1003803 - CHIMICA ORGANICA I E LABORATORIO A - L
Module 1003804 - CHIMICA ORGANICA I E LABORATORIO (Mod. 1)

Basic knowledge of organic compounds, of their three-dimensional structure and of their reaction mechanisms.

In particular, the specific training objectives of this course are:

- Understanding the chemical bond in organic compounds;

- Understanding the three-dimensional structure (stereochemical) of organic compounds;

- Understanding the relationship between structure and chemical reactivity;

- Understanding the reaction mechanisms of organic compounds;

- Understanding the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of organic compounds;

- Know the reactivity of the main classes of organic compounds.

- Discussion of all the activities proposed with scientific method and appropriate language.

Furthermore, concerning to the so-called Dublin Descriptors, this course helps to acquire the following transversal skills:

Knowledge and understanding
- Capacity of inductive and deductive reasoning;

- Ability to rationalize the property-structure-reactivity correlations of organic compounds.

Ability to apply knowledge

- Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to rationally describe the chemical behavior of organic compounds, including stereochemical aspects;
- Ability to predict the chemical reactivity of organic compounds based on their molecular structure.

Autonomy of judgment
- Critical reasoning skills;

- Ability to identify the most suitable conditions for the chemical modification of an organic structure.

Communication skills

- Ability to describe the structure and chemical behavior of organic compounds in oral form, with properties of language and terminological rigor.

 Learning skills

- Ability to design the synthesis of an organic compound independently using the skills acquired during the course;
- Show to have developed good learning and in-depth skills to easily face subsequent courses in Organic Chemistry.

Classroom Lectures (35 hours) and Classroom Exercises (12 hours).

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.  

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it. 

Knowledge of General and Inorganic Chemistry.

Attendance to the course is mandatory, as the student must attend at least 70% of the total number of hours of the course (see Didactic Regulations of the Degree Course in Industrial Chemistry - Section 3.1).

1. Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Electronic configuration of atoms. Lewis representations. The octet rule. The chemical bond: ionic and covalent bonds. Pauling's electronegativity scale. Bond length and bond strength. Formal charge. Resonance theory. Quantum mechanics: shape of the atomic s and p orbitals; σ and π bonds. Hybrid orbitals sp3, sp2, sp. Structure of methane, ammonia and water. Double and triple bond. Main functional groups and related classes of compounds.

2. Acids and bases
Acids and bases according to Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry and Lewis. Definition of the pKa. Acid-base reactions: equilibrium position and relative strength of acids and bases.

3. Alkanes
Structure. Conformational isomerism. General principles of the IUPAC nomenclature and application in the case of alkanes. Classification of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Conformations of alkanes. Newman projections. Physical properties: dispersion forces. Natural sources and notes on oil processing. Reactivity: radical substitution and the combustion reaction.

4. Cycloalkanes
Structure, nomenclature and physical properties. Conformations and relative stability of cyclopropane, cyclobutane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane. Contributions to the ring tension: distortion of the bond angle, eclipsing tension and diaxial interaction. Axial and equatorial hydrogens in cyclohexane. Preferred conformations of the substituted cyclohexanes. Cis-trans isomerism in cycloalkanes.

5. Stereoisomerism
Stereoisomers: Enantiomers and Diastereoisomers. Chirality and Stereocenters. Absolute configuration. The R-S convention. Fischer projections. Meso compounds: the stereoisomers of tartaric acid. Optical activity: polarized light and polarimeter. Specific rotary power. Biological importance of chirality. Methods for resolving racemic mixtures.

6. Alkenes
Structure. Nomenclature. Isomerism: cis-trans and E-Z nomenclature. Addition reaction: halogenation; hydrohalogenation; acid-catalyzed hydration; Relative stability of carbocations and Markovnikov's rule. Rearrangement of carbocations. Hydroboration-oxidation. Oxidation reactions: with potassium permanganate; with osmium tetroxide; with ozone; with peracids. Catalytic hydrogenation, heats of hydrogenation and relative stability of alkenes. Preparations: Dehydrohalogenation of alkyl halides; Dehydration of alcohols.

7. Dienes
Classification. Structure of conjugated dienes according to the valence bond theory. Relative stability of boundary forms and their contribution to the resonance hybrid. Resonant energy. Electrophilic addition to conjugated dienes: -1,2 and -1,4 additions.

8. Alkynes
Structure. Nomenclature. Acidity of terminal alkynes. Addition reaction. Catalytic reduction to alkenes with Lindlar’s catalyst and to alkanes.

