Chemical Synthesis and Analysis

Objectives:

The course aims to provide an introduction and overview of basic methods and procedures used in the synthesis and analysis of organic and inorganic compounds using micro- and semi-micro-scale. In the laboratory course, a selection of chemical reactions that are useful in connection with the synthesis of important organic and inorganic compounds are performed.

Content:

The course will demonstrate how organic reactions provide a basis for different industries such as the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry, animal health, electronics, flavour and fragrance and other industries based on organic fine chemical.

The laboratory courses provide a knowledge-based illustrative review of trends and type of reactions from the chemistry of elements to d-transition metals.

The course will provide a basic introduction to the use of qualitative analyzes as well as spectroscopic methods such as infrared (IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for structural analysis of chemical compounds.

Experimental laboratory work with modern synthetic reactions will illustrate what synthetic chemistry means for our society. The laboratory course provides a thorough introduction to how experimental results are summarized in a laboratory report and how to work in line with the basic regulations for health, environment, and safety for laboratory work.

On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has fundamental knowledge in performing the synthesis of organic and inorganic compounds on a laboratory scale
• has fundamental practical knowledge in isolating and purifying synthetic compounds
• has fundamental knowledge in characterizing chemically produced compounds using spectroscopic methods, such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

Skills

The student

• is able to perform chemical synthesis on a laboratory scale
• is able to prepare flow charts for use in identifying critical / crucial points in a synthesis procedure
• is able to prepare reaction schemes using appropriate software
• is able to use relevant theories, experimental methods and analysis tools for identification, quantification and simple structural clarification of chemical compounds
• has basic skills in isolation and purification of synthesis product
• is able to carry out a limited investigation of a chemical problem in a scientific way and analyze and interpret the results using relevant theory

General competence

The student

• has knowledge and skills regarding HSE in the chemical laboratory
• can formulate hypotheses and evaluate their relationships with the empirical results
• can concretize and verify theoretical knowledge by means of experiments
• can work in the laboratory, both independently and in a group (pair)
• is able to document and disseminate the results obtained from laboratory work through the writing of lab reports