12A Course Information

Materials

  • TEXT  “Organic Chemistry“, D. Klein, 1st or 2nd edition
  • Chem 12A Lab Experiments
  • Safety goggles or safety glasses
  • Calculator
  • ChemDoodle chemical drawing software – FREE for your school e-mail
  • Alchemie Mechanisms app (iOS and Android), $9.99 for full access

ChemDoodle is a chemical drawing and publishing software that you can use to draw molecular structures and more. This product is FREE for Hartnell students. Click here to request an activation code and try it out. Use your Hartnell e-mail address.

Recommended Materials

Course Description

  • This course consists of lecture and lab. Hands-on work and group work will be used to help you learn and understand organic chemistry. Your learning depends on you; you are responsible for your learning. This course is fast-paced and covers a lot of material. Each successive topic builds upon previous topics. To maximize your learning of organic chemistry, focus on the topics covered in lecture, relate these topics to the content in the textbook, try working questions/problems at the end of each chapter, and review frequently. Focus on important points that are covered in lecture and ask questions over material you don’t understand. After each class, review your notes and the assigned chapter and try working more questions/problems. When questions arise, please ask! I am available during office hours or by appointment. In addition, ACCESS Program study sessions and tutoring will be held available for related problem-solving practice.
  • Chem 12A is a 5 unit course. You are expected to work/study/practice 15 hours per week (9 hours for lecture, 6 hours for lab) in this class.

Course Objectives/Skills

  1. Represent organic molecules with chemical formulas, expanded formulas, Lewis structures, skeletal structures. Determine shape (VSEPR), bond polarity, and molecule polarity. Identify functional groups.
  2. Compare 2 or more compounds and determine whether the compounds are structural isomers, the same compound, or different compounds. Calculate formal charge and determine most likely structure.
  3. Draw resonance structures, use curved arrows, determine extent of delocalization. Identify major/minor contributor.
  4. intro to Reactivity 1: identify acids and bases using Lewis definition. Use curved arrows to show how base reacts with acid. Relate strength to pKa. Determine direction of equilibrium. Use pKa table to estimate pKa of acid based on structure.
  5. Name alkanes chains and rings – parent and branches.
  6. Draw conformational isomers of chains (staggered, eclipsed) and rings (chair – axial/equatorial, boat, cis/trans)using skeletal structures, Newman projections, wedge-dash, sawhorse. Identify most stable conformer.
  7. Stereochemistry – identify chirality centers, determine configuration (R/S), identify enantiomers, diastereomers, and meso compounds.
  8. intro to Reactivity 2: identify polar bonds (δ + and δ-), nucleophiles (Lewis base, electron pair donor), electrophiles (Lewis acid, electron pair acceptor). Use curved arrows to predict product. Identify common bond breaking and making processes.
  9. Apply reactivity principles to Substitution reactions: identify structural features (alpha C, LG), use curved arrows to predict product, compare SN1 vs. SN2 mechanisms.
  10. Apply reactivity principles to Elimination reactions: identify structural features (alpha C, H on beta C, LG), use curved arrows to predict product, compare E1 vs. E2 mechanisms.
  11. Apply reactivity principles to Substitution and Elimination reactions. Compare size and strength of nucleophile to predict major product.
  12. Apply reactivity principles to Electrophilic Addition reactions 1: alkenes – identify structural features (pi bond) and electrophiles, use curved arrows to predict product.
  13. Apply reactivity principles to Electrophilic Addition reactions 2: alkynes – identify structural features (pi bond) and electrophiles, use curved arrows to predict product.
  14. Apply reactivity principles to radical reactions: identify radical reaction conditions, describe mechanism, use curved arrows for common radical steps to predict products.
  15. Develop synthesis strategies for organic synthesis.
  16. Apply organic chemistry lab skills, which include the proper use and operation of organic lab chemicals, equipment, instruments, lab techniques, and safety procedures, and critical thinking skills to experiments.