UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
CHE232: STRUCTURE AND SURVEY OF FUNCTIONAL GROUPS-I

Instructors: Prof. G. S. Singh (Lecture 1-14) and Dr. J. Ombito (Lecture 15-28)
August-November 2023

Number of Lectures: 28 Lectures (2 lectures/week)

Prescribed Textbook: Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry by McMurry.

Assessment: Important Dates to Remember

Assessment Dates Value of Assessment

Quizzes (2) 4th week and 10th week 10%
First Test 6th week 20%
Second Test 12th week 20%
Exam TBA 50%

Format of Assessment: Quizzes of 20 min may have multiple choice questions or short
answer type questions. For Tests and Exam: Section A: Multiple Choice-50%, Section B:
Descriptive-50%.
NOTE: All quizzes and test schedules are tentative and subject to change.

COURSE OUTLINE

Section 1: Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes

Review of Structure formula (line formula), CHE102 organic reactions with emphasis on
Functional Groups. E-Z system of nomenclature of alkenes, Conformation of ethane,
butane, cyclohexane, and mono-substituted cyclohexane. Some new reactions of alkenes
(hydroboration-oxidation, hydroxylation, ozonolysis, epoxidation) and alkynes (reduction
to trans alkenes, acidity of acetylenic proton).
(6 Lectures)

Section 2: Aromatic Compounds

Structure and properties of benzene, naming of benzene derivatives, electrophilic
substitution reactions (halogenation, nitration, sulfonation, Friedel-Crafts alkylation, and
Friedel-Crafts acylation) of benzene and mono-substituted benzenes. Oxidation of alkyl
side chains and reduction of nitro group to amino group. (5 Lectures)

Section 3a: Stereochemistry

Plane-Polarized light and optical activity, Fischer projection formula and other
representations, Chirality and enantiomerism, stereogenic centers-stereogenic carbon,
configuration and the R, S convention (examples of compounds containing one chiral
carbon only). (3 Lectures)
-------------------------------------Semester Break--------------------------------------------------

Section 3b: alkyl halides, alcohols, phenols and ethers, nucleophilic substitution and
elimination reactions
Alkyl halides - Reactions of alkyl halides with nucleophiles – nucleophilic substitution
and elimination; the concepts of SN1, SN2, E1 and E2. [5L]

Alcohols, Phenols, Ethers – Nomenclature and classification, Preparation (Recall:

Addition to alkenes, SN of organic halides), Acidity of phenols, Reactivity. Oxidation of
alcohols to carbonyl compounds [2L]

Section 4: Carbonyl Compounds

Aldehydes and Ketones: Nomenclature, Preparation from alkynes and alcohols (Recall),
Reactivity – Oxidation, Reduction, nucleophile addition, [4L]
Carboxylic acids
Nomenclature, Acidity of carboxylic acids, Preparation by oxidation of alcohols (Recall),
aldehydes and alkyl side chains of benzene (Recall), Nucleophilic acyl substitution,
Conversions to esters, acid halides, anhydrides, amides, chloride. [3L]