27868 - Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Characterization (A-L)

Academic Year 2023/2024

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Chemistry and Materials Chemistry (cod. 8006)

Learning outcomes

Objective of the course is to develop basic skills in the synthesis of organic compounds by modern synthetic methods. The student will be able to analyze and purify substances by liquid chromatography. The student will develop basic skills in the identification of simple organic compounds through combined NMR, MS, IR.

Course contents

  • Inert gas techniques, Schlenk line and syringe techniques.
  • Grade and safety information of organic reagents, solvents and commercial details.
  • Purification of organic compounds by chromatography: liquid chromatography (flash-chromatography), criteria for the choice of stationary phase and mobile phase.
  • Introduction to mass spettrometry for simple organic compounds, electron impact (EI) and electronspray spectra (ESI).
  • Applications of GC-MS and HPLC.
  • Review of the fundamentals about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
  • Advances NMR: generation of NMR signal and relaxation time.
  • 1H-NMR insights (symmetry in the determination of the structure of organic compounds, Karplus equation and coupling constants, spin systems and Pople enotation, coupling with heteronuclei).
  • 13Carbon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy: similarities and differences with 1H-NMR, chemical shifts and coupling with heteronuclei.
  • Interpretation of spectroscopic data for the identification of simple organic compounds by NMR and MS spectra with exercises.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes will be available for download.

Interesting reference books are:

  • La Chimica Organica in Laboratorio , M. D'Ischia, Ed. Piccin.
  • Identificazione Spettrometrica di Composti Organici, Silverstein, edizione italiana a cura di Franca Zanardi. - 3. ed. condotta sulla 8. ed. americana; CEA, 2016 (consigliato).

  • Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry, J. Leonard, B. Lygo, G. Procter. Ed Thompson.

Teaching methods

  • Oral lectures (3 CFU, 24 h) supported by multimedia techniques.
  • Laboratory session (2 CFU, 32 h) to improve experimental skills in organic synthesis and characterization by a multistep synthesis of an organic molecules. The laboratory experience will be conducted individually.
  • Training in the interpretation of laboratory data and in writing laboratory report will be arranged (1 CFU, 12h).

Activities in the chemical laboratory are planned. To attend the practical part students are required to attend Module 1 and 2 in e-learning mode and a Module 3 about health and safety in study places. Information about the dates and modes to attend module 3 will be published on the Degree Course website.

Assessment methods

To have access to the final exam you must have passed the exam of Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry Laboratory.

Verification of learning occurs through:

  • A written test (1h and 30 min) concerning the structural recognition of an organic compound using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.
  • An oral test concerning the laboratory techniques and spectroscopic techniques discussed in the lectures. In addition, a specific question about the laboratory experience will be asked to the student.

Passing the written exam is mandatory. The final vote is determined by the arithmetic mean of the results obtained in the two tests. The teacher may assign a maximum score of 3 points on the basis of the behavior during the practical laboratory sessions.

Teaching tools

The slides and videos shown during the lessons are available for download in the institutional deposit of the teaching materials of the University of Bologna.

Laboratory sessions to improve experimental skills will be in the organic synthesis laboratory of the department "G. Ciamician".

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Gualandi

SDGs

Good health and well-being Clean water and sanitation Industry, innovation and infrastructure Sustainable cities

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.