Natural Science 0277 - Organic Chemistry I LAB

This course will provide an introduction to organic laboratory techniques and experimental design through a progression of structured, inquiry-based, and student-designed experiments. Emphasis will be placed on the synthesis, purification, and characterization of organic compounds, but we will also carry out an inquiry-based mechanistic study of organic reactivity. Students will gain experience with reaction setup, liquid-liquid extraction, distillation, recrystallization, column chromatography, GC/MS, NMR and infrared spectroscopy, and other common synthetic and analytical methods. In the last weeks of the semester, students work in small groups to design and execute a mini-project of their own.

Students should expect to spend 6-8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time