NKEK13006U Organic Chemistry

The TEMP0115 Organic Chemistry course covers structure and mechanisms in organic chemistry with an emphasis on physical organic chemistry.

The major topics are:

Chemical bonding and structure (valence, hypervalence, molecular orbital theory and methods); Stereochemistry (configuration, conformation); Conformationally, sterically and stereoelectronic effects (thermodynamic, kinetic); Electronic substituent effects (on reaction intermediates, isotope effects, catalysis, solvent effects, Hammett); Nucleophilic substitution (types, leaving groups, anchimeric assistance, carbocat ions); Polar addition/elimination; Eliminations (types); Carbanions and other C-nucleophile (stability, pK_a); Carbonyl compounds (reaction types); Aromaticity (definition, types); Aromatic substitution (electrophil, nucleophil); Concerted pericyclic reactions (cycloadditions, sigmatropic rearangements, FMO theory, electrocyclic); Radical reactions (stability, substituent effects). Special topics related to the above topics.

The teaching will to a large extent follow the themes in the teaching book chapters, but additional literature will be used to support each topic. The additional literature will mainly be classic and contemporary articles, which are presented by the students and discussed on the class. When possible and appropriate, examples from the teachers own research will be used as examples of applied physical organic chemistry.

Each topic will be introduces by the lecturer followed by discussions on the class. Exercises for each chapter will be handed out and discussed on the class.

It is required that all students present at least one research paper during the course.