Course Syllabus

Credits: 4 semester hours. Prerequisites: Chemistry 212 and 213.

Instructor: Tom Nalli (Pasteur 350, 457-2476, tnalli@winona.edu)
Office Hours: See full schedule at http://course1.winona.edu/tnalli/s19/sche.htm

Lectures: Meet in Stark 106 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:00-12:50 AM.
Labs:

• Section 01 - Thursday 2:00-4:50, SLC 386, Lab Assistant - Emily Landgreen
  
• Section 02 - Wednesday 2:00-4:50, SLC 382, Lab Assistant - Will VanBenschoten
  
• Section 03 - Monday 2:00-4:50, SLC 382, Lab Assistant - James Goude
  

Supplement to Instruction (S2I):
Bre Murray, Tuesday and Thursday 6:30 pm, Pasteur 329

Instructor Led Learning (ILL): Thursday 5-6 pm, Stark 106

Required/Recommended Materials*

- Techniques in Organic Chemistry, 3rd ed. by Mohrig, Hammond, and Schatz. Freeman, New York, 2011. ISBN-10: 1429219564. (required)

- Molecular Model Kit: Models help with the visualization of the three-dimensional nature of organic molecules, an essential part of this course. Thus, access to a molecular model kit is required for all students in the course. (required)

- Mobile Internet Access and Piazza: It is expected that students will monitor the course Piazza page https://piazza.com/winona/spring2019/chem340/home daily for important announcements. It is also expected that students will be able to access all on-line course content even when not on campus. (required)

- Laboratory notebook: Each student needs one of the 100-Page Top Bound Carbonless Laboratory Notebooks that are available at the bookstore. Make sure to purchase the lab notebooks specific to Dr. Nalli's 350 sections. (required)

*A note on textbook editions; you may be able to get through this course satisfactorily by using an earlier edition of one of the required textbooks. (For example, using the 2nd edition of Mohrig's Techniques in Organic Chemistry instead of the 3rd edition.) However, it will definitely take more work on your part to find specific reading assignments given during labs and lectures and in some places the coverage is significantly different between different editions....so use previous editions at your own risk.

Homework and Quizzes:
Organic chemistry is a very difficult subject for most people. You will need to work hard in order to get an acceptable grade in the course. It is essential that you diligently and independently practice the application of concepts. One important way to accomplish this is by working the chapter-end questions in the textbook. Your work on these book assignments will not be used for determining your grade in the course.

In addition, the on-line homework system, Sapling Learning (SL), provides numerous opportunities for study and practice. The instructor will create a SL assignment after each lecture and you will receive modest grade credit (5%) for completing these assignments in advance of designated due dates.

More practice will be afforded to you by quizzes, which will be given at the start of each lecture.These quizzes count somewhat (10%) toward your grade in the course, but their main purpose is to give you practice on the most recent material and to provide take-off points for the day's lecture.

The main goal of all the homework and quizzes is to allow you to do well on the exams that will form the main basis for your grade in the course. 

Learning Outcomes:
A student successfully completing Chem 340 will:

• Understand organic nomenclature as evidenced by the ability to name a given structure according to IUPAC rules and the ability to draw the structure of a compound given its name.
• Understand how structure influences physical properties as evidenced by the ability to predict trends in the physical properties, including boiling point, melting point, and water solubility, of a set of compounds.
• Understand in how structure influences reactivity and reaction mechanism as evidenced by the ability to predict the main product (and its stereochemistry) of a given chemical reaction.
• Be able to deduce the structure and purity of an organic compound based on its NMR and IR spectra.
• Be able to carry out standard organic laboratory procedures including reflux, chromatography, extraction, recrystallization, distillation, and spectroscopy as needed to prepare and purify a compound.

Commitment to Inclusive Excellence:
WSU recognizes that our individual differences can deepen our understanding of one another and the world around us, rather than divide us. In this class, people of all ethnicities, genders and gender identities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and nationalities are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences.  If you feel your differences may in some way isolate you from WSU’s community or if you have a need of any specific accommodations, please speak with the instructor early in the semester about your concerns and what we can do together to help you become an active and engaged member of our class and community.

Grading:
Your average on the quizzes counts 10% toward your final total grade for the course. The lowest three quiz grades will be dropped. (Note - quizzes are graded on a scale of 50% to 100%. You receive a minimum score of 50 if you are in attendance. Non-attendance on a quiz day is the only way to receive a 0.)

The Sapling assignments count 5% toward your grade.

Four midterm exams will be given. Each counts 10%.

The final exam counts 20%.

Your score in the laboratory counts 25%.

In equation form:
            final score = Q_ave(0.10) + SL_ave(0.05) + E1(0.1) + E2(0.1) + E3(0.1) + E4(0.1) + EF(0.2) + L_ave(0.25)

Quiz Make-Up Policy:

If you notify me in advance that you must miss a quiz for a compelling personal or academic reason, then you will be allowed to make it up at a mutually agreed upon time.

Regarding missed quizzes due to oversleeping or other poor excuses: I will allow one make up of such a quiz and it must be done on the same day the quiz was given. Additional absences will mean a score of zero. The lowest three quiz grades are dropped.

Minimum Scores:
to pass course (D) - 50% | for a C grade - 60% | for a B grade - 75% | for an A grade - 87.5%

Planned Exam Dates and Coverage: