Chemistry 232 Organic Chemistry I  Lecture	Allyl Cation
Philosophy of Life	Course Calendar
Course Materials	Organic Study Sheets
Classroom Activities	Learning Groups
Homework	Use of Computers
Email	The Organic Journal Club (TOJC)
Molecular Models and CD Resources	Academic Policies and Grading
Organic Tool Kit	Organic Home Page

(http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/chemdept/organic.html)
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Chemistry 232 is the first part of a year-long introduction to organic chemistry. Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing molecules, and therefore includes (among millions of others) all molecules intimately involved with life. All living tissue is composed of molecules built of carbon atoms. Furthermore, many of the organic reactions that you will learn are closely analogous to the chemistry of biological reactions. It is my hope that your acquaintance with organic chemistry, through this semester and the next, will inspire an appreciation for the beauty of chemistry's fundamental role in life processes. There is much to learn, and substantial effort on both of our parts is expected and necessary in this endeavor. All of our efforts are worthwhile, however, when we begin to glimpse the wonderful intertwining of chemistry with all of life.

Although it may appear that organic chemistry is the ultimate test of one's ability to simply memorize reactions, this is not so. In fact, one of the most important goals I have in Chemistry 232 is to demonstrate that by developing command of a select and relatively small set of rudimentary concepts and reaction types, one can generalize to a large number of other organic reactions. To help cross the bridge from general chemistry to organic chemistry and to amplify the importance of some fundamental concepts, I have included an essay entitled Solving the Puzzle - or - Structure is Everything (Almost) in the Study Guide that accompanies our text. You should read this essay as you begin the first chapter in our text. To be sure, there is challenge involved in learning the essential principles, but there is also much beauty and elegance to behold when one sees the interrelationships among these principles and one begins to apply them creatively in broader situations.

As you read the text, you should take notes on what you are reading. Writing is one of the most important tools for learning. You must work the problems, too, both as you read the text and between reading periods and classes. Many people find it useful to create their own summaries and organization of the reactions they are learning.

The concepts in organic chemistry build as though they were an inverted pyramid. Hardly any concept is ever learned and discarded. Rather, all the ideas presented become incorporated into a foundation for the understanding of later topics. Regular reading, attentive time spent in class, and interaction with peers in your Learning Group (see below) will ensure that you have the absolute best chance to learn all that you can about organic chemistry and do as well as you can. There simply are no shortcuts.

In-Class Written Problems and Discussion

On the first or second day for each chapter I will provide you with a 5-10 minute closed book, in-class exercise to be worked independently about some early aspect of that chapter. My assumption is that you will have read the chapter in advance (at least the early sections) and be prepared to work with some intitial concepts from that chapter on the quiz. We will evaluate and discuss this assignment immediately afterward, using it as the guide for our discussion that day. The exercise will be worth ten points, with the best ten out of twelve scores of the semester counted toward your point total. The quizzes will generally help your class total, so long as you attend class faithfully and read ahead. There will be no make-up opportunities for these exercises since there will be more opportunities provided than are counted in the total.

Lecture and Discussion on Requested Topics

On the second day for each chapter our class time may be spent on topics that you request in advance. You can forward your questions, problems, topics of interest, etc., to me in advance in person, by email, phone, or on paper. Some topics for lecture may be generated by postings to The Organic Journal Club (TOJC, see below). I will use your input to shape my discussion so that it addresses material about which you have concerns or questions.

Learning Group Problems

I have written some problems called Learning Group Problems that appear at the end of each chapter.  These problems are highly integrative.  They draw upon a variety of important concepts from the specific chapter under study, and frequently they utilize concepts you have studied earlier.  By working the Learning Group Problems (after you study the chapter and do some other problems), the LGPs will help you  use and reinforce your learning of key concepts in organic chemistry.  Furthermore, the Learning Group Problems will frequently highlight some interesting aspect of chemistry or expand upon a Chapter Opening Essay or "The Chemistry of..." box.  I count on everyone to work on the Learning Group Problems in every chapter as a way to cement their understanding of important topics.  Specific groups of students, called Learning Groups, will be responsible for guiding the class through the solution to the Learning Group Problems they have specifically been assigned over the semester (see the schedule below).  Each of these will be graded on a 35 point scale.  More information about that follows.

