Introduction to Physical Organic Chemistry

The Organic Chemistry course covers structure and mechanisms in organic chemistry with an emphasis on physical organic chemistry.

The major topics are:

• Chemical bonding and structures (electronegativity, VSEPR, Lewis structures, hybridization, QMOT, orbital mixing)
• Stereochemistry (configuration, conformation, chirality)
• Conformationally, sterically and stereoelectronic effects (thermodynamic, kinetic)
• Solutions and non-covalent binding forces (strong and weak interactions)
• Acid-Base chemistry (definitions and implications of pH and pK_a)
• Energy surfaces and Kinetics (transition state theory, Hammond postulate, More O’Ferral-Jencks plots)
• Isotope effects (theory and practice)
• LFER (Hammett, Bronsted relationship, enthalpy-entropy compensation)
• Catalysis (General and specific acid/base catalysis)
• Organic Reaction Mechanisms (Nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions)

And special topics related to the above topics.

The teaching will to a large extent follow the themes in the teaching book chapters, but additional literature will be used to support each topic. The additional literature will mainly be classic and contemporary articles and concepts in organic chemistry. When possible and appropriate, examples from the teachers own research will be used as examples of applied physical organic chemistry. Each topic will be introduces by the lecturer followed by discussions on the class. Exercises for each chapter will be handed out and discussed on the class based on the questions from the textbook or independently prepared quiz.

It is required that all students present at least one research paper during the course.