Courses I teach at Whitman College

The Chemistry section of the Whitman College Catalog has more information about these courses and chemistry at Whitman.

CHEM-245: Organic Chemistry I

Organic chemistry is taught as a two-semester sequence at Whitman. CHEM-245 introduces foundation concepts of organic chemistry, including molecular geometry and bonding, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, radical reactions, and the properties and major reactions of haloalkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and alcohols.

CHEM-246: Organic Chemistry II

CHEM-246 builds on the foundations of CHEM-245 and introduces instrumental analysis techniques (IR, NMR, MS, and UV-vis spectroscopy), and the chemistry of aromatics, carbonyl compounds, ethers, and amines.

CHEM-251: Organic Lab Techniques I

CHEM-251 is the first semester in the year-long organic chemistry lab course sequence. Students in CHEM-251 learn techniques for synthesizing and purifying organic molecules, including melting point analysis, reflux, distillation, chromatography, liquid-liquid extraction, recrystallization.

CHEM-252: Organic Lab Techniques II

CHEM-252 introduces key instrument-based characterization techniques (IR, NMR, MS), and provides further practice with planning and carrying out single step and multistep syntheses.

CHEM-370: Advanced Methods in Inorganic and Organic Synthesis and Characterization

CHEM-370 is an advanced synthesis course for upper-level chemistry majors. Students work on extended synthetic projects that require the use of more sophisticated techniques than those encountered in CHEM-251/252. Topics and techniques include 2d and heteronuclear NMR, preparative-scale chromatography, and the manipulation of air-sensitive compounds. Students in CHEM-370 write formal reports following the format used in professional chemistry journals.

CHEM-447: Physical Organic Chemistry

CHEM-447 is an advanced elective course for upper-level chemistry majors and other students interested in advanced topics in organic chemistry, which include aromaticity, pericyclic reactions, techniques for probing reaction mechanisms, computational modeling, and structures that push the limits of stability. The course format for CHEM-447 blends lecture, problem-solving activities, student presentations, and discussions of chemistry journal articles.