NES1402 : Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry
NES1402 : Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Julian Knight
- Lecturer: Dr Zuleykha McMillan, Dr Johan Eriksson, Dr Cristina Navarro Reguero, Dr James Knight, Professor Akane Kawamura, Dr David Fulton, Dr Michael Carroll, Dr Michael Hall
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
The aims of this module are to introduce students to the basic principles of organic chemistry; the basic concepts of organic reaction mechanisms, including the use of curly arrows; and the structure and reactivity of the common functional groups.
Outline Of Syllabus
Throughout the module, students will be introduced to:
Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry
Nomenclature and chemical representations: Drawing and naming molecules
Electronic structure: Orbitals and hybridisation, delocalization and conjugation
Reaction mechanism: Curly arrows, equilibria and reaction rates
Shapes of molecules: Stereochemistry, isomerism, conformation and cyclic compounds
Carbonyls and Carboxylic Acids
Carbonyl functional groups.
Carbonyl structure: shape and electronic configuration, relative energies and shapes
of the molecular orbitals, understanding reactions in terms of simple orbital interactions
Reactions at the carbonyl group: Nucleophilic addition; nucleophilic substitution;
nucleophilic substitution with loss of carbonyl oxygen
Formation and reactions of enols and enolates
Introduction to Functional Group Chemistry
Review of Key Concepts
Nucleophilic Substitution: SN1 and SN2
Elimination Reactions: E1 and E2
Addition to Alkenes
Reduction
Oxidation
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
At the end of this module students will:
* understand the concept of molecular orbitals, hybridisation and the relevance to molecular shape and
reactivity
* have an appreciation of the chemistry of carbonyl functional groups, including the mechanisms and common
reagents used for nucleophilic additions, substitutions and enol/enolate chemistry.
* understand the mechanisms and stereochemical course of SN1, SN2, E1 and E2 reactions and the influence of
substrate structure and reaction conditions on selectivity in these processes.
* Appreciate the chemistry of alcohols, alkyl halides, and alkenes.
Intended Skill Outcomes
At the end of this module a student will be able to:
* draw organic structures in the correct skeletal form with realistic bond angles
* visualise the 3D structure of molecules from the 2D representation on paper
* assign configuration of stereochemistry (E/Z, R/S)
* represent reaction mechanism with the correct use of curly arrows
* apply the fundamental principles delivered in the module to related, unseen situations
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Revision for end of Semester 2 summative examination |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | PiP lectures or a combination of short recordings of lecture material and text published on VLE - S1 |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | End of Semester 2 summative examination |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Module introduction, structure, assessment, reading lists - sem 2 |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 30 | 0:40 | 20:00 | Revision of Semester 1 material |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Module introduction, structure, assessment, reading lists - sem 1 |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 15:00 | 15:00 | Preparation for and completion of summative Ombea MCQ assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 44:30 | 44:30 | Background reading of indicated sections of the course texts and review of material on ReCap system |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 20 | 0:45 | 15:00 | Completion of post-lecture question sheets |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | PiP lectures or a combination of short recordings of lecture material and text published on VLE - S2 |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | PiP or synchronous online - Tutorial/Feedback sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 16:30 | 16:30 | Independent study |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
A variety of methods will be used for delivery of the material and to ensure that students actively engage with the subject matter. Traditional lecture-style delivery is accompanied by ‘flipped’ lectures based on provision of recorded online material and accompanying exercises for students to view in advance of interactive Vevox sessions exploring their understanding. Online post-lecture exercises, complete with full recorded answers, will be provided to help students consolidate their understanding prior to discussion of unseen problems in small group tutorials. Lecture delivery through guided questioning will be used where possible to ensure that staff are aware of areas of misconception/difficulty and to focus the students towards understanding the material. Regular self-assessed formative exercises will be employed to enable students to practise the lecture material by completing unseen problems throughout the course.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 85 | End of module examination (Inspera and written parts) or online assessment as alternative in the case of no PiP examinations |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assessment | 2 | M | 15 | In-course MCQ assessment, undertaken in a lecture slot using Ombea. Set as an on-line Canvas MCQ in case of no PiP teaching. |
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | M | Assessment of engagement with tutorials. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Regular, short, formative self assessment exercises will be provided in Canvas to help students to assess their level of knowledge and understanding from topics studied during the course. Full outline answers will be provided to help students with their understanding and an appreciation of good written-answer technique.
The summative written/digital examination will assess the level of knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the module. The examination will present students with questions from a selection of topics learnt throughout semester 1 and 2 module content.
The summative Vevox in-course assessment will provide students with some indication of how well they have understood the lecture material, in advance of the final revision period and in time to undertake further study or seek advice.
** Students studying from abroad may request to take their exam before the semester 2 exam period, in which case the format of the paper may differ from that shown in the MOF. These students should contact the school to discuss this **
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES1402's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NES1402's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
Welcome to Newcastle University Module Catalogue
This is where you will be able to find all key information about modules on your programme of study. It will help you make an informed decision on the options available to you within your programme.
You may have some queries about the modules available to you. Your school office will be able to signpost you to someone who will support you with any queries.
Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.