Investigative Organic Chemistry
Overview
This second-year chemistry unit is designed for students who have completed introductory organic chemistry as part of their first-year studies. It focuses on advancing students’ knowledge in key areas of organic chemistry, including organic reactions, stereochemistry, and synthetic strategies. The unit also builds on foundational laboratory techniques, enhancing students’ practical skills in organic chemistry. Through this unit, students will deepen their understanding and develop specialized expertise in organic chemistry, preparing them for further study and research in the field.
Requisites
02-November-2025
01-November-2026
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Interpret fundamental concepts including electrophiles/nucleophiles, acidity/basicity, and apply curly arrow notation to rationalize organic reaction mechanisms
- Explain and apply key reaction mechanisms including aliphatic nucleophilic substitution, aromatic electrophilic substitution and key carbonyl reactions, to predict reaction outcomes and product distributions
- Analyze the stereochemistry of organic molecules and accurately distinguish between various types of stereoisomers
- Design organic synthetic pathways by applying strategies of functional group interconversion and retrosynthetic analysis
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of polymer chemistry, including polymer classification and methods of synthesis
- Exhibit proficiency in organic laboratory techniques and effectively communicate experimental results through structured scientific reports
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Lecture |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Lecture |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Lab |
3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
7.50 | 12 weeks | 90 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Assignment | Individual | 5 - 10% | 1 |
| Examination | Individual | 20 - 35% | 3.4.5 |
| Laboratory Report | Individual/Group | 35 - 50% | 6 |
| Mid-Semester Test | Individual | 20 - 30% | 1,2 |
Hurdle
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:
(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) obtain at least 40% in the final exam, and must
(iii) obtain at least 40% of the possible marks for the laboratory hurdle.
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirements (ii) and (iii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.
Content
- Fundamental concepts of electrophiles and nucleophiles, acidity and basicity
- Curly arrow notation for illustrating electron movement in organic reaction mechanisms
- Core organic reactions including aliphatic nucleophilic substitution, aromatic electrophilic substitution, carbonyl compound reactions
- Principles of stereochemistry and classification of stereoisomers
- Strategies in organic synthesis, including functional group interconversion and polymer synthesis
- Advanced practical techniques in organic chemistry laboratories
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.