Syllabus for CHEM 239A – Spring 2017
Organic Chemistry 3
Instructor: Lawrence Goldman
Office: CHB 304K
Phone: 206-221-8368
Email: [email protected] (please include “CHEM 239” in all emails)
Office Hours: Monday/Thursday 11-12, Tuesday 1-2
(or by arrangement)
Lecture Times and Location: Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:50, BAG 131
Graders: Avijit Hazra ([email protected]), Pengtao Lu ([email protected]), Viktoria Pakhnyuk
([email protected])
Course Goals:
1 – To increase your understanding of the basic principles of organic chemistry
2 – To learn about various classes of compounds present in nature as biomolecules
3 – To learn how functional groups can be interconverted
4 – To give you insight into how organic chemistry applies to the modern world
5 – To learn problem solving ability
Course Materials:
Organic Chemistry 9th ed. by Carey and Giuliano (required) (8th ed. acceptable, but you need to
check that all sections match up)
Access to Sapling Learning (required, see below)
Study guide / solutions manual for the textbook (optional, not highly recommended)
Molecular Model kit (optional, but highly recommended)
Poll Everywhere access (required, see below)
Course Website: Course material will be uploaded onto Canvas. This will include
announcements, copies of lecture slides, and practice exams. Students are encouraged to
check Canvas periodically. Additionally, all lectures will be recorded with Panopto. Videos will
be uploaded automatically and be available via Canvas. You should treat the lecture videos as
supplemental to lecture, NOT as a replacement. Since the recording process is entirely
automated, there may be unexpected technical difficulties during the quarter that are beyond
my control.
Inclusivity and Respect: Diverse backgrounds, embodiments, and experiences are essential to
the critical thinking endeavor at the heart of university education. Therefore, I expect you to
follow the UW Student Conduct Code in your interactions with your colleagues and me in this
course by respecting the many social and cultural differences among us, which may include, but
are not limited to: age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender identity
and presentation, citizenship and immigration status, national origin, race, religious and
political beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. Please talk
with me right away if you experience disrespect in this class, and I will work to address it in an
educational manner.
Quiz Sections: There are no quiz sections for Chem 239
Laboratory: Unlike the general chemistry sequence, there is no laboratory class that is part of
CHEM 239. The department offers a 2 quarter laboratory sequence CHEM 241-242 that are
separate. It is highly recommended to take CHEM 242 simultaneously with CHEM 239. See
http://depts.washington.edu/chem/courses/choosingorganiccourses.html for more details.
Grading: The course grade will be made up of exams, quizzes, and homework. The breakdown
is as follows:
2 Midterm Exams
50% (25% each)
Final Exam
35%
Homework – Sapling
10%
Class Participation – Poll Everywhere
5%
Based on historical grade data, the average score in Chem 239 will be a 2.6 ± 0.2. While
individual exams and quizzes will not be curved, if necessary, the overall class will be curved at
the end of the quarter to raise the average. After each exam, students will be informed what
the current class average is so that they can have a general idea of where they stand. Grades
will be posted on Canvas. While every attempt will be made for Canvas grade records to be
completely accurate, the official grades will be the hard copy grades in Dr. Goldman’s
possession. Students are strongly encouraged to keep track of all their grades and bring any
discrepancy between their records and Canvas to Dr. Goldman’s attention as soon as possible.
Academic Ethics Original work performed in good faith is assumed on all assignments and
course components. The Student Conduct Code (see
http://www.washington.edu/students/handbook/conduct.html) outlines the following forms of
academic misconduct:
 Intentional misrepresentation of credentials
 Falsification of data
 Plagiarism
Failure to adhere to this code of ethics will result in referral for possible disciplinary action as
described in the Student Conduct Code. In short, if you have not done something yourself, do
not attempt to pass it off as original work. If you have questions about what might cross the
line, please do not hesitate to ask your instructor.
Exams: There will be 2 midterm exams and 1 final exam. The midterm exams will be 80 minutes
long and take place in class as given in the schedule. There will be assigned seating for the
exam. The seating chart will be posted on Canvas prior to the exam. Please be aware of your
seat so that the exam can begin as promptly as possible. Midterm exams will be noncumulative (with the caveat that all material in chemistry builds on previous material). Exams
will be graded and returned to students via the website Gradescope. Any questions about
exam grading must be submitted on Gradescope within 1 week of getting the graded exam
back. The final exam will be a cumulative exam taking place on Wednesday, June 7, in the
official final exam slot assigned by the University. The final exam schedule has already been set,
so consider that as you are making your Summer break plans. Final exams will not be returned
to students, however students are welcome to schedule a time to view their exam in my office.
