CHEM 2311

CHEM 2311: Organic Chemistry I is a 3 credit initial course in organic chemistry. It is intended for students majoring in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, as well as pre-health students. It is immediately succeeded by CHEM 2312 or CHEM 2313, and it is immediately preceded by CHEM 1212K.

Workload

The textbook used is Organic Chemistry by Solomons and Fryhle. Homework consists of online auto-graded problems, and there are optional weekly recitations and PLUS sessions. CHEM 2311 has no lab section.

Organic chemistry is widely considered to be a difficult course; grading may be curved, and exams may have substantial extra credit.

Topic List

• Bonding and molecular structure
• Functional groups, intermolecular forces, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy
• Acids and bases
• Alkanes and cycloalkanes
• Stereochemistry
• Chiral molecules
• Nucleophilic substitution of alkyl halides
• Elimination reactions of alkyl halides
• Alkenes and alkynes
• Addition reactions
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopy
• Radical reactions
• Conjugated unsaturated systems
• Aromatic compounds
• Multistep synthesis

This topic list is from spring 2019.

Registration

CHEM 2311 is not a linked course, but it has a recitation. However, the recitation is a component of the course itself, having no separate section, so students only register for a lecture section.

Resources

• Old syllabus
• Easy-to-read IR spectroscopy table by Compound Chemistry - however, during an exam, only the reference sheet given can be used
• IR guide by Master Organic Chemistry
• Reactions Quizlet for Spring 2019