Learning Group Activities

The class will be divided into groups of 3-6 students. Group membership will be determined at random, but once formed there will be elements of design in how the group functions. On the third day of coverage for a given chapter, two of the assigned Learning Groups will present their solution to the Learning Group Problem for that day.  The Learning Group Presentation Schedule is given below. Each group's presentation should be about 10 minutes long. A key aspect of the presentation is that it should teach the class about the chemistry in the problem by explaining the rationale and method of the solution.  I will grade part of each group's work solely on the merits of their presentation.  Members of each group will have defined roles that ensure that all members become equally engaged in solving the problem (see below), but all members may participate in the presentation. Even though only some groups are assigned to prepare for each given problem, all persons in the class (i.e. the remaining groups) should work on each Learning Group Problem, since problems similar to the Learning Group Problems will appear in various forms on exams.

• Learning Group Problems are worth up to 35 points.  Twentyfive points will be given for the solution to the problem and ten points will be for the quality of the presentation.  If a group is not called to present, then the quality of the solution will be graded on a 35 point scale.  Every member of a group will receive the same score.
• There will be three defined roles within each group: Chief Presenter, Scribe, and Liason. The group decides who will serve in each role. Each time a group prepares for a Learning Group presentation the roles should rotate so that no person has the same role twice. These roles exist so that all persons in the group necessarily become engaged in working the problem.
• Groups will arrange among themselves to find suitable meeting times at which to work on the assigned Learning Group Problem. Every reasonable effort must be made to accomodate each other's schedules and to make contact with each other. Exchange of phone numbers and email addresses is expected. If there are difficulties in this regard I expect you to let me know.
• The role of the Liasons will be to serve as spokespeople when questions need to be asked of me (the instructor) during advance work on a given problem. All members of the group should be present when I answer the questions posed by the Liaisons, but the Liasons must do the speaking. This ensures participation by members of the group other than the Presenter and Scribe.
• Once the group has arrived at a consensus solution to the Learning Group Problem, the Scribe will be responsible for writing the group's collective solution on an overhead transparency prior to class time. There may be more than one Scribe for a group.  Transparencies will be available in advance from the secretary or instructor.
• The group will use the overhead transparency written by the Scribe to explain the collectively agreed upon solution to the class. The Scribe and Presenter cannot be the same person, of course.
• Each group will make two presentations during the semester.
• One of my office hours each week will be devoted to working with groups that have Learning Group Problems scheduled for the next class period. It is important that groups meet with me after having worked on their problem so that I can suggest ways to make their upcoming class presentation effective.

• The roles within the group should change each time a group prepares for a presentation.
• As mentioned above, material pertaining to the Learning Group problems will appear on exams.
• If all members of a given Learning Group score above 80% on any single midterm exam, all members of the group will receive a 15 point bonus on their course total.
• If a Learning Group member is unable to attend class on the day of their group's presentation, the group and the instructor must be made aware of this in advance. If the absence is for other than medical reasons, the individual may be responsible for preparing a personal solution to the problem in order to earn credit.
• If any member of the group does not attend group meetings or make an honest attempt to participate in the working of a Learning Group Problem, that individual will either receive zero points for the problem or, at the instructors option, earn some portion of the possible credit by submitting an individual answer to a Learning Group Problem. Since solutions to Learning Group Problems will tend to be elaborate and more than a single individual would want to prepare alone, it behooves all members to participate in the working of the group.

You will find that working with hand-held molecular models enhances your understanding of organic chemistry immensely.  I strongly recommend that you purchase a molecular model kit and use it as you study.  A solid understanding of the three-dimensionality of organic molecules is key to doing well in this course.  We will occasionally take time in class for your to to build models of example molecules.  You may also find computer molecular models useful.  A collection of computer molecular models for the textbook is on the CD that accompanies our text.  The CD also includes reaction animations and tutorials.

Email

A word about my intended use of email in this class. I expect that every one of you will have a PLU email account for use in this class. I will only use your PLU email address for communication with you (not AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.), and I won't  respond to messages from non-PLU email accounts for students in this class.  (This is a University Policy for faculty email communication with students.)  Computers are available for your use in Rieke Science Center and in the computer user rooms on campus. To use Rieke Science Center computers you will need a password that I will give you in class.  My plan is to receive by email your suggested topics for class discussion and problem requests, and also to send you information, assignments, and responses to your questions by email. I will try to respond to email from the class at least once each work day.  My preferred email address is fryhle@rainier.chem.plu.edu, as noted above. (Please use this address rather than fryhlecb@plu.edu.)

The Organic Journal Club - An Email Discussion List

I expect that with establishment of your email account you will subscribe to the PLU email discussion list called organic. To subscribe, send an email message to majordomo@rainier.chem.plu.edu with nothing but Subscribe organic in the body of the message (italics only for emphasis). You must subscribe from a PLU email address.  I will remove any subscribers from addresses outside PLU.  Once subscribed through this message, all of your future messages to the list should be addressed to organic@rainier.chem.plu.edu. I will use the organic discussion list to post class-wide announcements, lecture clarifications, and replies to some of your questions. You are also encouraged to use it among yourselves to arrange impromptu study sessions, discuss organic chemistry with each other, and in general communicate about anything germane to Organic at PLU.