Absence Policy: Attendance is strongly recommended in all classes, but is not mandatory other
than exams. If a student misses a lecture for any reason, they will be responsible for making up
the material and getting the notes from a fellow classmate. There will be no makeup exams. If
you have a conflict with a school sponsored event, or other excused absence, discuss the
absence with Dr. Paul Miller in BAG 303. All excused absences must be supported by
documentation such as a doctor’s note. If your absence from a quiz or midterm exam is
excused, your other quizzes or exams will be weighted more heavily. If you have an excused
absence from the final exam, you will get an incomplete for the course, and will be able to take
a makeup final exam some point in the Summer or Fall 2016 quarter. If you arrive late to an
exam, you will be permitted to take the exam, but will not be given additional time.
Homework: Homework in CHEM 239 will be online through Sapling Learning
(www.saplinglearning.com) Online homework has been shown to be beneficial to students in
aiding with understanding the material. The cost of Sapling is $25.50 for each quarter (or a
discounted $63.75 for 3 quarters of 237-238-239), and students can pay this directly on the
Sapling website. Instructions for registering with Sapling are available
http://www2.saplinglearning.com/help/student-single-sign . You MUST sign in through Canvas,
not directly via the Sapling website.
1. Click the indicated link in the Canvas home page.
2. Click “Load Sapling HW in a new window”
3. Follow the website’s directions to create your Saping account, you should automatically be enrolled in the Chem
239A Sapling page.
While it is possible to link your Facebook account to Sapling, please make sure the name you
use to sign up for Sapling is the same name used to enroll at UW, that way there are no
difficulties matching your homework grade to the course roster. There will be 2 Sapling
assignments due each week, on Monday and Friday evenings (this will be adjusted when there
is an upcoming exam, the full assignment calendar will be available on the Sapling website).
There is a strong correlation between homework and exam performances. You are encouraged
to discuss homework problems with your classmates, but you should attempt them officially on
your own.
Poll Everywhere:
Based on the results of surveys of UW students, UW is now supporting a new type of “clickers”,
Poll Everywhere. The primary change is that rather than purchasing standalone “clickers”, you
will now use your personal devices such as cell phones, tablets, and laptops. See the UW-IT
website for further information.
There will be several multiple choice questions in each lecture. You will be able to respond by
texting your answer, or by going to the Poll Everywhere website. Be aware, however, that
Bagley Hall historically has lousy cell phone reception. As a UW student, you MUST access Poll
Everywhere using your UW email address. When you enter your UW email on the website or
app, you will be prompted to log in via “single-sign on”, the same way you log in to your email
or Canvas. If you don’t use your UW email address, you may still be able to respond to polls,
but these responses will not receive credit on Canvas. You will be graded only on your
participation, not on whether you get the questions correct. Though will gain valuable
information about how you are doing in class by seeing which questions you are getting correct
or incorrect.
Please note that you will only be able to answer the questions during lecture, not while
watching the lectures on Panopto later on. If you have concerns about owning a suitable
device, or about the costs of sending text messages or data, you can contact UW-IT to ask
questions. Additionally, you should contact UW-IT with any technical support questions.
Finally, please be conscientious of your fellow classmates. Being allowed to use your personal
devices to participate in class does not mean you should use them to access Facebook, watch
movies, or otherwise goof off. To account for potential technical issues, students can miss up
to 5 poll questions without losing any participation points.
Disability Services:
Disability Resources for Students (DRS) offers resources and coordinates reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established
through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. If you have not yet
established services through DRS, but have a temporary or permanent disability that requires
accommodations (this can include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning,
vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924
[email protected] or disability.uw.edu. If you have already established accommodations with
DRS, please communicate your approved accommodations to your instructor at your earliest
convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.
Course Philosophy: This course is the third part of a 3 quarter sequence CHEM 237-238-239.
Therefore, the course philosophy for CHEM 239 is the same as CHEM 237-238.
