Organic synthesis: strategy and techniques
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| End-of-course assessment | Residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
In this one-week residential school course, you’ll undertake an intensive laboratory-based project, learning experimental methods and principles involved in the multi-step synthesis of organic compounds. You’ll also gain experience of modern synthetic and spectroscopic techniques used in their preparation and characterisation. There’ll be some preparatory work before the school and an assignment afterwards. This course complements Organic chemistry: a synthesis approach (S344) and is particularly suitable for study in the same year. It will probably be held at York University with a choice of dates in July or August – register early if you have a preference, as we can’t always offer your first choice.
Course content
Much of the school will be devoted to undertaking a laboratory-based project aimed at planning and carrying out the synthesis of an insect pheromone. In the first part of the week, you will work as part of a team exploring the chemoselectivity and stereoselectivity of carbon–carbon double-bond formation using the Wittig and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reactions. In the second part of the week, you will undertake the synthesis of one of a group of pheromones all of which contain at least one carbon–carbon double bond. You will be supplied with the detailed experimental procedures to be followed for most of the synthetic route, but will need to use the information obtained from the group investigation earlier in the week for the step that involves formation of the double bond. In the course of this work you will, to varying degrees, gain experience of handling air- and water-sensitive chemicals; use flash chromatography to purify reaction mixtures and gas chromatography to analyse reaction products; and record and interpret infrared and proton n.m.r. spectra.
In order to get the most from the experimental work, it is necessary to understand the strategy of organic synthesis and infrared and proton n.m.r. spectroscopy. On the course CD you will be provided with the necessary background theory to study before the residential school. In addition, it is important that you have some familiarity with the experimental techniques used. Material describing these will also be provided along with information relating to risk assessment and the safety regulations that must be adhered to when working in a laboratory. During the school there will also be a programme of tutorials.
The school will be held at a UK university during July and/or August and you will be asked to choose your week when you register for the course. See our Residential Schools website for more information.
Entry
The course complements the discontinued 30-point Level 3 course Organic chemistry: a synthesis approach (S344), and all students on that course are strongly encouraged to take SXR344. It is suitable for anyone with previous experience of a chemistry laboratory who is studying molecular sciences at third-year degree level, either with The Open University or elsewhere, who would like to develop their knowledge of synthetic organic chemistry and relevant laboratory techniques. It builds on techniques and skills taught in our Level 1 residential school course Practising science (SXR103) and our Level 2 residential school course Exploring the molecular world (SXR205).
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
SXR344 is an optional course in our
- BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences (B16)
- BSc (Honours) Molecular Science (B26)
- Diploma in Natural Sciences (D47)
- Diploma in Molecular Science (E03)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it can help to weight your degree towards a BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant award descriptions for information on the circumstances in which the course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements of a qualification may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
If you have severely impaired mobility, manual dexterity or sight, you may find the laboratory work at the residential school challenging. The laboratory project will involve presentation of visual stimuli and a spoken element.
The laboratories and tutorial rooms are accessible to wheelchair users. Support services can be offered during the residential week, and every effort will be made to accommodate you. After you have registered you will receive detailed information about the residential school site and the facilities available to help with the academic programme. The course materials are presented on a CD and so you will spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer. Other materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Written transcripts are available for the audio-visual material. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklets Meeting Your Needs and Meeting your residential school needs, which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service. If you have concerns about taking this course or the support that you would need, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service or the Disability Resources Team for advice.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Preparatory materials presented on a CD-ROM, course website and course forum, workbooks for the laboratory investigations, a residential week of mainly laboratory investigations.
You will need
For the residential school, a laboratory coat.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you can use an Apple Mac or Linux computer if you can run Windows using Boot Camp or similar.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have tuition from specialist tutors for the residential week. Support before and after the residential-school week will be provided via the course website and online forum.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
Assessment will be in the form of a computer-marked assignment (CMA) before the school, assessment during the residential week and an end-of-course assessment (ECA) to be submitted after the school. To pass the course you must pass this assessment and participate satisfactorily in all the activities at the residential school.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May 2010 when it will be available for the last time. A replacement residential school is planned for 2011.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Science.
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