CHEMISTRY 125 / Freshman Organic Chemistry

FALL 2008

(Click to read about Course Goals)

Tentative Schedule of Lectures and Firm Schedule of Examinations

(the lecture dates are approximate, but the sequence is correct)

Topic
Dates
Chem 125 Introduction (Help!) Pepys & Newton
What are Bonds? Lewis Structures, Resonance,
Lewis & Earnshaw
Sept 5,7
How Do You Know? (Clairvoyance) / SPM / Diffraction
Sept 10,12,14,17
One-dimensional Quantum Mechanics
Sept 19,21
Three-dimensions: Atomic Orbitals / Hybridization
Sept 24,26

First Hour Examination - Friday, Sept. 26

Orbitals, Bonding, Reality
(
H2 / C-C / Overlap/E-Match / Tunneling / XH3)
Oct 1,3,5,8,10
HOMOs, LUMOs, Functional Groups
(HF / CH3F / H2C=O / LUMO analogies / Computation)
Oct 12,15,17
Why Study History?
Lavoisier / Isomers
Oct 19

Second Hour Examination - Monday, Oct. 20

Berzelius / Radicals & Types
Oct 24,26
Valence, Couper (Composition & Constitution)
Oct 29,31
van't Hoff, Stereochemistry, Configuration & Chirality
Nov 2,5,7
Notation / Racemization / Resolution / Pharmaceuticals
Nov 9,12

Third Hour Examination - Friday, Nov. 14

Strain & Conformation / Molecular Mechanics
Nov 16,26,28
Statistics / K & k / Trajectories / Reaction Coordinates
Nov 30, Dec 3
Bond Dissn. Energy / Mechanism / Kinetics
Dec 5,7
Radical Chain Substitution / Reactivity-Selectivity
Dec 10,12

Review

Dec 14
First Semester Final Examination Wednesday, Dec. 17 (9 AM), Room TBA

Text:    We will rely on the Chem 125 webpage and on our Wiki at ClassesV2.

Alumni Advice

TA Discussion Sections:
7-9 PM Monday in WLH 001 (Nathan)
7-9
PM Thursday in WLH 113 (Filip)
 8-10
PM Sunday RTBA (Tina, Justin, and Drew)

Contact TAs for other help sessions at times to be arranged. Such sessions are best when at least 3 students participate.

Exams & Grading

Course Grade: Based on 300 points for the three hour examinations (Sept. 26, Oct. 20, Nov.14), 300 points for the three-hour final examination (Dec. 17), and 50 points for participation in the course Wiki. In borderline cases faithfulness in completing and submitting problem sets will be considered.

If you must miss an examination contact Prof. McBride as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements. If you can't reach him, contact a graduate student TA.

See also the Chem 125 Homepage