Memorization versus Understanding
Memorization is a necessary component of learning. It is NOT a substitute for understanding.
Memorization alone will fail you when you are challenged with anything not on your “list”. In
this class, you will be expected to apply your knowledge, reasoning, and intuition to problems
you have never seen before. As with many science courses, CHEM 239 will emphasize problem
solving skills over rote memorization of facts.
Do Not Get Behind
This course moves rapidly and assumes knowledge from CHEM 237-238. Keep up with the
material and seek help ASAP when something is unclear. Be accountable and proactive. There
are lots of resources to assist you in this course. They include my office hours, TA office hours,
and the Organic Study Center (BAG 331, open Monday – Friday 8:00 am-9:00 pm).
Practice, Practice, Practice
Organic chemistry CAN NOT be mastered through memorization. Practice is by far the best way
to ensure that you’re understanding the underlying concepts. Treat the online homework as an
exam – don’t even look at your textbook/notebook/internet until you’ve made at least 1
attempt at every question. In addition to the online homework, try the textbook problems.
Study groups are often overlooked, but serve as a way for students to help each other work
through material that appears confusing. Try challenging your study partners with homemade
problems.
Use the Solutions Manual Cautiously (or don’t even purchase it)
The solutions manual is a silent killer for many students. Depending upon study style, some
students actually benefit from never buying the solutions manual. It is obviously useful for
checking your answers, especially when studying alone. I cannot stress enough, however, that
the solutions manual should only ever be opened after you have completely exhausted
everything you can do to solve the problem without it (this would include looking back into the
chapter, taking the possibly incorrect answer to your study partners, TA, etc.). Neither the TAs
nor I actually expect that students never get stumped on book problems. Too often a student
will get intimidated by a hard problem in the book, take a “peek” at the solutions manual, then
say “Oh, yeah. I can do that problem. Now I see it.” The problem is that on an exam you will not
have that little extra help, or nudge, or reassurance. The reassurance is actually a major issue.
How will you know when you are confident with an answer and able to move on without
anxiety if you have not put yourself into an exam situation during your study time? In short,
don’t let the solutions manual become a crutch for getting through book problems…or you will
feel it down to your very soul when you are without it during an exam.
Organic Chemistry has a reputation for being a very difficult class. That reputation is not
entirely deserved. With effort and hard work, anybody can do well in the class.
Tentative Schedule: Note that the schedule is subject to change. Depending on the class, more
time may be devoted to specific topics. Also, the topics listed are fairly general since it’s
difficult to predict exactly which textbook sections will be covered in any given class. You
should read all topics in advance to better prepare you for lecture.
Also note that several sections are omitted below for the biochemistry chapters. This course
will focus on the organic chemistry underpinning biochemistry. The exact coverage of each
section is subject to change and will be most up to date in the lecture notes.
Week
Tuesday
Thursday
1
(3/27)
2
(4/4)
3
(4/11)
4
(4/18)
5
(4/25)
6
(5/2)
7 (5/9)
Introduction, Carboxylic acids
and derivatives (19.1-19.5)
Nitriles and other carboxylic
acid derivatives (19.14-19.19)
Enolate condensation reactions
(20.3,4,5,8)
Reactions of amines (21.10-13,
16-19)
Properties of phenols (22.122.7)
Introduction to carbohydrates
(23.1, 2, 4, 6-8)
Introduction to lipids
(24.1-4, 7-8)
Esters and Amides (19.6-19.13)
8
(5/16)
9
(5/23)
Exam 2 – Chapters 22-24
10
(5/30)
Enols and enolates (20.1,2,6,7)
Properties and synthesis of
amines (21.1-4, 6, 7, 9)
Exam 1 – Chapters 19-21
Reactions of phenols
(22.8,9,11,12, 14, 15)
Reactions of carbohydrates
(23.10, 14-18, 20)
Lipid metabolism (24.9-11)
Introduction to amino acids
(25.1-3)
Reactions of amino acids (25.46, 12-14)
Chemistry of nucleic acids
(26.7,8,10-12, 14)
Peptide synthesis (25.15-18)
Introduction to nucleic acids
(26.1-3, 5)
Special topics I – Metabolism
Special topics II - Polymers
(Krebs cycle, glycolysis)
Final Exam: Wednesday, June 7, 10:30-12:20, BAG 131