Module: Organic Chemistry

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Organic Chemistry
Module Code	CHM1010 (ITS: CS204)
Faculty	Chemical Sciences	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

To develop competence in the use of chemical structures and reaction schemes. To develop chemical intuition. To develop an understanding and familiarity with mechanistic concepts. To develop problem-solving skills. To develop the theoretical and conceptual background for laboratory work. To develop an appreciation of the industrial importance of organic chemistry and of the contribution of organic chemistry to society.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the main electrophillic substitution reactions of benzene.
2. Predict the location of disubstitution of aromatic rings.
3. Assign R,S stereochemistry
4. Sketch and explain the more stable conformers of substituted cyclohexane.
5. Distinguish between Nucleophilic substitution reactions SN1 or SN2, and outline the mechanism involved.Similiarly consider Electrophilic substitutions E1, E2.
6. Illustrate mechanisms involved, and products obtained, from reactions addressed on the course, such as Aldol condensation, Claisen condensation.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Independent Study	101	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	10248	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC3	Best Mark	Y
Module Co-ordinator	Hasim Ibrahim	Module Teacher	Emma Coyle

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Written Exam	n/a	20%	n/a
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	80%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

ORGANIC FUNCTIONAL GROUPS
Review of their chemistry.

STEREOCHEMISTRY:
Cyclohexane conformational analysis: axial/equatorial positions; chair-chair interconversions; geometrical isomerism and conformational free energies in substituted cyclohexanes; decalins/steroids; hexoses. Chirality: optical activity; polarimetry; centre of chirality; enantiomers; racemates and resolution; several chiral centres; diastereomers; relative and absolute configuration; R- and S- nomenclature; deficiencies of D- and L-nomenclature.

MECHANISMS OF NUCLEOPHILIC DISPLACEMENT:
Kinetics and mechanism; transition state; the SN1 and SN2 processes; structural factors; optical isomerism, configuration and mechanism; solvent effects; Similiarly consider Electrophilic Substitutions E1 and E2.

CARBANION/ENOLATE CHEMISTRY:
Relative acidities of C-H bonds in differing molecular environments; resonance stabilisation; effect of a second stabilising group; Aldol condensation; Claisen condensation and its variants; ethyl acetoacetate, diethyl malonate and ethyl cyanoacetate; synthetic applications of active methylene compounds.

AROMATIC CHEMISTRY:
Benzene structure and electrophilic substitution reactions (nitration, halogenation, sulphonation,alkylation, acylation, metallation).Substituted benzenes: electrophilic substitution reactions of substituted benzene systems; rationalisation of activating and directive effects; survey of the chemistry of substituted benzenes in terms of sources, electrophilic substitution reactions and substituent chemistry - alkylbenzenes; nitrobenzenes; aromatic amines; diazonium salts; phenols; aryl halides (excluding nucleophilic aromatic substitution); aromatic carbonyl compounds.Aromaticity: the Hückel (4n+2) rule; polycyclic aromatics and their chemistry; introduction to annulenes and heteroaromatic systems.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Brown LeMay, Bursten, Langford,Sagatys,Duffy: 0, Cheistry The Central Science, Pearson,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None