spring
Break!
Week 7: (Monday March 29th) Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Homework #7
Wednesday: Bring your questions!
Thursday, April 1st: Review session, 4:00-5:00 pm, 214 BRL
Friday April 2nd: Hour Exam #2
Week 8: (Monday April 5th) Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution
Homework #8
Week 9: (Monday April 12th) Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution
Homework #9
Week 10: (Monday April 19th) Synthesis applications, arrow-pushing mechanisms
Homework #10
Thursday, April 22nd: Review session, 4:00-5:00 pm, 214 BRL
Friday April 23rd: Hour Exam #3
Week 11: (Monday April 26th) Introduction to DNA, RNA, carbohydrates, Organic polymers Chp. 12, Chp. 26 Amino Acids, Peptides
Homework #11
Week 12: (Monday May 3rd) Chp. 24 Sugars, Chp. 25 Heterocycles, Chp. 26 DNA, RNA
Week 13: (Monday May 10th) Current organic chemistry research
Week 14: (Monday May 17th): Review for final: arrow-pushing mechanisms, synthesis
Bring your questions to the last class Wed. May 95th
Bring your questions to the review session:
Final Exam: