CHEM 234 Syllabus, Spring 2024

Contents

0.1 | Basic Lab Course Information

Instructor

  • Dr. Brant Kedrowski (he, him, his), Office:  HS-446, Lab: HS-435, Phone: 424-3488, kedrowsk@uwosh.edu

Lab Course Description

  • Laboratory experience to complement Organic Chemistry I. Techniques explored include methods for separation, purification, and identification of organic compounds, and syntheses. Special course fees may apply. (CHEM 234 is a 1-credit course)

Prerequisite/Co-requisite note

  • Completion of CHEM 106 with a grade of C or better is required.  When students first register for organic chemistry, they are required to take lecture (CHEM 235) and lab (CHEM 234) concurrently. These courses are closely linked and complement each other.  Therefore, they must be taken together.  When enrolled in both, you will not be able to drop one course without also dropping the other.

Learning Objectives – Upon successfully completing CHEM 234 you will be able to:

  • Perform fundamental experimental techniques in organic chemistry
  • Collect and interpret experimental data, record your results, and submit reports
  • Solve chemical problems describing the structure and behavior of molecules
  • Use organic chemistry to explain certain physical behaviors in the natural world

Course Format

  • CHEM 234 will be taught as a traditional in-person course with attendance required each week, unless otherwise indicated in the syllabus.

Location and Times

  • All lab sections will start lab in the HS-457 classroom and then move across the hall to the laboratory in HS-454, to carry out the experiment. Section 1 meets on Thursdays 8:00-11:20 am; Section 2 meets on Thursdays 1:20-4:30 pm.  Labs will begin meeting during the second week of the semester on Thursday 2/15/2024.

Lab Attendance Policies

  • Attendance at in-person labs is required at each scheduled course meeting.
  • If you get sick or are quarantined, email Dr. Kedrowski as soon as possible at kedrowsk@uwosh.edu to make arrangements for your absence. You are required to return attending in-person labs once you are allowed by quarantine/isolation guidelines.
  • If you have some other good reason for not being able to attend lab (a family emergency for example), contact me as soon as possible at kedrowsk@uwosh.edu to make arrangements.
  • Do not come to lab if you are sick.

Navigating the Course

  • All content, activities and assignments will be posted on Canvas at https://uwosh.instructure.com/
  • All course activities will be organized around experiments that we will be carrying out each week.
  • Each experiment will have its own module in the Canvas course site.
  • Follow through the readings, videos, and assignments in the module for each experiment to work your way through the course.

Office Hours (HS-446)

  • Mon., Wed., Fri. – 10:20-11:20 am, or by appointment
  • Virtual appointments via Zoom are also possible (inquire by email to schedule)

