CHM 202 - Organic Chemistry II

Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): CHM 201 Organic Chemistry I .
A continuation of CHM 201 Organic Chemistry I. This course is designed for students in biology, neuroscience, and other STEM majors outside of chemistry and biochemistry. Organic molecules, molecules that contain carbon and hydrogen atoms, are in our bodies, in nature, in the drugs we take, and in the products we utilize. Organic chemistry is integral to medicinal chemistry, biochemistry and other STEM fields. In this course, students continue exploring the world of organic chemistry through the study of the structure, properties, and reactivity of organic molecules. Students analyze chemical structures using spectroscopy, discuss principles of aromaticity, predict reaction mechanisms, propose synthetic pathways, and compare and contrast laboratory reactions with biological reactions. Laboratory work involves multi-step syntheses, purification and characterization of medicinally-relevant molecules using standard organic chemistry laboratory techniques and state-of-the-art instrumentation. The unique laboratory for this course alternates hands-on laboratory work with guided-inquiry activities intended to build skills useful in any discipline, and both collaborative work and individual investigations will be performed. Weekly recitations involve group problem solving and review. Three hours of lecture, one hour of recitation, and one three-hour laboratory held every other week.