CHEM 232, Spring 2012: Course Info, Syllabus and To-Do List

Welcome to CHEM 232 
As we approach the start of the Spring 2012 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed before the first lecture so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  Two of the most important skills required for success in a large university lecture course are your ability to seek out and follow directions carefully and to keep up with the workload.  I encourage you to read all of the resources on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are already open and waiting to assist you.  I look forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for solving scientific problems in the professional field to which you aspire.  While you may not want to be an organic chemist, the learning process in this course involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.
Cheers,
Dr. Chad Landrie

To Do List
1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on Blackboard and on the course website ( www.chadlandrie.com).

2.  Carefully read the document, Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 232): Syllabus and Course Information, which can be downloaded from the course website's File Sharing page(gettingstarted_232Sp12.pdf).  This document will not be distributed during the lecture or your discussion section.

3.  Purchase the required texts and materials for the course including the textbook, i>clicker and register a Sapling Learning online homework account.  The textbook and i>clicker are available at the UIC bookstore.  The Sapling account must be registered and payed for online.


4. After voting at least once during lecture, register your iclickeronline according to the instructions in the getting started guideor on the course website's iclicker page.

5.  Read Chapter One in the Carey textbook.  All of the material in this chapter should be a review from your general chemistry courses.  We will cover this chapter very quickly during the first two lectures.  If you're a bit rusty on some topics and need a more thorough review than is presented in Chapter One of our text, you may want to view some of my past general chemsitry lectures.

7.  Attend your first discussion section.  There will be a quiz during the first discussion.  The quiz will cover the material in chapter one.

8.  Begin working on your first Sapling assignment.  The first assignment is due on Sunday, January 15 at 11:59 PM. 

CHEM 333, Spring 2012: Course Info, Manual/Syllabus and To-Do List

Welcome to CHEM 333 

Welcome to CHEM 333, Advanced Synthetic Laboratory.  As we approach the start of the summer 2011 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed in the coming weeks.  Most of these should be completed before the first lab session so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  I encourage you to read all of the resources here on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are already open and waiting to assist you.    

I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content and laboratory techniques that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for approaching challenges in the synthesis of organic molecules.  As part of the four projects in this course you will learn how to devise efficient syntheses of organic molecules from simple starting materials; how to search the scientific literature in order to find precedents for your intended synthetic steps; how to implement complex laboratory techniques; how to identify the products of chemical reactions through analytical techniques such as TLC, GC, IR and NMR; how to record and report the results of your experimental work; and finally, how to conduct authentic research to answer relevant questions in organic chemistry.  While you may not aspire to be an organic chemist, I hope that this course will be a rewarding experience nonetheless.  The practical application of technical knowledge in a laboratory setting and the analytical thinking used to approach problems in organic synthesis involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.  

Cheers,  
Dr. Chad Landrie  

To Do List: 

1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on the course website (www.chadlandrie.com).  

2.  Purchase the  required texts and materials   for the course including the textbook, a lab notebook and goggles.  All of these items are available at the UIC bookstore.  You will need your goggles on the first day of lab.  

3.  Carefully read the course syllabus and front material in the lab manual.  The lab manual and syllabus ( 333manual_SP12.pdf) can be downloaded from the  File Sharing page .  

4.  Review the principles of infrared spectroscopy and recrystallization as well as the common functional groups in organic chemistry.  During your first laboratory session, you will participate in an introductory activity in which you will separate a mixture of fluorenone and fluorene by column chromatography. This activity can be found at the end of the laboratory manual.  Through this process you will learn the basics of column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography.  You will also become acquainted with the rotovaps in the laboratory that you will use countless times during the semester to remove volatile solvents.  Following the separation, you will then recrystallize both products and obtain the m.p. and IR spectrum of each.  These tasks--separation by chromatography, purification by recrystallization and analysis by m.p. and IR--will be repeated in almost every synthesis during the semester.  Therefore, it is essential that you use this time to master these techniques now.  Ask lots of questions; don't be afraid to make mistakes; and review the theories of all theses techniques before your first lab session so that you are prepared to participate in an informed manner. 