0.2 | Getting Help

  • Your instructor, Brant Kedrowski:
    Contact me at (kedrowsk@uwosh.edu) or 920-424-3488 if you experience any difficulties that are impacting your ability to succeed in the course. These could be issues with academics, technology, mental health, finances, equity and inclusivity, or any other problems you might be facing.  I will either be able to address your problem directly, or I’ll connect you someone on campus that can.  Some examples of offices on campus that help students are listed below.  If you are uncomfortable contacting any of these directly, let me know and I would be happy to contact them on your behalf.
  • Center for Academic Resources (CAR):
    provides free tutoring and Supplemental Instruction (SI) services for undergraduate students enrolled in courses at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh on the Oshkosh Campus. Tutoring is available for many 100 and 200 level courses.  To learn more visit Center for Academic Resources (CAR)  or call (920) 424-2290.
  • The Writing Center:
    is a relaxed, friendly place to get free feedback on writing, presentations, and speeches. and is open to all current  UWO students. The Writing Center provides free sessions for writers of any level in any discipline. Use the Writing Center at any stage of the writing process for any assignment or project.  To learn more visit UWO Writing Center
  • Dean of Students Office:
    helps students with personal and emergency situations and coordinates accommodations for students with disabilities.  To learn more visit Dean of Students Office or call (920) 424-3100.
  • Accessibility Center (within the Dean of Students Office):
     It is the University’s policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have documented disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Accessibility Center and receive an Accommodation Recommendation form to receive accommodations. The Accessibility Center is located in Dempsey Hall 125. To learn more visit Accessibility Center – Dean of Students Office or call (920) 424-3100. 
  • The Counseling Center:
    at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a center of encouraging, compassionate professionals who engage students in overcoming challenges and achieving wellness while honoring the dignity and worth of each person. Their services are free and confidential service for students. To learn more visit Counseling Center University of Wisconsin Oshkosh or call (920) 424-2061.
  • The Division of Academic Support of Inclusive Excellence (ASIE):
    is dedicated to the academic growth and personal development of UW Oshkosh students including structurally excluded groups comprising first-generation, low-income, students of color, women, and LGBTQ+ students.  To learn more, visit Academic Support of Inclusive Excellence University of Wisconsin Oshkosh or call (920) 424-3080.
  • TRIO Student Support Services:
    exist to help students who are first-generation (parents do not have a four-year degree) and/or are from limited-income families. SSS and SSS STEM seek to maximize each student’s potential and help them achieve educational and personal goals while at UW Oshkosh. To learn more visit TRIO Student Support Services University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
  • LGBTQ+ Resource Center:
    aims to create awareness across our campus and community by identifying and responding to the concerns and needs of LGBTQ+ students, staff, faculty and allies. To learn more visit     LGBTQ+ Resource Center University of Wisconsin Oshkosh or call (920) 424-3465.
  • University Police:
    Contact them at (920) 424-1212 for non-emergency crimes. Bias incidents can be reported at Bias Incident Report – University Police Department

0.3 | Inclusivity and Respect for Diversity

  • I believe that the scientific community is strengthened by the diversity of its members in areas including race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexuality, and socioeconomic class.  I am especially committed to increasing the participation and success of those populations that are underrepresented in chemistry or historically marginalized in higher education. My goal is to provide a learning environment that promotes inclusivity and is respectful of diversity.  If you experience any problems with inclusivity or respect for diversity from anywhere in our learning community, please let me, Brant Kedrowski (kedrowsk@uwosh.edu), know and I will work to correct the problem.

0.4 | Academic Honesty, Integrity, and Fairness

  • Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others’ academic endeavors as described in UW System regulations section 14.03.  Some examples of academic misconduct include but are not limited to copying answers from another student or allowing another student to copy your lab answers on quizzes, homework, or notebook/post-lab assignments.  Students are encouraged to work together in the course, help each other, and learn from each other.  Just be sure everyone is contributing and learning.  Students who violate these standards will be confronted and must accept the consequences of their actions as outlined in UW System regulations section 14.04.  The sanctions for academic misconduct will depend on the severity of the incident and could include an oral reprimand, lowered grades on assignments, a lowered grade in the course, or a failing grade in the course.

0.5 | Required Course Materials 

  • You will need a subscription to ALEKS 360, CHEM 234/235 – Spring 2024 – Kedrowski
  • You will access all ALEKS materials through this Canvas site
  • The subscription includes access to the e-book version of “Organic Chemistry”, 7th Edition by Janice Gorzynski Smith and ALEKS online homework for both lab and lecture
  • If you want a hard copy of the textbook, you can order a full color loose-leaf copy through ALEKS for $44.

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  • You will also need molecular model kit.  The HGS model 1013 kit (available at the bookstore) is recommended.

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  • Finally, you’ll need a pair of splash proof goggles.  You can use your goggles from general chemistry if you still have them.

0.6 | Evaluation of Performance

  • There will be 300 total points possible in the course.  These will consist of 125 points from notebook & post-lab assignments, 100 points from lab homework on Achieve, 50 points from prelab quizzes given in Canvas, and 25 points from a lab practical exam given during the last in-person lab meeting.  Students will be kept updated on their performance throughout the semester through posting of scores in the course Canvas gradebook.  You will be working with a lab partner to carry out the experiments. Notebook/post-lab assignments will be submitted as a team, The other assignments will be done individually.
Lab Report Assignments (submitted as a group) 125 points
ALEKS Lab Homework (submitted individually) 100 points
Prelab Quizzes in Canvas (submitted individually) 50 points
Lab Practical Exam (done individually) 25 points
Total Possible Lab Points 300 points
  • Percentage cutoffs for grades are shown below.  If you earn at least these scores you are sure to get the associated grade.  In calculating grades, we also look for logical breaks in score distributions.

