Organic Chemistry I

This is the first of a two-semester course on the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds. Organic molecules are the functional components of living organisms, the food we eat, the drugs we take, the clothes we wear, the fuels we burn, and most of the products in our lives. Students learn the basic language and tools for describing organic compounds and their reactions, including curved arrows, resonance, reaction schemes, energy diagrams, and structural drawings. Topics include bonding theories; acid-base chemistry; stereochemistry; and the nomenclature, structure, and reactivity of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and alkyl halides. Students also learn the theory, processing, and interpretation of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.