CHEM 233, Spring 2012: Course Info, Syllabus and To-Do List

Welcome to CHEM 233

As we approach the start of the spring 2012 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed in the coming weeks.  Most of these should be completed before the first lab session so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  One of the most important skills required for success in a large university laboratory course is your ability to seek out and follow directions carefully.  I encourage you to read all of the resources here on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are open for business.  I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content and laboratory techniques that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for solving problems in a laboratory setting as well as the professional field to which you aspire.  While you may not want to be an organic chemist, the practical application of technical knowledge in a laboratory setting involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.  

Cheers,

Dr. Chad Landrie

To Do List:

1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on Blackboard and on the course website (www.chadlandrie.com).

2.  Purchase the required texts and materials for the course including the lab manual, lab notebook, textbook and goggles.  All of these items are available at the UIC bookstore.

3.  Carefully read the course syllabus.  The syllabus can be found in the lab manual, downloaded from the course website’s File Sharing Page (www.chadlandrie.com) or downloaded from Blackboard.

4.  Review the principles of infrared spectroscopy as well as the common functional groups in organic chemistry.  During your first laboratory session, you will participate in an infrared spectroscopy primer (also in the lab manual) designed to introduce and review the principles of infrared spectroscopy and to demonstrate how this technique is used to identify functional groups in organic molecules.  If you are currently enrolled in CHEM 232, and have not encountered this analytical technique yet, you may want to begin working on the IR Primer as well as the pertinent sections in your lecture textbook before your lab.  You may also review lecture slides I’ve posted on spectroscopy on the File Sharing page (spectroscopy_232_Lec1).  The IR Primer activity will not be collected or graded (a pre-lab notebook entry is not required); it's sole function is to provide you with the information you need for the first laboratory experiment the following session.  Be sure to ask your TA plenty of questions so that you get the information you need.  During the following lab session, you will learn how to collect IR spectra on one of our two spectrometers.  You will then use this technique on that day to identify unknown organic compounds.

5. Complete a prelab notebook entry before Lab One. A description of how to keep a laboratory notebook as well as the grading rubric that will be used to assess each entry can be found in the course manual.

CHEM 232 Final Grades Posted

Your final exam score and course grade have been posted to Blackboard. As usual, the course stats can be viewed on the Grades Fall 2011 page. If you would like to discuss your grade, you may stop by my office today (12/9) before 5 p.m. or Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 12 & 13) between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Final exams will not be returned; however, I can let you see your exam if you stop by. It was great working with all of you this semester. Stop by anytime if you need help in your future chemistry courses. Have a great winter break and best of luck in all your academic endeavors. -Dr. L

CHEM 233 Final Grades Posted

All of your course scores have been posted to Blackboard as well as your final grade. The course curve and other statistics have been posted on the Grades Fall 2011 page of the CHEM 233 course website. If you have questions or concerns about your final grade in the course, please stop by my office this Friday (12/9) or next Monday (12/12) between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

It was great working with all of you this semester and I hope we were able to successfully teach you how to apply chemical knowledge to solving problems and analyzing data in the laboratory. This process--transforming theoretical knowledge to practical application--will be critical in your professional endeavors. If our investigation at the end of the semester on the preparation of cis-3-alkenoates sparked your interest in chemistry research, consider enrolling in my CHEM 333 course, Advanced Synthetic Organic Laboratory. This course is offered in the summer and spring semesters and engages students in authentic and contemporary research in synthetic organic chemistry. Previous work on the solid-supported reduction methods that was conducted by CHEM 333 students has been published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry--a major accomplishment for an undergraduate course. We are currently working on the synthesis of antiviral compounds with triazole ring systems through Cu-catalyzed alkyne-azide coupling reactions. If you'd like to know more about the course, visit the course website or stop by my office to chat.

Have a great winter break! -Dr. L

CHEM 232 Final Exam Info and Study Guide

Information and a study guide for the final exam has been posted on the course website's File Sharing page (finalinfo_232F11.pdf). I encourage you to begin studying now. Casually reviewing a day or even a week before the final will not adequately prepare you for this challenge. I recommend that you set up a schedule for yourself of what topics and problems you are going to complete from now until the final. As always use the lectures and textbook as a resource only; do not reread them like a novel. Your primary mode of studying should be to do/redo as many problems as possible (e.g., old exams, practice exams, quizzes, clicker questions, textbook questions, synthesis handouts). Have a great Thanksgiving holiday. Happy studying!

