NKEK13006U Organic Chemistry

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Chemistry

MSc Programme in Chemistry with a minor subject

Content

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

The major topics are:

  • Chemical bonding and structures (electronegativity, VSEPR, Lewis structures, hybridization, QMOT, orbital mixing);
  • Stereochemistry (configuration, conformation, chirality);
  • Conformational, sterically and stereoelectronic effects (thermodynamic, kinetic);
  • Solutions and non-covalent binding forces (strong and weak interactions)
  • Acid-Base chemistry (definitions and implications of pH and p Ka );
  • Energy surfaces and Kinetics (transition state theory, Hammond postulate, More O'Ferral-Jenck plots)
  • Isotope effects (theory and practice)
  • LFER (Hammett, Bronsted relationship, enthalpy-entropy compensation)
  • Catalysis (General and specific acid/base catalysis)
  • Nucleophilic substitution (at sp2, at sp3, types, leaving groups, anchimeric assistance, carbocations);
  • Addition/elimination/rearrangement/isomerization
  • Concerted pericyclic reactions (cycloadditions, sigmatropic rearrangements, FMO theory, electrocyclization)
  • Radical reactions (reaction patterns, stability, substituent effects);
  • Introduction to organometallic chemistry (catalysis, reactions and structures).

 

And 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 and concepts in organic chemistry. When possible and appropriate, examples from the teachers' own research will be used as examples of applied physical organic chemistry. Each topic will be introduced by the lecturer followed by discussions in the class. Exercises for each chapter will be handed out and discussed in class based on the questions from the textbook or independently prepared quiz.

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

Learning Outcome

After passing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:

  • Describe reactions using physical organic chemistry.
  • Justify selectivities between products on the basis of physical organic chemistry.

 

Skills:

  • Apply the theory to solve practical problems in organic chemistry and elucidate the mechanisms of the desired and undesired reactions.

 

Competencies:

  • Explain and discuss the above topics.
  • Analyze reactions on the basis of physical organic chemistry.

Course material will be indicated on Absalon

Basic competencies physical chemistry, quantum chemistry, inorganic chemistry are necessary and intermediate competencies in organic chemistry and organic synthesis  are necessary (equivalent to KemiOrg and (Vid)OrgSyn).

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
The teaching is divided into lectures by the teacher (and invited lecturers), student presentations of research papers and exercises (solved by the students at home – discussed on the class). Special topics and own experiences will be included when appropriate in the context
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 323
  • Theory exercises
  • 56
  • Exam
  • 5
  • Total
  • 412
Written
Oral
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 4 hours under invigilation
Oral examination, 20 minutes (no preparation time)
Type of assessment details
Written examination, essay writing, 4.00 h under invigilation (50%)
Oral examination, 20 min. (no preparation time) (50%)
Exam registration requirements

Submission and approval of midterm essay after block 3

Submission and approval of all weekly assignments

Aid
Only certain aids allowed
  • Midterm essay: open-book
  • Written examination: molecular building models are allowed
  • Oral examination: no aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as the ordinary exam. Both oral (25 min no preparation) and written exam (4 hours) must be retaken.

Midterm essay and weekly assignments that have not received approval must be submitted at least 3 weeks before the reexamination, and they must be approved no later 2 weeks prior to the reexamination.

Criteria for exam assesment

Adequate and profound presentation and explanation of the topics in the written and oral examination will result in the grade 12. Basic understanding of the topics and the ability to explain them in the context of presented problems is sufficient for passing the course.