A ≥ 93%, A– ≥ 90%, B+ ≥ 87%, B ≥ 83%, B– ≥ 80%, C+ ≥ 75%, C ≥ 65%, C– ≥ 60%, D ≥ 50%, F < 50%

0.7 | Laboratory Schedule

Exp # Experiment Title Lab Dates (Prelab Quiz is Due by Lab Time) Lab Report Due ALEKS Lab Homework Due
First week of semester (2/5 – 2/9) – No Lab
1

Understanding Organic Structures, Drawings, and Models (and check into lab drawers)

 2/15 2/22 2/25
2 Thin Layer Chromatography of Analgesic Drugs 2/22 2/29 3/3
3 Computational Chemistry: Molecular Modeling of Alkanes 2/29 3/7 3/10
4 Chromatography of Spinach Pigments 3/7 3/14 3/17
5 Citrus Oil Analysis by Gas Chromatography 3/14 3/21 3/24
6 Purification and Characterization of Anacin Components 3/21 4/4 4/7
Spring Break (3/25-3/29) – No Lab
7 Competing SN2 Reactions 4/4 4/11 4/14
8 SN1 Synthesis of tert-Butyl Chloride 4/11 4/18 4/21
9 Dehydration of 2-Methylcyclohexanol 4/18 4/25 4/28
10 Hydroboration-Oxidation of 1-Octene, part 1 4/25 5/2 5/5
11 Hydroboration-Oxidation of 1-Octene, part 2 5/2 5/9 5/12
12 Lab Practical Exam (and check out of lab drawers) 5/9
Last week of semester (5/13 – 5/17) – No Lab

 

0.8 | ALEKS Online Homework

  • Each student is required to complete their own individual lab homework in the ALEKS online homework system.  If you are also registered for the companion lecture course, CHEM 235, you’ll use the same subscription for both the lab and lecture portions of the course.
  • There will be eleven short homework assignments total, one for each experiment in the course, each worth 10 points.  Your lowest lab homework score will be dropped, and your ten best lab homework scores will provide 100 possible points out of 300 total points in the lab course.  Homework assignments will be due by 11:59 PM on their closing date, which will be the Sunday after the lab report is due.  See the laboratory schedule for due dates.
  • Each student can use up to two lab homework deadline extensions of 2-days each at any time during the semester with no questions asked and no point penalties.  To use an extension, simply email the request to kedrowsk@uwosh.edu. You may also work on assignments after the due date without using an extension with a 10% per day penalty on questions completed after the due date.

0.9 | How Lab Experiments are Organized

  • Each experiment will have its own page in Canvas.  Work through the activities and assignments on these pages to complete the experiments.  Experiment pages in Canvas contain:
  • X.0 | Introduction and Instructions – This will explain what you need to do for that experiment.
  • X.1 | Prelab Info – Work through the readings and videos in this section.  Then, take the prelab quiz in Canvas before the start of lab.
  • X.2 | Procedure – You and your lab partner will work through the procedure in lab to carry out the experiment.  YouTube videos of the experiment are included here to help you understand the procedure and techniques.
  • X.3 | Lab Report – Work on notebook section while doing the experiment by entering data in the linked document.  Work on answering post-lab questions after completing the experiment. Submit the file to Canvas when finished.
  • X.4 | Lab Homework – Complete the homework assignment for the experiment on the ALEKS online homework system.