CHEM 233 FInal Exam, Notebooks and Practical Info

Information regarding the final exam, notebooks and the lab practical has been posted to the course website's File Sharing page (final info_F11.pdf). Please read this document carefully so that you are prepared.

CHEM 233 Midterm Grades Posted

Your midterm score and lab report average score have been posted to Blackboard. You will receive your midterm back during your next lab session. For midterm exam and course grading stats, visit the Grades Fall 2011 page on the CHEM 233 course website.


After you receive your midterm exam, carefully check for mistakes or addition errors. If you believe there is a grading error, first consult your TA and if they agree then submit your exam for review according to the instructions in the handout (exam_corrections.pdf) posted on the File Sharing Page of the orgo labs website. You must submit your exam directly to Dr. L by Friday, October 28 for it to be considered for corrections. No exam will be accepted or corrections made after that date.

Finally, if you would like more information on your standing in the course or are concerned about your performance, please stop by during office hours (M,W; 3-5 p.m.) as soon as possible so that we can discuss strategies for improving your grade. Little can be done at the end of the semester. With over 300 points remaining in the course, however, you can still make significant improvements if you are not meeting your current goals.

CHEM 232 Exam 2 Info and Study Guide

Reminder: Exam 2 is on Tuesday, October 25 during lecture. A study guide for exam 2 (study guide_Ex2_232F11.pdf), including general information and policies has been posted the course website's File Sharing page. 

Synthetic Challenge Handouts

A large focus of exam 2 and the final exam will be on devising syntheses of organic molecules. This is a skill that must be practiced in order to master. To help you prepare for those synthetic challenges, I've posted two handouts on the course website's File Sharing page (synthesis_689.pdf & synthesis_10112.pdf) that describe common synthetic strategies and provide several synthetic challenges for practice.  In order to encourage you to work on these, I am going to pull SOME of the synthesis questions for exam 2 and the final exam directly from these two handouts, with no modifications.  Some of the synthesis questions, of course, will be original. That's not an encouragement to memorize every synthesis in the handouts, however. It won't work; there are too many. Rather, practice applying the retrosynthesis technique we're learning in class to each problem and then do them all over again. Start working on them early.  Don't procrastinate!  And try to have fun.  Once you've mastered synthesis you can finally say you're an organic chemist--if only for a semester.

   

NMR Tube Cleaner

Congratulations to my student, Richard Marszalek, on his recent publication describing the NMR tube cleaner we developed (Landrie, C.L.; Marszalek, R.M. A Durable and Economical NMR Tube Cleaner. J. Chem. Educ. [Online early access]. DOI: 10.1021/ed200104v. Published Online: October 4, 2011.)  This apparatus can be constructed in less than 15 minutes from easily obtainable materials in the lab and at a significantly lower cost than the fragile glass apparatuses sold by commercial vendors.

CHEM 233 Midterm Exam

A study guide (midterminfo_233F11.pdf) has been posted for the CHEM 233 midterm exam on the course website's File Sharing page. The study guide includes the essay questions that will appear on the exam so that you may prepare for these in advance. Again, the midterm exam will be given during your regularly scheduled lab time the week of October 11-17.

CHEM 232 Exam One Scores & Stats Posted

Exam one has been graded and your score posted on the Blackboard grade center. You may view the course statistics including the exam curve on the Grades Fall 2011 page of the course website. Please look over your exam carefully when it is returned to you next week during discussion. If you believe there are grading or addition errors, follow the instructions in the document, exam_corrections.pdf, which can be downloaded from the File Sharing page of the course website. Corrections must be submitted in person to Dr. Landrie by Wednesday, October 5.

Overall, I thought the class did a good job on the exam; the first one is always a learning experience. I was surprised to see, however, that very few students (<10) were correctly able to draw the hyperconjugative model on their Lewis structure in the essay question. Many students were, however, able to explain the hyperconjugative model even if they could not draw it. Therefore, I doubled everyone's essay score so that up to 20 points of extra credit could be earned.

Also, Sapling and i>Clicker scores were updated on Blackboard today. If your score is missing, you still have not registered properly. You must complete registration of both items today to receive credit for these components.

Exam One (CHEM 232) Reminders

1. A study guide for exam one has been posted on the File Sharing page of the course website.

2. There will be a review session this Saturday, Sept. 17 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in room 130 SES. The review session is student-led, which means students should bring problems they want to work out on the whiteboard.

