Ateneo - UPO

The laboratory course provides practical training in the fundamental techniques of organic chemistry through a series of experiments involving extraction, purification, chromatographic analysis and organic synthesis. Students will acquire hands-on experience in the correct use of laboratory glassware and instrumentation, reaction monitoring, purification of reaction products, yield calculation and product characterization.

1) Marco D’ischia, “la chimica organica in laboratorio” Piccin, Padova D. Pocar,
2) R. M. Roberts, J.C. Gilbert, S.F. Martin, “chimica organica sperimentale”, Zanichelli, Bologna
3) A.I. Vogel, “Chimica organica pratica", Ambrosiana, Milano

The course aims to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required in experimental organic chemistry. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to correctly perform the main laboratory techniques for the extraction, synthesis, purification and preliminary characterization of organic compounds. They will gain practical experience in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for reaction monitoring and purity assessment, liquid-liquid extraction, recrystallization, column chromatography, rotary evaporation and vacuum filtration, as well as in calculating reaction yields and interpreting experimental results.

Attendance of General and Inorganic chemistry laboratory.

The course is mainly based on hands-on laboratory activities, complemented by brief introductory lectures covering the theoretical background, experimental procedures and laboratory safety regulations. Students work in small groups under the supervision of the instructor and teaching assistants, carrying out experiments involving extraction, organic synthesis, purification and analysis of organic compounds. During the laboratory sessions, the main experimental techniques (thin-layer chromatography, liquid-liquid extraction, recrystallization, column chromatography, vacuum filtration and rotary evaporation) are introduced and applied. Critical interpretation of experimental results is encouraged through the discussion and comparison of the data obtained. Students are required to maintain a laboratory notebook and prepare laboratory reports on the experiments performed.

The teacher is available to the student for any clarification or explanation of the topics covered during the course.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The learning control in progress will be carried out through the daily control of the laboratory notebook with descriptions and comments on the laboratory experiences and the answers to the questions found in the experience card.
Assessment of learning during the course is based on the instructor's daily evaluation of each student's laboratory notebook, including the description of the experiments performed, the interpretation of the results, and the answers to the questions provided in the laboratory handouts.
Throughout the course, students are assessed on their ability to organize their work efficiently, manage the time and laboratory space available, comply with laboratory safety regulations, accurately collect experimental data, and critically analyze the results, as documented in their laboratory notebook.
During the final laboratory session, students' ability to apply the knowledge and practical skills acquired throughout the course is assessed through the qualitative identification of an unknown organic compound.
An integral part of the final assessment is the submission of a written laboratory report for each experiment performed. The reports are intended to evaluate the students' ability to record and present experimental data, critically interpret the results obtained, and communicate scientific information clearly and effectively. The written laboratory reports are followed by an oral examination aimed at assessing the student's understanding of the theoretical principles underlying the laboratory activities, as well as their ability to interpret the experimental results and explain the techniques and methodologies employed during the course. Sufficient is achieved by demonstrating that they have acquired the basic theoretical bases of the techniques proposed and know how to apply them to solve simple problems, to have an appropriate vocabulary and to be able to expose them clearly. Excellence can be achieved by demonstrating that it has acquired the ability to critically select the best combination of isolation and purification techniques and have a precise idea of what needs to be done experimentally and how to do it in addition to a thorough drafting of final reports based on a careful observation of laboratory experiments.
The final grade will be formulated in a collegial way starting from the weighted average of the grades of the theoretical and laboratory course, considering the ability of the student to have assimilated the concepts of the two modules and to be able to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired.

The first part of the course provides students with the knowledge required to work safely in an organic chemistry laboratory. Laboratory safety regulations, good laboratory practices, chemical hazards, the use of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and current regulations concerning the handling and disposal of chemical waste will be introduced.The course then covers the theoretical principles and practical applications of the main laboratory techniques employed in organic chemistry, including crystallization, recrystallization, solid-liquid extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, steam distillation, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), vacuum filtration, drying of organic phases, rotary evaporation, and column chromatography.The analytical section includes the use of the main qualitative tests for the identification of functional groups, including the Lucas test for alcohols, Tollens' test for aldehydes, bromine test for carbon-carbon double bonds, Hinsberg and diazo coupling tests for amines, and the iodoform test for methyl ketones. These techniques will be applied to the identification of unknown organic compounds.The practical activities also include the extraction and purification of natural products, such as the isolation of eugenol from cloves using different extraction methods (solid-liquid extraction, acid-base extraction, Soxhlet extraction and steam distillation) and the extraction of cinnamon essential oil.Finally, students will perform representative organic syntheses involving electrophilic addition, nucleophilic substitution, Fischer esterification, Friedel-Crafts acylation, aldol condensation and green chemistry approaches. The reaction products will be purified and characterized by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), yield determination and purity assessment.

Knowledge and understanding skills
Knowledge of the theory underlying the techniques of separation, purification and control of the purity of organic compounds. Knowledge of
the main essays recognition of functional groups.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
Ability to collect data of individual experiences and correctly fill in the laboratory notebook.
Autonomy of judgment
Ability to interpret the results obtained during the experiments and to identify any mistakes made
Communicative Skills
Ability to appropriately describe, using the correct scientific terminology, the operations carried out in the laboratory be able to clearly describe the use of various concepts learned in the course.
Learning ability
Ability to read and perform an experimental procedure for purification or identification of organic compounds Ability to learn through observation
of experimental data.