UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
(All rights reserved)
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
SECOND SEMESTER
COURSE SYLLABUS
CHEM 234: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
Two (2) Credits
12 Weeks (20 lecture hours, 4 tutorial sessions)
Instructors:
• Dr. Mary Chama; E-mail: machama@[Link]
• Dr. Anita A. Oppong: aoppong-quaicoe@[Link]
• Dr. Jerry B. Joe Harrison: jjharrison@[Link]
• Dr. Richard Owoare: RbOWOARE@[Link]
Lecture Venue: GL; SL; LT1; L300 (Refer to departmental Time Table)
Office No: consult your lecturer
Office hours: consult your lecturer
PREREQUISITES
CHEM 114
Students are expected to come to this course with an understanding of the concepts
covered in CHEM 114. Reactions and mechanisms from CHEM 114 may be used in this
course but they will not be reviewed during this course.
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Assessment and Grading
Mid-Semester /Interim Assessment 30 %
Final Exam 70 %
Total 100 %
Mid-Semester /Interim Assessment Date: 22 or 23rd June 2024 (To be confirmed)
Grading Scale:
Marks Letter grade Grade
point
80-100 A 4.0
75-79 B+ 3.5
70-74 B 3.0
65-69 C+ 2.5
60-64 C 2.0
55-59 D+ 1.5
50-54 D 1.0
45-49 E 0.5
0-44 F 0.0
Please refer to the undergraduate Handbook for further details
Introduction
This course introduces the student to some important functional groups in Organic Chemistry. It
involves treatment of the structures and naming systems of these functional groups. The course
also treats the properties of these compounds, their preparations, reactions including mechanisms
and some applications. Simple identification tests for these functional groups are also considered.
The similarities and differences between the aldehydes and ketones on one hand and the
carboxylic acids and their derivatives on the other are extensively looked at.
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Learning Outcomes
The course equips the student with the necessary skills for the identification of the functional
groups. It also helps the student gain a thorough knowledge of the structure and nomenclature of
the functional groups which makes them understand and appreciate the physical and chemical
properties of the compounds bearing the functional groups besides developing a practical
understanding of the applications to which the compounds are subjected.
Course Content
Aldehydes and ketones 8 hr
• Nomenclature; structure of the carbonyl group; physical properties; industrial and
laboratory methods of preparation.
• Nucleophilic addition reactions: hydration, cyanohydrin formation, acetal formation,
acetals as protecting groups, thioketals as protecting groups (formation and removal),
addition of sodium bisulphite, ammonia and its derivatives – discuss the reversibility of
these reactions and their use for purification and identification.
• Some other reactions of aldehydes and ketones: Wolf-Kishner and Clemmensen
reductions; formation and addition of Grignard reagents and organolithium compounds;
reduction to alcohols; oxidation; designing simple syntheses.
• Carbanions: aldol condensation; iodoform reaction; Cannizzarro reaction.
Carboxylic acids 4 hr
• Nomenclature (dicarboxylic acids included); structure; general properties.
• Preparations: carbonation of Grignard reagents, hydrolysis of nitriles, oxidation of
primary alcohols, oxidation of alkenes, oxidation of aldehydes and ketones.
• Reactions: acidity of carboxylic acids as compared to alcohols; decarboxylation of
carboxylic acids; reduction. Formation of carboxylic acid derivatives (chlorides, esters,
amides, and anhydrides). Separation of carboxylic acids; Qualitative tests.
Carboxylic acid derivatives 6 hr
• Nomenclature of carboxylic acid derivatives; general properties.
• Carboxylic acid derivatives and nucleophilic substitution as compared to nucleophilic
addition in aldehydes and ketones.
• Preparation of acid chlorides, anhydrides, esters and amides from carboxylic acids;
interconversion of derivatives; comparison of nucleophilic attack on the derivatives;
reduction of derivatives; transesterification.
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Amines 6 hr
• Nomenclature; general properties.
• Preparations: Reduction of nitro compounds, reductive amination, reduction of nitriles;
reduction of imines and oximes; reactions of ammonia and amines with alkyl halides;
Hofmann degradation (mechanism).
• Reactions: Salt formation; nucleophilicity of amines in alkylation; quaternary ammonium
salts; reactions of amines with benzenesulfonyl chloride (Hinsberg test); reactions of
primary amines with nitrous acid; Hofmann elimination.
Course Delivery:
(a) Lectures (2 hours per week)
(c) interim assessment and the two quizzes will make up to 30% of the overall course assessment
(d) End of semester examination will constitute up to 70% of the overall course assessment.
Other Information
• Lost lecture hours through official holidays or otherwise will be covered by provision of slides
on the lecture notes to be discussed on a later date.
• Students are expected to be punctual to class and to be well comported.
Reading List
1. Vollhardt K. P. C., Schore N. E. (2007). Organic Chemistry, Structure and Function, 5th
Edition, W. H. Freeman & Co., New York.
2. Graham Solomons, T.W., Fryhle, C.B. and Synder, S. C. (2011). Organic Chemistry.
John Wiley and Sons.
3. Wade Jr., L.G. (2013). Organic Chemistry, 9th Edition, Pearson, Boston. Loudon G. M.
(2009). Chemistry of Organic Compounds 3rd Edition. Roberts and Company Publishers
4. McMurry J., Organic Chemistry, Eighth Edition John McMurry Ed: Lisa Lockwood
Senior. 2012, 2008 Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
In line with the University’s policy to ‘develop world class human resources and capabilities to
meet national developments need and global challenges through quality teaching, learning,
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research and knowledge dissemination’, students are to familiarize themselves with the
university’s policy concerning plagiarism, which is considered a serious offence by the
University.
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