3. Exam one is on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 a.m. in room 250 SES. So that you have the maximum time possible, the exam will start promptly. Arrive early!

• Seating chart will be distributed at 7:45 a.m.

• Exams will be distributed at 7:50 a.m.

• Instructions will be given at 7:55 a.m.

• Exam will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 9:15 a.m.

4. There will be a quiz during discussion next week despite the exam. The quiz will ask you to predict the major organic product for ten reactions we've covered (e.g., substitution, B-elimination, halogenation, acid-base) and to identify five functional groups.

Take Home Quiz 3

Since Monday (Sept. 5) sections will not have discussion section, quiz three will be a take home quiz for the entire class. You may download the quiz (quiz3_232F11.pdf) from the File Sharing page on the course website. The quiz must be turned into your TA by Tuesday, September 6 at 4:00 p.m. If you are unable to turn the quiz in during discussion section (e.g., Monday) your TA will email you with instructions on when and where to turn it in to them. Have a great Labor Day weekend.

Dr. L

Sapling Ch. 1 Homework Extension

In order to accommodate late registering students, I have extended the deadline for the first Sapling homework assignment (Ch. 1) to this Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11:55 p.m. The Ch. 2 assignment has not been extended, however, and is also still due this Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11:55 p.m. As is often the case, the Sapling server becomes increasingly slow around 11:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings. I encourage you to work on your assignments ahead of time to avoid this complication. No extensions will be given because the server is slow near assignment deadlines or because you have had a connection or hardware issue. Work on your assignments well in advance to avoid these risks.

CHEM 233, Fall 2011: Syllabus, Course Info & To-Do List

Welcome to CHEM 233

As we approach the start of the fall 2011 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed in the coming weeks.  Most of these should be completed before the first lab session so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  One of the most important skills required for success in a large university laboratory course is your ability to seek out and follow directions carefully.  I encourage you to read all of the resources here on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are open for business.  I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content and laboratory techniques that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for solving problems in a laboratory setting as well as the professional field to which you aspire.  While you may not want to be an organic chemist, the practical application of technical knowledge in a laboratory setting involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.  

Cheers,

Dr. Chad Landrie

To Do List:

1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on Blackboard and on the course website (www.chadlandrie.com).

2.  Purchase the required texts and materials for the course including the lab manual, lab notebook, textbook and goggles.  All of these items are available at the UIC bookstore.

3.  Carefully read the course syllabus.  The syllabus can be found in the lab manual, downloaded from the course website’s File Sharing Page (www.chadlandrie.com) or downloaded from Blackboard.

4.  Review the principles of infrared spectroscopy as well as the common functional groups in organic chemistry.  During your first laboratory session, you will participate in an infrared spectroscopy primer (also in the lab manual) designed to introduce and review the principles of infrared spectroscopy and to demonstrate how this technique is used to identify functional groups in organic molecules.  If you are currently enrolled in CHEM 232, and have not encountered this analytical technique yet, you may want to begin working on the IR Primer as well as the pertinent sections in your lecture textbook before your lab.  You may also review lecture slides I’ve posted on spectroscopy on the File Sharing page (spectroscopy_232_Lec1).  The IR Primer activity will not be collected or graded (a pre-lab notebook entry is not required); it's sole function is to provide you with the information you need for the first laboratory experiment the following session.  Be sure to ask your TA plenty of questions so that you get the information you need.  During the following lab session, you will learn how to collect IR spectra on one of our two spectrometers.  You will then use this technique on that day to identify unknown organic compounds.

5. Complete a prelab notebook entry before Lab One. A description of how to keep a laboratory notebook as well as the grading rubric that will be used to assess each entry can be found in the course manual.

CHEM 232, Fall 2011: Syllabus, Course Info & To Do List

Welcome to CHEM 232: Organic Chemistry Lecture I

As we approach the start of the Fall 2011 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed before the first lecture so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  Two of the most important skills required for success in a large university lecture course are your ability to seek out and follow directions carefully and to keep up with the workload.  I encourage you to read all of the resources on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are already open and waiting to assist you.  I look forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for solving scientific problems in the professional field to which you aspire.  While you may not want to be an organic chemist, the learning process in this course involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.

Cheers,

Dr. Chad Landrie

To Do List

1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on Blackboard and on the course website ( www.chadlandrie.com).

