The learning outcomes for this unit are described below. These outcomes are built from the learning activities in lectures, tutorials, laboratory and independent study. Important attributes are:

• the ability to apply scientific knowledge and critical thinking to identify, define and analyse problem and create solutions: you will be expected to demonstrate these outcomes on problems drawn from the material presented in the course and to novel situations.
• the ability to evaluate your own performance and development and to recognize gaps in your knowledge: keep a portfolio of your progress using the 'self assessment tool'

The ways in which these outcomes are assessed are described in detail in the unit outline. When reading this, you should note that the laboratory course is self-contained: material from the lab course is assessed in the lab course and is not re-assessed in the tutorial quizzes or examination.

• Generic Attributes
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  apply scientific knowledge and critical thinking to identify, define and analyse problems, create solutions, evaluate opinions, innovate and improve current practices
  •  gather, evaluate and deploy information relevant to a scientific problem
  •  disseminate new knowledge and engage in debate about scientific issues
  •  recognize the rapid and sometimes major changes in scientific knowledge and technology, and to value the importance of continual growth in knowledge and skills
  •  use a range of computer software packages in the process of gathering, processing and disseminating scientific knowledge
  •  make value judgements about the reliability and relevance of information in a scientific context
  •  evaluate your own performance and development, to recognize gaps in knowledge and acquire new knowledge independently
  •  set achievable and realistic goals and monitor and evaluate progress towards these goals
  •  appreciate sustainability and the impact of science within the broader economic, environmental and socio-cultural context
  •  present and interpret data or other scientific information using graphs, tables, figures and symbols
  •  work independently and as part of a team and to take individual responsibility with a group for developing and achieving goals
  •  actively seek, identify and create effective contacts with others in a professional and social context, and maintain those contacts for mutual benefit
  •  recognize the importance of safety and risk management and compliance with safety procedures
  •  manipulative equations and measurements with due regard for significant figures and unit conventions

• Laboratory Skills
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  perform careful and safe experiments
  •  accurately report scientific observations
  •  work as a professional scientist with due regard for personal safety and for the safety of those around you
  •  interpret observations in terms of chemical models with appropriate use of chemical equations and calculations
  •  perform calculations containing concentrations, moles and masses
  •  choose and use appropriate glassware for a given task
  •  choose and use balances accurately and appropriately
  •  present and interpret data or other scientific information using graphs, tables, figures and symbols
  •  work as a member of a team and to take individual responsibility within a group for developing and achieving group goals
  •  actively seek, identify and create effective contacts with others in a professional and social context, and maintain those contacts for mutual benefit

• Atomic Structure
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  list the particles that make up atoms, their symbols and their relative masses and charges
  •  calculate the average atomic mass from isotope information
  •  identify the components of the wave equation
  •  convert between the wavelength, frequency and energy of light
  •  explain the meaning of the orbital quantum numbers, n, l, m, and the designation of orbitals such as 1s, 3d, 4p, 4f.
  •  recognise the shapes of s, p and d atomic orbitals in these representations

• The Periodic Table
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  draw out the electron configuration for atoms in the s-, p- and d- blocks of the Periodic Table, including unpaired electrons
  •  assign atoms to appropriate groups in the Periodic Table on the basis of their properties
  •  give examples of periodic trends and chemical properties used to construct the Periodic Table
  •  explain periodic trends in atomic radii and ionization energies in terms of size and effective nuclear charge
  •  give examples of essential, toxic and medicinal elements
  •  describe how the role of these elements relates to their chemical properties

• Chemical Bonding
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  appreciate what a mole of substance is
  •  convert between mass and moles and between moles and mass
  •  work out the percentage yield in a chemical reaction by identifying the limiting reagent and the theoretical yield
  •  use experimentally determined percentage composition to work out the empirical formula
  •  use the ideal gas law to relate the number of moles, pressure, volume and temperature of a gas using the common units of pressure (atm, Pa and mmHg), volume (mL, L and m³) and the appropriate value of the gas constant, R
  •  explain the characteristics of ionic, metallic and covalent bonding
  •  draw out plausible Lewis structures for simple polyatomic molecules
  •  assign bond orders based on sharing of electron pairs and resonance structures
  •  identify single, double and triple bonds and the σ and π-components of these bonds

• The Shapes of Molecules
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  work out the number of bonding and non-bonding pairs from the Lewis structure of a molecule
  •  predict the distribution of these pairs around an atom
  •  place any lone pairs in appropriate positions to minimize the overall electron pair repulsion
  •  predict and describe the molecular shape
  •  predict the hybridization around C, N and O atoms in organic compounds
  •  relate electronegativity to bond polarity
  •  relate bond polarity and molecular shape to the existence of a molecular dipole moment

• Intermolecular forces
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  describe the different kinds of intermolecular forces that exist
  •  identify which intermolecular forces are present and which are more important between different molecules
  •  relate variations in melting and boiling points in related compounds to their intermolecular forces

• Acids and Bases
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  list common acids and bases
  •  define acids and bases according to the Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry models 
  •  use the definitions of pH and K_w to quantify the acidity and basicity of aqueous solutions
  •  explain the difference between a strong and weak acid and the difference between a strong and weak base in terms of the percentage dissociation in solution

