"If you wish to understand the fragrance of the rose or the tenacity of the oak; if you are not satisfied until you know the secret paths by which the sunshine and the air achieve these wonders; if you wish see to the pattern which underlies one large field of human experience and human measurement, then take up Chemistry.”
Charles Coulson – Professor of Chemistry, Oxford University

Course materials (required):
1) Klein, Organic Chemistry, 1st Ed., Wiley, 2011.
2) Darling, Molecular Visions Organic Model Kit.
3) Brooks-Cole, Organic Chemistry Laboratory Notebook (100 carbonless duplicate pages).
4) Mohrig et al., Techniques in Organic Chemistry, 2nd or 3rd Ed., W.H. Freeman.
5) Chemical splash-proof goggles

Recommended:
1) Harwood and Claridge, Introduction to Organic Spectroscopy, Oxford University Press, 1996.

Course Assessment:
Lab 25 points
Problem sets 16 points (5 @4 points each, drop lowest one)
Midterm exams 25 points (2 @ 12.5 points each)
Final exam 30 points (10 + 20– see below)
Reaction journal 4 points
Total 100 points

Lab (25 points): Instructions for laboratory component are expanded at the end of this document. Your grade will be based on the laboratory notebook, presentations, submitted lab reports and pre-lab quizzes.
Problem sets (16 points): You will complete 5 problem sets throughout the semester; the best 4 out of 5, graded out of 4 will make up your mark: this amounts to a total of 16 points. The answers for the previous problem set will be posted online immediately following submission, therefore late assignments will not be accepted. The problem sets are designed as a tool for you to practice and master the course material in preparation for the midterms and final exam and will be comprised of both routine “practice” problems and more challenging “thought-provoking” problems. Please see the course schedule below for posting and submission dates.
Midterm exams (25 points): Two midterm exams will be held throughout the semester, on dates/rooms TBA. While we aim to have certain material covered for the midterms, the pace of the course indicated in the lecture outline might not coincide with the midterm date. We will confirm in class and through online communications what material will be included on the midterm in advance. In general, the material on the midterm exams will be up to and including the end of lecture on the Monday of the same week.

Final exam (30 points): The final exam for CHE 211 will consist of two parts: a) an open response-type test (worth 1/3 of the overall final exam grade) and b) the American Chemical Society (ACS) standardized test for Organic Chemistry (worth 2/3 of the overall final exam grade). The open response-type test will be held during the last lab lecture slot before the final exam date and will be composed by your teachers. You will write the ACS test during the normal final exam period during exam week. You must take both parts of the final exam to pass the course but you do not have to pass the final exam to pass the course. Part a) of the final exam will consist of questions similar to those on our midterm exams and problem sets and will focus only on the material covered in CHE 211. Part b) of the final exam will be cumulative and will cover both the material from CHE 210 and CHE 211.

Reactions journal (4%): Over the course of the semester, you will keep an organized account of all of the reactions that we study, including mechanisms (where applicable) and will submit the journal at the end of the course for inspection and evaluation by Prof. Pingitore. Your reactions journal will be due on the day of the final exam during exam week (TBA) and we will try to return it to you once graded.

*Course content subject to change