The Organic Journal Club (TOJC)

The Organic email discussion list will also serve as the electronic medium for The Organic Journal Club (TOJC). TOJC will be a communal diary of the class's learning of organic chemistry. The goal of TOJC is to stimulate a ferment of class-wide discussion about current topics in organic and provide a living record of our learning process. Participation in The Organic Journal Club is an optional part of the course.  No credit will be given for messages.  Archives of participation in The Organic Journal Club by previous classes can be reached by following the links above. Messages are sorted by subject, thread, author, and date.

The following are guidelines for participation in The Organic Journal Club:

• There is no pressure for your postings to be especially insightful or pithy. Honest desire to learn and respectfully share your knowledge are the attitudes that should come forth from your messages. Postings to TOJC could be something like "Could someone please explain...", (a question posed to the group in expectation of an answer), or an answer to a previously posted question, or "I learned ......... about organic chemistry today.".
• Submissions should be brief (a few sentences to a paragraph will usually suffice). What you write should be grammatically correct, polite, and respectful of all persons.
• Any disrespectful posting will lead to expulsion from the list.
• Responses to questions in TOJC should be provided primarily by other students in the class, and thus will typically not come from me. I will monitor the list, but leave the discussion principally up to you.
• The Subject line of the message header should succinctly state the specific topic of the message. When replying to a message, leave the original subject line intact when you reply so that the messages will be associated with each other by topic.

To increase your access to course information I have provided this course outline and other course information over the World Wide Web at http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/organic.html. You can also access it through links from my home page (http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/fryhle.html). These pages include links to the software and Internet resources mentioned below.

I've put a few worked-out problems on the web called Problem Assist!. These are under development.

Supporting Software and Data

There is a wealth of software and computerized resources available to support courses in organic chemistry. Much of this is available free over the Internet, including software for drawing chemical structures and importing them into formal reports (ISIS /Draw), software for viewing computerized molecular models in three dimensions (Rasmol), archives of organic structures for use with Rasmol, and spectroscopic data and processing programs. Links to this software can be found on my home page (http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/fryhle.html) and the Organic Chemistry Home Page (http://rainier.chem.plu.edu/chemdept/organic.html).

CD Molecular Models and Concept Units

Computer molecular models are available on the CD that accompanies our text. These models are listed in the on-screen index of the CD. (I do not consider these substitutes for hand-held models, howevever. Both types have their specific benefits.) There are also a number of tutorials about topics in the book, called Concept Units as well as some computerized drill problems. The Concept Units were created by Darrell Woodman, University of Washington.

• There will be three midterm examinations given on the dates indicated on the Course Calendar. Each midterm exam will be worth 100 points, with the possibility of a Learning Group Earned Bonus (see below). If dishonesty is involved in any individual's midterm exams or final exam, a course grade of E will automatically be assigned to that individual, regardless of point total for the course. In this case, withdrawal from the course will not be possible, and an E grade will appear on that individual's transcript. .
• Your best ten in-class assignments (quizzes) will add up to an additional 100 points of the potential total. If dishonesty occurs in the context of a written exercise (any one of the twelve quizzes) a zero will be automatically assigned for all 100 points possible from the ten quizzes.
• Learning Group Exercises will be worth a total of 70 points. Collaboration is expected in preparation of Learning Group Problems, and it is expected that all members will make an honest effort to contribute to the group's efforts.
• The final exam is worth 150 points, and will be on Monday, May 21st.
• No make-up exams will be given. If you must be absent from an exam you are expected to inform me in advance and provide a physician's note regarding the medical reason for your absence.
• Please note that the last day to withdraw from the class and receive a refund is February 21.  The last day to file forms for the Pass/Fail option is April 3.  The last day to withdraw (no tuition refund) and receive a W grade is May 4. Grade disputes are subject to policies of the Natural Sciences Division.

Exam and graded exercises will follow the point distribution described above and also shown below. In order to encourage cooperative learning among all members of a Learning Group, all members of a Learning Group will receive a 15 point Earned Bonus on a given exam score if every member of that Learning Group scores above 80% on any particular exam.

Point Distribution

Final grades will be based on the sum of all the points earned during the course. In order to reduce competition and encourage cooperative learning final grades will be assigned according to an absolute point scale. (If necessary, however, I may make individual or global adjustments to this scale.)

Absolute Scale for Final Grades
 

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