Organic Chemistry

This module is part of a collection of nine green chemistry teaching modules developed in the early 2000s by a team of faculty (Donna Narsavage-Heald, Trudy Dickneider, David Marx, Timothy Foley, Joan Wasilewski) led by Michael Cann at the University of Scranton and has been migrated to the GCTLC. The subjects of the modules are based on winners of the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The modules were used to infuse green chemistry across the curriculum (courses: general chemistry, organic, advanced organic, biochemistry, environmental, industrial, polymer, inorganic, toxicology). Infusion of green chemistry across the curriculum provides students the understanding that green chemistry is not a field unto itself but impacts all areas of chemistry. Having been exposed to many green chemistry examples students are likely to think green in their ensuing careers. The resources are provided as is in their original form, for reference and archival purposes. Therefore, some of the material may no longer be current, and some links may no longer be active. An interesting project would be to update the material in this module.

This module is written primarily for use in the two-semester organic chemistry sequence (both lecture and laboratory) traditionally encountered by students in their sophomore year of university. This module focuses on the efficiency of a chemical reaction. The traditional indication of efficiency is determined by the calculation of % yield. The module uses examples of organic reactions and syntheses to illustrate a second measure of reaction efficiency, the concept of atom economy. This deals with which atoms of the reactants in a chemical reaction are incorporated into the desired product versus unwanted by-products. It emphasizes the importance of minimizing waste by maximizing the incorporation of reactant atoms into desired products. From a balanced chemical equation, one can easily inspect the equation to determine this and, furthermore, using atomic weights, calculate the % atom economy as we will see in the module. This module can be adapted for use in other courses where chemical reactions are encountered such as general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, polymer chemistry, environmental chemistry and industrial chemistry as well courses for non-science majors.

Major funding for this project came from The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences. The ACS/EPA Green Chemistry Educational Materials Development Project and the University of Scranton provided additional funding.

This module is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.