Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: the course will provide the students with
the theoretical and practical knowledge of the main experimental
techniques of the organic chemistry laboratory. Special emphasis will be
given to safety related issues. Moreover, the course content
complements the theoretical concepts acquired in the Organic Chemistry
I course.
Learning skills: the students will master a formally corrected scientific
language. They will also be able to clearly express organic chemistryrelated
concepts and to write a scientific report.
Applying knowledge and understanding: at the end of the course, the
students will be able to independently carry out the purification and
characterization of an organic compound working in safe conditions.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the contents of the General and Inorganic Chemistry course
Course unit content
Introduction to the organic chemistry laboratory.
Introduction to IR, NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques.
The most important separation techniques in the organic chemistry
laboratory: theory and practice.
Theoretical and practical approach to an organic synthesis reaction
Full programme
Introduction to the organic chemistry laboratory: safety regulations;
laboratory equipment: risks and use; use of laboratory solvents.
Introduction to NMR, IR 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;
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.
Final test.
Bibliography
M. D’Ischia, “La Chimica Organica in Laboratorio” (2 volumes), Piccin.
R.M. Silverstein, F.X. Webster, “Identificazione Spettroscopica di
Composti Organici”, Ed. Ambrosiana.
Teaching methods
The course will be held through 32 hours of lectures and 30 hours of
laboratory experiences.
Assessment methods and criteria
The practical laboratory exam will verify the ability to plan and
independently carry out simple laboratory operations involving organic
compounds working under safe conditions.
The oral exam will test the knowledge of the theory related to the
laboratory experiences, the ability to explain the NMR, IR or UV-Vis spectra of simple
organic compounds and the ability of writing a scientific report
Other information
Lecture notes are available on the web.
The teacher is available upon request for discussion and explanation of
specific topics.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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