Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

The course covers aspects of each of the following: An Introduction to Functional Groups, Structure and Chemistry of Alkanes, Structure and Chemistry of Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Their Sulfur Analogues, Introduction to Organometallic Compounds, Spectroscopy: IR and NMR, Stereochemistry, and Reaction Mechanisms. Special topics are included as time and interest permits.
Prerequisites: One year of general Chemistry (221 or 104 sequence).

Chemistry 241 is the first term of a one-year sequence of an Organic Chemistry course designed for science majors, chemical engineering majors, and pre-professional students. An agreement made with the State Universities in Oregon will allow students to receive upper division credit for Organic Chemistry 241, 242, and 243, upon successful completion of the ACS Organic Exam in CH 243. The aim of the year long course is to bring a realistic approach to the study of mechanisms and functional group chemistry, and to provide an emphasis on the biological environment, and medical applications of organic chemistry. Chemistry 241 is a five-credit course that meets three hours per week for lecture, three hours per week for lab, and one hour per week for recitation.
 

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

• Assess the impact of chemical theory on phenomena encountered in everyday life, including an appraisal of human responsibility for the preservation of the natural world in balance with the constructed environments we inhabit.
• Apply critical thinking skills to situations in the real world involving chemical principles of organic chemistry to evaluate factors such as the limitations arising from the complexity of reaction mechanisms.
• Use knowledge of the organic chemistry language, concepts, and mechanisms to reason effectively qualitatively and quantitatively.
• Use sustainability ideas and tools to identify and assist green chemistry innovation.
• Communicate complex scientific concepts and reasoning effectively, orally and through formal and informal writings and reports, which includes the ability to locate reliable peer-reviewed sources of information in organic chemistry.
• Collaborate effectively with a diverse team to collect, analyze, and effectively communicate organic chemistry data in the laboratory to formulate models and generate further inquiry using the scientific method.
•  Read, understand, and analyze scientific articles relating to organic chemistry.
   

The entire course promotes different types of learning: active, collaborative, and independent learning. The lecture portion of this class is designed to stimulate interest in the subject and promotes active, collaborative, and independent learning. The laboratory utilizes microscale equipment, modern analytical instrumentation, and the application of typical laboratory procedures. The lab portion of this class is used to promote both collaborative and active learning in a lab setting and engage the student in the world of science through individual research projects. The recitation portion of this class, through team learning, focuses on small group problem solving.
 

At the beginning of this course, the instructor will detail the methods used to evaluate student progress and the criteria for assigning a course grade. These methods will include one or more of the following: written examinations, quizzes, homework assignments, laboratory write-ups, research papers, small group problem solving, oral presentations, or maintenance of a notebook.
 

Course Content:
1.0 Introduction to Organic Chemistry
      1.1 History
      1.2 Functional Groups
      1.3 Language of Organic Chemistry
2.0 Structures, Function, and Reactivity of
     2.1 Alkanes
     2.2 Haloalkanes
     2.3 Hydroxy Functional Groups
     2.4 Ethers and Epoxides
     2.5 Reaction Mechanisms
     2.6 Stereo isomerism
3.0 Spectroscopic Techniques
     3.1 NMR Spectroscopy
     3.2 IR Spectroscopy