Learning objectives
The objective of the course is to enable the students to perform simple laboratory operations and to master the most common techniques for the purification and characterisation of organic compounds; a further objective is to teach the students to run simple organic reactions.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the contents of the General and Inorganic Chemistry course
Course unit content
The organic chemistry laboratory: safety regulations; laboratory equipment: risks and use; use of laboratory solvents. NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques: basic concepts; examples of structural determination through NMR spectroscopy. Laboratory separation techniques: purification of solids and purity criteria; the choice of the solvent and melting point determination; extraction techniques of organic compounds; natural product extraction; basic and acid substances extraction; chromatographic separations; the choice of the eluent, thin layer chromatography, column chromatography, gas chromatography; distillation techniques: simple distillation and fractional distillation. Laboratory experiences: purification of organic compounds through recrystallisation; caffeine extraction from tea leaves; separation of organic products through acid-base extraction; ethyl acetate and butyl acetate separation through fractional distillation and gas-chromatographic analysis; thin layer chromatography; column chromatography and spectrophotometric UV-Vis analyses of the separated products; electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction and product analysis through NMR spectroscopy; analysis through chemical assays.
Moreover, the course deals with organic chemistry theoretical exercises.
Full programme
Introduction to the organic chemistry laboratory: safety regulations; laboratory equipment: risks and use; use of laboratory solvents.
Introduction to NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques: basic concepts; examples of structural determination through NMR spectroscopy.
Laboratory separation techniques: purification of solids and purity criteria; the choice of the solvent and melting point determination; extraction techniques of organic compounds; natural product extraction; basic and acid substances extraction; chromatographic separations; the choice of the eluent, thin layer chromatography, column chromatography, gaschromatography; distillation techniques: simple distillation and fractional distillation.
How to run an organic synthesis reaction.
Laboratory experiences:
Purification of an organic compound through recrystallisation;
Separation of organic products through acid-base extraction;
Caffeine extraction from tea leaves;
Ethyl acetate and butyl acetate separation through fractional distillation and gas-chromatographic analysis;
Thin layer chromatography and column chromatography and spectrophotometric UV-Vis analyses of the separated products;
Electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions and product analysis through NMR spectroscopy.
Laboratory practical exam.
Bibliography
M. D’Ischia, “La Chimica Organica in Laboratorio” (2 volumes), Piccin.
R.M. Roberts, J.C. Gilbert, L.B. Rodewald, A.S. Wingrove, “Chimica Organica Sperimentale”, Zanichelli.
R.M. Silverstein, F.X. Webster, “Identificazione Spettroscopica di Composti Organici”, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.
Teaching methods
Oral lesson and laboratory practice
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination
Other information
Lecture notes are available on the web.
The teacher is available upon request for discussion and explanation of specific topics.