0.10 | Prelab Quiz Info

  • There will be prelab quizzes given in Canvas for experiments 1-11 that will be due before the start of your lab section each week.  These quizzes will be done individually and will cover material from the prelab readings and videos for current week’s experiment.  There are eleven quizzes total that will be worth 5 points each, and your lowest prelab quiz score will be dropped.  Your ten best prelab quizzes will provide 50 possible points out of 300 total points in the course.  Since I’m dropping one score, I won’t be offering extensions on prelab quizzes.  If you forget to submit a quiz before it is due, it will count as a zero and serve as your dropped quiz.  If you have an excused absence from a lab (due to illness, family emergency, or other approved reason), you will be excused from the prelab quiz for that week.  The dropped quiz won’t affect your score in the course and won’t count as your dropped score.

0.11 | Lab Report Information

Each experiment has a lab report for you and your lab partner to complete and submit.  For experiments 1 and 3 this will involve filling out and submitting completed worksheets from the lab manual.  For experiments 2 and 4-11, this will involve completing an electronic document file in Google Docs and submitting it in Canvas as a PDF file by the specified due date.  You will need to create and insert electronically generated chemical structure drawings, equations, and chromatograms.  This will be covered in Canvas.  There is one lab report assignment for each experiment, and these assignments are worth a varying number of points.  These scores will account for 125 possible points out of 300 total points in the course.

A typical lab report document contains the following sections to fill in:

Your Name(s), Experiment Title, Date

I. Main Reaction or Key Chemical Structure and Properties:

In experiments where a reaction is carried out, paste in electronically drawn structures of reactants, a reaction arrow, and the products for the overall reaction.  In experiments where there is no main reaction, paste in electronically drawn structures of key chemicals. List molecular weight, density, and boiling point for liquid reactants and products.  List molecular weight, and melting point for solid reactants and products.

II. Procedure:

Summarize the procedure concisely in a short paragraph (no more than about ¼ to ½ of a page is required).  Do not simply copy and paste the procedure from the manual.  The idea is to briefly describe it in condensed form in your own words. You don’t need to rewrite the entire detailed procedure from the lab manual.

III. Safety:

Include the safety concerns for the experiment that were listed in the procedure and those discussed in class.

IV. Results – Data and Observations:

Record all your results and observations in this section.  Examples of data include masses of products, m.p. or b.p. of products, and any graphs from instruments.

V. References:

Include a numbered list of references at the end of each notebook entry.  Include at a minimum, a reference for the lab manual.  If you look up any other data (literature values for density, m.p. or b.p. for example), you need to reference the sources by including them in your numbered list in the references section along with superscript numbers wherever the source was used within the document.  Examples of references are shown below:

Example for referencing the course lab manual:

(1) UW Oshkosh, Department of Chemistry, CHEM 234 Laboratory Manual, Spring 2022, p xx-yy.

Example for referencing a book or catalog:

(2) Aldrich Handbook of Fine Chemicals. Aldrich Chemical: Milwaukee, WI, 2012-2014, p 1759, 1770.

Example for referencing an online source:

When citing an online source, list the full address (copy from your browser) as a clickable link (see below) and list the date accessed.  Don’t cite wikipedia.com or google.com.  However, you may use these to find references on other sites.  An example of a reference for physical properties of cyclohexene is:

(3) https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/cyclohexene, accessed on 2/1/2022.

VI. Post-Lab Questions:

There will be questions to answer once the lab is completed.  These may be done either in lab if you have time or outside of lab.

Originality Requirements: You are encouraged to talk to other students about the labs, learn from each other, and help each other.  However, each student (or each pair of lab partners) must submit assignment written in their own words.  The wording of your answers in submitted assignments must not match the answers of other students.  The originality of submissions will be checked using the software “Turnitin,” which looks for matches between submissions this semester, in past semesters, and throughout an internet database.  Submissions that contain material clearly cut and pasted from another student’s report will receive scores of zero and may also be reported to the Dean of Students Office as a conduct violation.

0.12 | Lab Safety

A | Tour of HS-454 [00:06]

B | Tour of HS-455 [02:42]

C | Safety policies [04:17]

Safety is our top priority when working in the laboratory.  Any chemistry laboratory can be a dangerous place.  Understanding potential laboratory hazards is essential for avoiding dangerous situations.  You should read guidelines below carefully and follow them every day in lab.  These will be strictly followed.  The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has a Chemical Hygiene Plan that we will follow during our work in lab.  It is available online at https://uwosh.edu/safety/wp-content/uploads/sites/99/2020/01/CAMPUS-CHP-2018.pdf.  The University also maintains a safety web page at https://uwosh.edu/safety/, which includes links to Safety Data Sheets for the chemicals we will be using in lab this semester.

