66941 - Organic Materials Synthesis Lab

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to synthesize and isolate organic material compounds by using the most common techniques of organic synthesis. The student will also be able to purify compounds by flash-chromatography and to indentify the structure of simple organic molecules by the use of proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Course contents

• Multistep synthesis of organic materials
• Use and properties of protective groups
• Organometals and inert gas techniques
• Flash-chromatograpy purifications
• Structural determination of organic products
• Proton Nuclear Magentic Resonance spectroscopy
• Introduction to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques
• NMR instrumentations
• Energy absorption and chemical shifts
• Symmetry in determining the structure of organic molecules
• NMR signals integration
• Coupling constants
• Carbon Nuclear Magentic Resonance spectroscopy
• Similarities and differences with proton NMR spectroscopy
• Energy absorption and chemical shifts

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes will be available for download. No supplementary textbook will be needed.  Interesting reference books are:

1. "Experimental Organic Chemistry", Royston M. Roberts, John C. Gilbert, Stephen F. Martin; Zanichelli
2. "A Complete Introduction to Modern NMR Spectroscopy", Roger S. Macomber, J. Wiley & sons

Teaching methods

Lectures with multimedia support. Slides will be available for download.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment implies the preparation of a laboratory report and an oral examination. Laboratory reports will be evaluated on the basis of the student's ability to communicate the scientific results obtained during the course of practical sessions. During the oral examination the student will be asked 3 questions relating to general laboratory techniques, to the mechanisms of the reactions performed in the  practical sessions and to the proton and carbon NMR spectra interpretation of an organic molecule. The final vote is determined by the arithmetic mean of the results obtained in the two tests. A maximum score of 3 points are assigned on the basis of the behavior during the practical laboratory sessions.

Teaching tools

Multimedia  supported lectures. Lecture notes will be available for download.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Lombardo