Unit 539: Organic Chemistry Fundamentals

1. Introduction to Organic Chemistry

• Definition and scope of organic chemistry
• Characteristics of organic compounds
• Structure of organic molecules: atoms, bonds, and hybridization
• Importance of carbon: tetravalency, catenation, and versatility

2. Functional Groups in Organic Chemistry

• Definition of functional groups
• Major functional groups and their general structures:
  • Hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic)
  • Alcohols, ethers
  • Aldehydes and ketones
  • Carboxylic acids and derivatives (esters, amides)
  • Amines
  • Halides
• Properties and influence of functional groups on reactivity

3. Isomerism in Organic Compounds

• Concept of isomerism
• Structural isomerism:
  • Chain isomerism
  • Position isomerism
  • Functional group isomerism
• Stereoisomerism:
  • Geometric (cis-trans) isomerism
  • Optical isomerism (chirality, enantiomers, chiral centers)
• Impact of isomerism on physical and chemical properties

4. Organic Reaction Mechanisms

• Overview of reaction mechanisms and arrow-pushing notation
• Substitution reactions (SN1, SN2 mechanisms)
• Elimination reactions (E1, E2 mechanisms)
• Addition reactions (electrophilic, nucleophilic additions)
• Rearrangement reactions
• Role of electron movement in determining reaction pathways

5. Nomenclature of Organic Compounds

• IUPAC nomenclature principles
• Naming alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes
• Naming aromatic compounds
• Naming compounds with functional groups
• Use of prefixes, suffixes, and locants
• Practice examples

6. Stereochemistry in Organic Chemistry

• Three-dimensional structure and molecular geometry
• Chirality and chiral centers
• Enantiomers and diastereomers
• Optical activity and measurement
• Impact of stereochemistry on biological activity and properties

7. Introduction to Bioorganic Chemistry

• Intersection of organic chemistry and biology
• Structure and properties of biological organic molecules:
  • Proteins and amino acids
  • Enzymes and catalysis
  • Nucleic acids (DNA, RNA)
  • Carbohydrates
• Reactivity and function of organic molecules in biological systems

8. Spectroscopic Techniques in Organic Chemistry

• Introduction to spectroscopy for structure elucidation
• Infrared (IR) spectroscopy:
  • Principle and functional group identification
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy:
  • Basic principles
  • Interpretation of 1H and 13C NMR spectra
• Mass spectrometry:
  • Molecular ion peak and fragmentation patterns
• Integration of spectroscopic data for compound characterization