    9. Halogenalkanes
   Structure. Nomenclature. Nucleophilic substitutions. SN1 and SN2 mechanisms. Stereochemistry of nucleophilic substitutions. Effects of the structure of the substrate, the nucleophile, the leaving      group and the solvent. Elimination reactions. E2 and E1 mechanisms. Competition between substitution and elimination reactions. Reaction with magnesium: formation of organometallic     compounds. Grignard's reagents. Preparation: Halogenation of alkanes: mechanism of radical halogenation; homolytic cleavage of bonds. Relative stability and structure of primary, secondary and tertiary alkyl radicals. Relative reactivity of halogens in halogenation reactions. Chlorination of alkanes: relative reactivity of primary, secondary, tertiary hydrogens and relative stability of the respective radicals. Regioselective reactions (Hammond's postulate); stereochemistry of radical halogenation. Addition of halogen acids to alkenes and alkynes; addition of halogens to alkenes and alkynes; halogenation of alcohols.

10. Benzene and derivatives

Structure. Nomenclature and properties of benzene and its derivatives. Aromaticity. Resonant energy. Huckel's rule. Aromatic electrophilic substitution reactions: halogenation; nitration; sulfonation; Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation. Activating and deactivating substituent groups. Reactivity and orientation.

11. Alcohols
Structure. Nomenclature. Hydrogen bond. Acidity and basicity. Reactions with active metals. Formation of  halogenalkanes. Dehydration to form alkenes and Zaitsev's rule. Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols with dichromate and with pyridinium chlorochromate . Oxidation of glycols with periodic acid. Esters formation. Formation of semiacetals and acetals. Preparation: Addition of H2O to alkenes; hydroboration-oxidation; hydrolysis of halogenalkanes; addition of organo-metals to aldehydes and ketones; reduction of carbonyl compounds; reduction of carboxylic acids. Notes on: Ethers, epoxides, thiols and sulphides.

12. Aldehydes and Ketones
Structure. Nomenclature. Nucleophilic additions: addition of Grignard reagents, of HCN, of alcohols to form hemiacetals and acetals; addition of ammonia derivatives: formation of Schiff bases. Oxidations. Reduction to alcohols. Keto-enol tautomeria. Preparation: Oxidation of secondary alcohols; oxidation of primary alcohols with pyridinium chlorochromate.

13. Carboxylic acids and derivatives
Structure. Nomenclature. Acidity constants. Effect of substituents on acidity in aliphatic acids. Reduction with LiAlH4: formation of primary alcohols. Decarboxylation. Fischer esterification. Reaction with diazomethane: formation of methyl esters. Reaction with thionyl chloride: formation of acyl chlorides. Halogenation in alpha: reaction of Hell, Vholard, Zelinsky. Preparation: oxidation of primary alcohols and aldehydes; carbonation of Grignard reagents.
 Esters: acid and basic hydrolysis (saponification). Halides of acids. Anhydrides. Amides. Nitriles. Hydroxy acids and keto acids. Fats and oils.

14. Amines
Structure and classification: primary, secondary, tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium salts. Electronic structure of nitrogen. Physical properties. Reactivity: Basicity; nucleophilicity. Formation of imines; formation of amides. Reactions of amines with nitrous acid. Reactions of diazonium salts. Diazocopulation. Azo dyes. Preparation: reduction of imines; reduction of amides; reduction of nitriles. 

1. W. H. Brown, C. S. Foote, B. L. Iverson. Organic Chemistry, (EdiSES);

2. Streitwieser, C. H. Heathcock, E. M. Kosower, Organic Chemistry, (EdiSES);

3. Seyhan Ege, Organic Chemistry, (Sorbona);

4. P. Vollhardt, Organic Chemistry, (Zanichelli);

5. J. McMurry, Organic Chemistry, (Piccin);

6. B. Botta, Organic Chemistry (Edi.Ermes).

The exam consists of an oral test carried out through an interview between the student and the examining commission aimed at ascertaining the degree of learning and understanding of the topics contained in the course program. In particular, the relevance of the answers to the questions asked, the quality of the contents, the ability to connect with other topics covered by the program, the ability to report examples, the technical language properties and the overall expressive ability of the student will be assessed. 

Verification of learning can also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

The questions focus on all the topics covered during the lessons. Sample questions:

 Alkenes: nomenclature, reactivity, preparation. Carbonyl compounds: nomenclature, reactivity, preparation. Stereoisomerism: enantiomers and diastereomers, stereocenter, meso compounds, raceme. Electrophiles and nucleophiles. Acids and bases.