Announcements

8/31/09
Start-of-term notices:

Errors in the text and study guide are worth 5 bonus points on the quiz grade to the finder - first come, first served. These errors must be such that the text is saying something wrong, not just misspellings!

They will be listed on a special web page. In the menu, click on "Course information > Texts > Errata" to find it.

I have been pointed to a chemistry "ask-the-expert" service that you can use as an additional source of tutoring: Chemical Forums. There are several organic chemistry forums available. Follow the rules, please!

Students may, if necessary, change lab sections for a particular week by either exchanging with another student or using an open slot in another lab section.

You must notify Dr. Berger if you need to change lab sections for any particular week.
09/18/09
  • This is due today (Friday). We will be sharing results this week (the caffeine lab). Please report the following by e-mail to Dr. Berger:
    • Coffee or tea
    • How much you started with
    • How much caffeine you got
    The results will be posted to the Lab Handouts page as an Excel file.

    Report standards and examples are given in the Lab Manual (not Zubrick!) Your report is due to me at lab time next week, and will be returned the following week. Note that this report doesn’t have an experimental section; see For the report... at the end of the lab procedure, and of every other lab procedure.
  • Lab next week: Next Wednesday's topics will be covered in lab as well. You are responsible for reading the assignment before coming to lab. Bring your model kit.
  • Exam 1 is 7-9 PM, Thursday, September 24. If you need to take the exam at another time, you must notify me in advance. Times earlier the same day are preferred.

    Topics include:
    • Lewis, condensed and line-bond structures
    • All functional groups and their nomenclature
      • Aromatic compounds (today)
      • Carbonyl compounds (Monday)
    • Using wedges and dashes
    • Constitutional isomers and stereoisomers
      • "the same or different?"
      • Draw the isomers of (formula)
    • R/S isomers will not be on this exam