General Learning Objectives

of Chem 2320

(The list below is a general one, intended only to give a broad overview of topics covered in the course. More detailed learning objectives can be found in the handout of each chapters.)

1. Know what molecular events give rise to mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, and be able to use such spectra to identify the structures of organic molecules. 

2. Know the origin of nuclear magnetic resonance in terms of interaction between nuclei, magnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation; be able to use proton and carbon NMR spectra to identify the structures of organic molecules. 

3. Be able to identify aromatic and antiaromatic compounds, and know the chemical consequences of aromaticity; be able to write the mechanism for and predict the products of electrophilic aromatic substitution. 

4. Be able to explain and to predict the effect of substituents on the reactivity and regiochemistry of electrophilic aromatic substitution.

 5. Know the structures and chemical properties of carboxylic acid derivatives; be able to write the mechanisms for nucleophilic substitution and hydrolysis reactions of such compounds, and to predict the products of such reactions.

 6. Be able to write mechanisms for nucleophilic addition reactions and for addition-elimination reactions of aldehydes and ketones, and be able to predict the products of such reactions.

 7. Be able to describe the general structure of a carbohydrate, and the major reactions of carbohydrates.

 8. Be able to write the structure of an amino acid, and explain how amino acids form proteins and their overall chemical structure and reactivity.

 9. Be able to identify the various forms of catalysis (including nucleophilic, general acid/base, specific acid/base, anchimeric assistance, metal-ion catalysis) and be able to write mechanisms for such processes.

 10. Know the general structures of lipids and fatty acids and their chemical and physical properties.

 11. Know the structures of nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleic acids, and the physical and chemical properties of related biological molecules.