2.  Carefully read the document, Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 232): Syllabus and Course Information, which can be downloaded from the course website's File Sharing page (syllabus_courseinfo_232F11.pdf).  This document will not be distributed during the lecture or your discussion section.

3.  Purchase the required texts and materials for the course including the textbook, i>clicker and a Sapling Learning online homework account.  The textbook and i>clicker are available at the UIC bookstore.  The Sapling account must be registered and payed for online.

4. After voting at least once during lecture, register your iclicker online according to the instructions in the syllabus & course info document or on the course website's iclicker page.

5.  Read Chapter One in the Carey textbook.  All of the material in this chapter should be a review from your general chemistry courses.  We will cover this chapter very quickly during the first two lectures.  If you're a bit rusty on some topics and need a more thorough review than is presented in Chapter One of our text, you may want to view some of my past general chemsitry lectures.

7.  Attend your first discussion section.  There will be a quiz during the first discussion.  The quiz will cover the material in chapter one.

8.  Begin working on your first Sapling assignment.  The first assignment is due on Sunday, August 28 at 11:59 PM.

Your course is full, but I want in!

If you are trying to register for a section of my CHEM 232 or CHEM 233 course but can't get it, keep trying especially during the first week. In both courses, several students drop during the first week. Once they've dropped that spot will be immediately open. There are no waiting lists; registration is first-come-first-serve. While you won't be able to attend a discussion section or lab section until you're registered, you're more than welcome to attend the lecture for CHEM 232 while you're trying to register.


I do not have any control over class enrollment numbers and neither I nor the chemistry department can override enrollments for CHEM 232 or CHEM 233. These are strictly controlled by the timetable office based on the number of seats available in the discussion section classrooms and laboratories.

CHEM 233 Final Exam Scores and Course Grades Posted

All of your course scores have been posted to Blackboard as well as your final grade. The course curve and other statistics have been posted on the Grades Summer 2011 page of the CHEM 233 course website. If you have questions or concerns about your final grade in the course, please stop by my office this Friday (8/5) between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. or on Monday (8/8) between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. I generally will not answer questions about grades through email. Also, you may pick up your notebooks from your TA. Unclaimed notebooks will be discarded.

It was great working with all of you this semester and I hope we were able to successfully teach you how to apply chemical knowledge to solving problems and analyzing data in the laboratory. This process--transforming theoretical knowledge to practical application--will be critical in your professional endeavors. If our investigation at the end of the semester on the preparation of cis-3-alkenoates sparked your interest in chemistry research, consider enrolling in my CHEM 333 course, Advanced Synthetic Organic Laboratory. This course is offered in the summer and spring semesters and engages students in authentic and contemporary research in synthetic organic chemistry. Previous work on the solid-supported reduction methods that was conducted by CHEM 333 students has been published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry--a major accomplishment for an undergraduate course. We are currently working on the synthesis of antiviral compounds with triazole ring systems through Cu-catalyzed alkyne-azide coupling reactions. If you'd like to know more about the course, visit the course website or stop by my office to chat.

Enjoy the rest of your summer! -Dr. L

Final Exam, Practical Exam & Laboratory Notebook

Information regarding the CHEM 233 final exam, practical exam and laboratory notebook has been posted to the course website's File Sharing page (finalinfo_233SU11.pdf). Please read this document carefully.

CHEM 233 Midterm Scores Posted

Your midterm score and lab report average score have been posted to Blackboard.  You will receive your midterm back during your next lab session.  For midterm exam and course grading stats, visit the Grades Summer 2011 page on the  CHEM 233 course website.

After you receive your midterm exam, carefully check for mistakes or addition errors.  If you believe there is a grading error, first consult your TA and if they agree then submit your exam for review according to the instructions in the handout (  exam_corrections.pdf)   posted on the  File Sharing Page   of the orgo labs website.  You must submit your exam by Friday, July 22 for it to be considered for corrections.  No exam will be accepted or corrections made after that date.

Finally, if you would like more information on your standing in the course or are concerned about your performance, please stop by during office hours (M,W; 3-5 p.m.) as soon as possible so that we can discuss strategies for improving your grade.  Little can be done at the end of the semester.  With over 300 points remaining in the course, however, you can still make significant improvements if you are not meeting your current goals.