• Introduction to Organic Chemistry
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  understand the basis of drawing organic structures
  •  convert between a condesned molecular formula and a skeletal or line structure
  •  determine the formula of a molecule from its skeletal representation
  •  identify the functional groups in a molecule

• Alkanes
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  name simple alkanes using IUPAC nomenclature
  •  distinguish between conformational and configurational isomers of alkanes 
  •  draw the chair representation of 6-membered cycloalkane rings

• Alkenes
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify alkene diastereomers as E or Z
  •  identify the electrophiles and nucleophiles in a reaction
  •  follow a reaction mechanism using curly arrows
  •  predict the major products obtained from the reaction of alkenes with electrophiles (using Markovnikov's rule)

• Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  explain the special stability of benzene and why it does not react like an alkene
  •  name simple aromatic compounds using IUPAC nomenclature
  •  predict the products for the reaction of benzene with several different electrophiles

• Heterocyclic Compounds
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  predict whether a molecule is aromatic
  •  identify the basic nitrogen atoms in heterocyclic compounds
  •  identify tautomers and predict their structures
  •  recognise the important role of aromatic compounds in biology and medicine

• Organic Halogen Compounds
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify and name organic halogen compounds
  •  predict the products of the elimination of alkyl halides, using Zaitsev's rule, and give the reagents required to perform this reaction
  •  Identify the products of nucleophilic substitution of alkyl halides
  •  determine the nucleophile required to react with an alkyl halide to give a specified product
  •  appreciate that nucleophilic substitution follows two mechanisms and the factors that effect each mechanism

• Alcohols, Phenols, Ethers and Thiols
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify and name simple alcohols, diols, triols and phenols
  •  explain why phenols are more acidic than alcohols
  •  predict the products of oxidation of an alcohol and give the reagents required to perform this reaction
  •  explain the nucleophilicity and basicity of alcohols
  •  predict the products of the elimination of alcohols, using Zaitsev's rule, and give the reagents required to perform this reaction
  •  explain the mechanism of dehydration 
  •  predict the products of oxidation of a thiol and reduction of a disulfide

• Amines
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  recognise and name amines
  •  predict the reactivity of amines as bases and nucleophiles
  •  appreciate the role played by amines in nature

• Aldehydes and Ketones
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify and name simple ketones and aldehydes
  •  explain the mechanism of nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl
  •  predict the products of oxidation and reduction of aldehydes and ketones and give the reagents required to perform these reactions
  •  identify the oxidant and reductant in the NADH / NAD⁺ cycle
  •  recognize hemiacetals and acetals

• Spectroscopy
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  explain the basic principles of a mass spectrometer
  •  identify the molecular ion, base peak and daughter ions in a mass spectrum
  •  recognize the isotope distribution characteristic or bromine and chlorine containing compounds in a mass spectrum
  •  use the information that IR and UV-visible spectra provide to aid in the determination of structures
  •  explain the basic principles of NMR spectroscopy
  •  identify the number and type of hydrogen environments in a molecule and predict the the number of signals in a ¹H NMR spectrum
  •  predict the number of hydrogen atoms in each environment from the size of the signals in a ¹H NMR spectrum
  •  predict the number of hydrogen atoms on neighbouring atoms from the multiplicity of the signals in a ¹H NMR spectrum
  •  determine the structure of a simple compound from spectroscopic data
  •  appreciate the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in medical applications

• Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify and name simple carboxylic acids
  •  give the products from the reaction of a carboxylic acid with a base and recognize that this is a reversible reaction
  •  predict the product of the reduction of a carboxylic acid and give the reagents required to perform this reaction
  •  identify carboxylic acid derivatives as esters, amides, acid halides and acid anhydrides
  •  give the products obtained upon hydrolysis of these carboxylic acid derivatives
  •  recognize that acid halides are more reactive than esters which are, in turn, more reactive than amides
  •  predict the products that will be formed when a carboxylic acid derivative is treated with an alcohol or amine
  •  give the reagents required for the interconversion of carboxylic acid derivatives
  •  list the physical properties of fats and oils

• Stereochemistry
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  identify stereogenic centres in organic molecules
  •  distinguish between different types of isomers, including enantiomers and diastereomers
  •  use (R)- and (S)- descriptors to describe enantiomers and identify if a compouind has (R)- or (S)- stereochemistry
  •  convert between stereo structures and Fischer projections
  •  determine the maximum number of isomers possible in a compound with more than one stereogenic centre  
  •  identify meso compounds and when to expect them 
  •  appreciate the role of chirality in nature and in drug design

• Carbohydrates
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  use Fisher projections to represent the structures of D- and L-sugars
  •  convert between Fisher projections and Haworth representations
  •  identify the anomeric carbon atom in cyclic saccharides
  •  predict the products of oxidation and reduction of sugars
  •  predict the products of hydrolysis of disaccharides and polysaccharides

• Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  predict whether the acid and amine groups in amino acids will be protonated at different pH values
  •  predict the pI of amino acids and simple peptides
  •  describe the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins

     

• DNA and Nucleic Acids
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  appreciate the possibility of tautomerism in heterocycles
  •  describe the structural building blocks of RNA and DNA

• Synthetic Transformations
  
  By the end of this topic, you should be able to
  •  appreciate the challenges and strategies used in synthesis and drug design

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