Some students may have special laboratory safety concerns.  If you have a known sensitivity or allergy to chemicals (such as a latex allergy), or if you are pregnant or may become pregnant, discuss this with your instructor before lab meets or as soon as possible.  We will make accommodations to provide the safest possible working environment for students in these situations according to section 3.2 of the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

    1. Know the hazards associated with each experiment. These are listed in the “Safety” section at the start of each experiment. Your instructor will also point these out before every experiment.
    2. Report all injuries or accidents to your laboratory instructor immediately. Your instructor will help you deal with minor injuries or help you get medical attention for more serious injuries.
    3. Wear a mask and approved splash-proof goggles in the laboratory whenever chemicals are being used. Masks must be worn all the time.  Contact lenses are not recommended.  Wear eyeglasses under your goggles instead. Chemicals in the eye should be washed out immediately with running water for at least 15 minutes.  Medical treatment should be sought immediately.
    4. Wear appropriate clothing. Your skin needs to be fully covered from the waist down to protect against chemical exposure during accidental spills. Shorts or sandals are not permitted.  Stretch pants tend to trap chemicals against the skin and are not recommended.
    5. No foods and drinks are allowed at the bench in the laboratory. Also, never taste any lab chemical.
    6. Minimize exposure to chemical vapors. This includes keeping volatile materials in a fume hood or near your bench-top fume hood.
    7. Minimize skin exposure to chemicals. Disposable gloves are available for your use.  Chemicals on the skin should be washed off immediately with running water.  Consult your instructor if you are exposed to a hazardous substance.
    8. Learn the location of safety equipment including the fire extinguisher, safety shower, eye wash station, fire blanket and exits in the laboratory.
    9. Understand use of safety equipment including fume hoods, fire extinguisher, safety shower, eye wash station, and fire blanket. Alert your laboratory instructor of any fires immediately.  Be mindful of your personal safety, and do not attempt to extinguish the flames yourself.  When warranted, your lab instructor will be the one using the fire extinguisher.  If a person catches fire in the lab, smother the flames with the lab’s fire blanket or use the shower.
    10. Dispose of waste properly. Disposal procedures must be followed as described at the end of each experiment or by your instructor. Ask your instructor if you have any questions about waste disposal.
    11. Report chemical spills to your instructor. Keep common areas and your bench area clean.
    12. Never use force on glassware. It can break causing cuts, which is the most common injury in the lab. This includes forcing thermometers and glass tubing into or out of rubber stoppers.  It also includes forcing plastic tubing on or off glass barbs on condensers and filter flasks.  See your instructor if your glassware is stuck.
    13. Never use broken equipment. For example, never use glassware with star fractures; never use electric equipment with frayed or exposed wiring, etc. See your instructor if you have questions about the condition of your equipment.

0.13 | Acknowledgement of Safety Regulations

I have read and understand the safety procedures that appear on the preceding pages of this manual.  I have read and understood all the guidelines set forth in the course syllabus.  I have been informed of the location and use of safety devices and exits of the laboratory in which this course is held.  I am aware of the location of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

PRINT NAME   ________________________________________

 

SIGNATURE    ________________________________________  

 

DATE_____________

 

COURSE  CHEM 234      SECTION_____________          ROOM  HS-454____

Drawer Numbers_____________

 

INSTRUCTOR__Brant Kedrowski_

 

0.14 | Check-in Procedure for Organic Chemistry Lab 

check-in sheet.jpg

0.15 | Required Regulatory Statement

“Students are advised to see the following URL for disclosures about essential consumer protection items required by the Students Right to Know Act of 1990: https://uwosh.edu/financialaid/consumer-information/Links to an external site..”

Printable PDF version of the CHEM 234 Lab syllabus