Can I use the 4th edition of the CHEM 233 textbook instead of the 5th edition?

Since I am asked this question so often, I thought I'd post a response here. The answer is, yes. You may use the 4th edition of "Experimental Organic Chemistry: A Miniscale and Macroscale Approach." However, the page numbers and homework question numbers in the course manual refer only to the 5th edition. Therefore, you'll have to at least consult a 5th edition to make sure you are reading the correct sections and doing the correct homework questions. I will put a copy of the 5th edition on reserve in the Daley Library.

CHEM 233 To-Do List, Course Info & Syllabus

Welcome to CHEM 233  

As we approach the start of the summer 2011 semester, I want to welcome you to the course and also to give you a list of tasks that should be completed this week.  Most of these should be completed before the first lab session so that you are adequately prepared and do not fall behind.  One of the most important skills required for success in a large university laboratory course is your ability to seek out and follow directions carefully.  I encourage you to read all of the resources on the course website as well as on Blackboard that are discussed in the to-do list below.  If you have any questions, my door--and e-mail inbox--are open for business.  I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for the exciting world of organic chemistry with you.  This semester I aim not only to teach you the chemistry content and laboratory techniques that you require for your academic endeavors, but also to train you in the type of analytical thinking that is required for solving problems in a laboratory setting as well as the professional field to which you aspire.  While you may not want to be an organic chemist, the practical application of technical knowledge in a laboratory setting involves many general skills that  you will undoubtedly employ in your future careers.

Cheers,
Dr. Chad Landrie  

To Do List: 
1.  Become acquainted with the resources available on Blackboard   and on the course website ( www.chadlandrie.com).

2.  Purchase the  required texts and materials   for the course including the lab manual, lab notebook, textbook and goggles.  All of these items are available at the UIC bookstore.

3.  Carefully read the  course syllabus .  The syllabus can be found in the lab manual, downloaded from the course website's  File Sharing page  (www.chadlandrie.com) or downloaded from Blackboard.

4.  Review the principles of infrared spectroscopy as well as the common functional groups in organic chemistry.  During your first laboratory session, you will participate in an infrared spectroscopy primer (also in the lab manual) designed to review the principles of infrared spectroscopy and to demonstrate how this technique is used to identify functional groups in organic molecules.  If you are currently enrolled in CHEM 232, and have not encountered this analytical technique yet, you may want to begin working on the  IR Primer   as well as the pertinent sections in your lecture textbook before your lab.  You may also review lecture slides I've posted on spectroscopy on the File Sharing page (    spectroscopy_232_Lec1). The IR Primer  activity will not be collected or graded (a pre-lab notebook entry is not required); it's sole function is to provide you with the information you need for the first laboratory experiment the following session.  Be sure to ask your TA plenty of questions so that you get the information you need.  During the following lab session, you will learn how to collect IR spectra on one of our two spectrometers.  You will then use this technique on that day to identify unknown organic compounds.

5. Complete a prelab notebook entry before Lab One. A description of how to keep a laboratory notebook as well as the grading rubric that will be used to assess each entry can be found in the course manual.

Final Grades for CHEM 233 Posted

All of your course scores have been posted to Blackboard as well as your final grade. The course curve and other statistics have been posted on the Grades Spring 2011 page of the CHEM 233 course website. If you have questions or concerns about your final grade in the course, please stop by my office this week between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. I generally will not answer questions about grades through email. Also, you may pick up your notebooks from your TA. Unclaimed notebooks will be discarded.

It was great working with all of you this semester and I hope we were able to successfully teach you how to apply chemical knowledge to solving problems and analyzing data in the laboratory. This process--transforming theoretical knowledge to practical application--will be critical in your professional endeavors. If our investigation at the end of the semester on the preparation of cis-3-alkenoates sparked your interest in chemistry research, consider enrolling in my CHEM 333 course, Advanced Synthetic Organic Laboratory. This course is offered in the summer and spring semesters and engages students in authentic and contemporary research in synthetic organic chemistry. Previous work on the solid-supported reduction methods that was conducted by CHEM 333 students has been published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry--a major accomplishment for an undergraduate course. We are currently working on the synthesis of antiviral compounds with triazole ring systems through Cu-catalyzed alkyne-azide coupling reactions. If you'd like to know more about the course, visit the course website or stop by my office to chat.

Have a great summer! -Dr. L