CHEM 12A

Course Number: CHEM 12A

Course Name: Organic Chemistry

Units: 5

When is it offered? FALL

Requirement Satisfied: CORE

Concentration(s): N/A

Summary: For those who didn’t take any organic chemistry in high school, this is a complete introduction to the subject. It is very well organized starting from basic bonding and molecular orbital theory into different functional groups and then reaction mechanisms. The lab component is somewhat tied to the lecture material but focuses more on the experimental methods in organic chemistry and specific reactions, especially NMR. The lecture material is directly tied to the textbook, so it is advantageous to keep up with the suggested readings.

Official Prerequisites: Chemistry 4B

LEGIT Prerequisites: High school chemistry

Topics Covered: 1. Orbitals, bonding, and structure 2. Conformationalanalysis 3. Stereochemistry 4. Acid/Base 5. Substitution and elimination reactions 6. Electrophilic Addition Reactions of Alkenes and Alkynes 7. Extended orbital systems

Workload: There are weekly written problem sets as well as weekly online short problem sets. Lab reports are weekly but must be completed in lab, which is 5 hours long. There are 3 lab quizzes dispersed throughout the semester. There is one formal report at the end of the course. There are a few in class worksheets which are basically for credit as long as you write down what the instructor explains as the solution. There are three midterms as well as a lab and lecture final. Course graded out of total points on a shifted straight scale.

When to take? Sophomore, Fall

"Whats next" Courses? 12B if you choose or if its required for your concentration

Usefulness for research / internships: Potentially if you get a good understanding of NMR.

Added Comments or Tips: Staying on top of readings and really working through the problem sets to understand the content and later the reactions is very important for doing well.