Analytical & Organic Chemistry

Analytical & Organic Chemistry is a year-long exploration of topics in collegiate chemistry. The first semester will delve into models of covalent bonding, molecular orbital theory, multi-step reaction mechanisms, rate law determination, equilibrium systems, acid-base models, understanding free energy, and building electro-chemical cells. The second semester will apply that foundation to explore structures, properties, and reactions of organic substances. Topics will include organic nomenclature, conformational analysis, isomerism, functional group conversion, organic reaction mechanisms, and synthetic design. Throughout the year students will accomplish hands-on experiments using a custom built at-home lab kit and apply computational chemistry techniques for structural determination, reaction modeling, and spectroscopic analysis (NMR, IR, and UV-Vis). This course is designed to serve as a replacement for AP Chemistry. While the course does not adhere to the AP curriculum, it does provide a conceptual foundation for students who are interested in preparing independently for the AP Chemistry exam.