ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

This course falls within the interdisciplinary (non-compulsory) educational activities of the Master’s Degree Program in Science and Technologies of Bio and Nanomaterials. The course offers a general overview of the main principles and factors influencing organic reactions, and is especially useful for students who did not attend Organic Chemistry courses during their BSc. The course covers general organic chemistry basic principles, focusing, in particular, on structure, properties and reactivity of the main classes of organic compounds.

1. Knowledge and understanding
• Identify the main classes of organic compounds based on their structural differences;
• Describe the course of important organic-chemical reactions, discussing their reaction mechanism and planning the reaction outcome based on their structure.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding
• Categorize the different types of organic molecules based on the functional group(s) present, converting structures to names (and names to structures) unambiguosly according to IUPAC nomenclature rules;
• Predict structure-reactivity relationships for discrete functional molecules and classes of functional molecules;
• Classify organic molecules reactivity based on the type of functional group(s) present, reaction type(s) and reaction condition(s).

3. Judgement ability
• Critical and indipendent evaluation of course learning outcomes, including a practical assessment through written exercises (tutoring, included in the course programme);
• Develop the required fundamental organic chemistry knowledge necessary to predict monofunctional organic molecules reactivity.

4. Communication skills
• Learning the relevant and appropriate scientific jargon, required to describe and explain the learning outcomes in a competent manner;
• Understanding of organic chemistry technical-scientific terminology and simbology and their use in the appropriate context;
• Development of solid theoretical foundations in organic chemistry using the main mechanicistic pathways studied to solve stereochemistry and reactivity problems.
5. Learning skills
• Taking notes in an autonomous manner, identifying the key concepts described in the lectures;
• Critical consultation of the suggested reference text, optional reccomended text(s) and the bibliography cited therein;
• Use the course topics for further interdisciplinary and cross-sector studies;
• Develop problem-solving abilities, regarding, in particular, reactivity of mono- and bi-functional organic compounds, describing the relevant mechanicistic details.

Knowledge of the main General Chemistry topics.

Structure and bonding: covalent bonds, molecular orbitals, hybridization and resonance structures (4h).
Acids and bases: Brønsted-Lowry acids-bases, Lewis acids-bases, reactivity, acidic strength and pKa, acid-base equilibriums (2h).
Alkanes and cycloalakanes: nomenclature, physical properties of alkanes, acyclic alkanes and cyclic alkanes conformations, alkanes reactivity (4h).
Alkenes and alkynes: nomenclature, physical properties of alkenes and alkynes, reactivity: electrophilic addition reactions (5h).
Stereochemistry: isomers, chiral and achiral molecules, nomenclature and determination of the stereogenic center(s), enantiomers and diasteroisomers, cicloalkanes stereochemistry, chemico-physical properties of chiral compounds (3h).
Alkyl halides: nomenclature and chemico-physical properties, nucleophilic substitution: general features and possible reaction mechanisms, SN2 mechanism and its applications, carbocations stability, Hammond postulate, SN1 mechanism, identification of the nucleophilic substitution mechanism (3h).
Alcohols, ethers ed epoxides: structural features, nomenclature, properties, synthesis and reactivity, trasposition reactions (2h).
Benzene and aromatic compounds: structure and nomenclature, general spectroscopic features, aromaticity and Hückel's law, examples of aromatic compounds, electroohilic aromatic substitution (5h).
Amines: structure, nomenclature and properties, amines preparation reactions, general reactivity, nucleophilicity and basicity (2h).
Aldehydes and ketones: structural features, nomenclature and properties, main preparation methodologies, reactivity of aldehydes and ketones, nucleophilic addition, introduction to the use of protecting groups, alpha-carbon substitution reactions, enols and enolates, condensation reactions (6h).
Carboxylic acids and fatty acids: structure, properties and nomenclature, main preparation methodologies, general reactivity (2h).
Carboxylic acids derivatives: structures and nomenclature of amides, esters and anhydrides, general reactivity, hydrolizable lipids, aminoacids (2h).
Sugars: monosaccharides structure and nomenclature, graphical representations of sugars, general reactivity (4h).
Tutorial exercises (6h).

• “Organic Chemistry” 5th Edition, Janice G. Smith, McGraw-Hill, 2007;
• "Solving Organic Chemistry Problems: Methods, Strategies and Explanations", Maria Valeria D’Auria, Orazio Taglialatela Scafati, Angela Zampella, Loghìa Editore, 2017;
• Lecture notes.

Fulfillment of learning objectives will be assessed via both written and oral examination. Passing the written examination (minimum score: 15/30) is compulsory in order to proceed to oral examination. A typical written examination will last 2 hours and consist of multiple choices and open answer questions over the entire course program, aiming at assessing the abilities gained throughout the course identifying, in particular, the main classes of organic compounds and their structure-reactivity properties. While undertaking written examinations, it is forbidden to consult books and lecture notes or use any electronic equipment. Oral examinations will assess the level of knowledge of the course topics using of the appropriate and relevant communication skills (e.g. technical jargon, scientific terminology and symbology).

The course consists of taught classes of approximately 2 hours. Lectures supporting material (Power Point presentations) will be available through the University e-learning platform, moodle.unive.it. Tutorial exercises material (exercise sheets) with multiple choices and open answer questions will also be available through moodle.unive.it.

English

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion

Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

written and oral