The students will:

• Understand the basic concepts and principles of Organic Chemistry
• Learn the various functional groups found in organic compounds and the main classes of organic compounds
• Gain knowledge on the main reactions of organic compounds and understand their corresponding mechanisms
• Become familiar with the basic laboratory techniques employed in organic chemistry
• Carry out in the laboratory some of the main chemical reactions of organic compounds

• Review, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
• Work in interdisciplinary environment
• Environmental protection

Α. Theory:

1. Introduction to Organic Chemistry: structure and bonding of organic compounds. Alkanes and cycloalkanes
2. Stereochemistry at tetrahedral centers
3. An overview of organic reactions
4. Alkenes: structure, and reactivity. Alkynes: structure, preparation and reactivity
5. Alkyl halides: structure, preparation and reactivity with emphasis on substitution and elimination reactions
6. Structure determination of organic compounds: mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and ultraviolet spectroscopy
7. Benzene and aromatic compounds: structure, aromaticity and electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions
8. Alcohols, phenols, ethers, epoxies, thiols and sulfides: structure, properties, preparations and reactivity
9. Aldehydes and ketones: structure, preparations and nucleophilic addition reactions
10. Carboxylic acids and their derivatives: structure, preparations and nucleophilic acyl substitution, alpha-substitution and carbonyl condensation reactions
11. Amines and heterocyclic compounds: structure, basicity and reactivity
12. Biomolecules: carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids
13. Synthetic polymers

Β. Laboratory experiments:

1. Isolation of caffeine from coffee beans and tea leaves
2. Preparation of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
3. Isolation of the active ingredient in an analgesic drug
4. Esterification: Preparation of esters with fruit aromas (aroma of orange, apple, banana, peach, pear and pineapple)
5. Essential oils: extraction of oil of cloves by steam distillation
6. Isolation of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments from spinach. Column chromatography and thin layer chromatography
7. Alcoholic fermentation: preparation of ethanol by fermentation of sugars and purification by fractional distillation
8. Saponification: preparation of soap from vegetable oils
9. Alkyl halide reactivity in nucleophilic substitution reactions
10. Preparation of biodiesel from vegetable oils
11. Synthetic dyes: preparation of methyl orange and indigo blue. Dyeing of fabrics and formulation of a paint suitable for painting
12. Synthetic polymers and plastics: preperation of a polyester and a polyamide (nylon)

Assessment Method

1. Oral exam before each laboratory exercise and evaluation of the student’s performance during each laboratory exercise (5%)
2. 13 group (per 3 or 4 people) laboratory reports delivered within the semester (10%)
3. Written final examination of the laboratory exercises (15%)
4. Written final examination that includes problem solving covering the entire subjects taught during lectures and tutorials (70%)

It is noted that each student must have a grade higher than 5 in each of the above assessment procedures

• Organic Chemistry, John McMurry, Cengage Learning, 9th edition, 2015, ISBN: 9781305080485.
• Organic Chemistry, Francis Carey, Robert Giuliano, Neil Allison, Susan Bane, McGraw-Hill Education, 11th edition, 2019, ISBN: 9781260148923.
• Organic Chemistry, David R. Klein, Wiley, 4th edition, 2020, ISBN: 9781119659594.
• Organic Chemistry, T.W. Graham Solomons, Craig B. Fryhle, Scott A. Snyder, Wiley, 12th edition, 2016, ISBN: 9781118875766.
• Organic Chemistry, Leroy Wade, Jan Simek, Pearson, 9th edition, 2016, ISBN: 9780321971371.