Organic and Biochemistry

Course Overview

This course introduces students to the fundamental classes of compounds studied in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. Emphasis is be placed on nomenclature, physical and chemical properties, chemical reactions, and biochemical pathways. Hands-on experiments are an important component of the course. Lab kits are supplied by Science Interactive and allow students to gain authentic laboratory experience from their homes. High school Chemistry is pre-requisite for this course.

The course uses a flipped classroom model incorporating the frequent use of videos with embedded questions that students complete asynchronously. All videos used in the course were created by Davidson Academy Online teachers using resources from the textbook, Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry 13th edition, by Timberlake. The course meets weekly for two-hour synchronous live sessions. Collaborative laboratory experiments are performed during most of the live sessions and additional coursework is completed asynchronously.

Course Content

Unit 1: Introduction to Organic Compounds: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes

This unit introduces students to the different ways chemists draw structures to represent organic compounds. It is the foundation of the Organic Chemistry portion of the course. Students will translate molecular formulas and Lewis Structures to condensed and line-angle structures. This unit also introduces students to basic IUPAC rules for naming organic compounds.

Students will be able to:

Identify properties of organic compounds.
Draw the condensed and line-angle structures for alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes when given the IUPAC name.
Given the structure, write the IUPAC names for alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.

Throughout the unit students will meet in a live class session through videoconferencing. The live sessions will take place on Fridays and last for two full hours. Students and the teacher will use audio and video to connect in real-time and discuss course content. Students will also work asynchronously throughout each week on assignments embedded in our learning management system.

Unit 2: Characteristics and Reactivity of Alcohols

This unit begins with a reading review of ionic, covalent, and polar covalent bonds. Students will build on their understanding intramolecular bonds and explore intermolecular forces. Through our study of alcohols, students will gain an understanding of how hydrogen bonding and the length of a hydrocarbon chain impact intermolecular forces and boiling points in alcohols and related compounds.

Students will be able to:

Write the IUPAC names for alcohols.
Classify alcohols as primary, secondary, or tertiary.
Describe the solubility of alcohols.
Describe common reactions involving alcohols:
- Dehydration of alcohols to form alkenes
- Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols

Unit 3: Properties of Carboxylic Acids

This unit introduces students to the carboxyl functional group. Students will learn the IUPAC naming system for carboxylic acids and their salts. Students will learn how the carbonyl group results in different properties in carboxylic acids compared to alcohols. They will gain hands-on experience in lab performing a hydrolysis reaction with acetylsalicylic acid.

Students will be able to:

Write the IUPAC names for carboxylic acids.
Describe the properties of carboxylic acids.

Unit 4: Properties of Esters

This unit builds on the knowledge of carboxylic acids students learned in the previous unit. In this unit students investigate the esterfication of carboxylic acids to produce esters. Through assigned readings and videos with embedded questions, students will learn about the properties of esters. Then in our synchronous live session, they will gain hands-on laboratory experience in the “Synthesis of Fragrant Esters” lab.

Students will be able to:

Identify esters as a functional group.
Write the IUPAC names for esters.
Describe the physical properties of esters.

Unit 5: Isomers

The Isomers unit transitions students from Organic Chemistry to Biochemistry. Building on the knowledge of isomers gained in the first unit, students will further investigate the properties of structural isomers and stereoisomers.

Students will be able to:

Identify structural isomers.
Identify chiral and achiral carbon atom.
Discuss stereoisomers including:
- Enantiomers, diastereomers
- Cis and trans isomers

Describe and identify meso compounds.

Unit 6: Carbohydrates

Through assigned readings and videos with embedded questions, students will learn about carbohydrates to prepare for our synchronous live session. The unit begins with a discussion of carbohydrates (with “carbo” referring to carbon and “hydrate” referring to water) to explain how carbohydrates are different from other compounds consisting of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Students will apply appropriate terminology to describe a variety of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They will understand the different forms monosaccharides can take and how they can form glycosidic linkages.

Students will be able to:

Define monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Distinguish between an aldose and a ketose.
Determine if a monosaccharide has a D or L configuration.
Use Benedict’s reagent and IKI indicator to detect the presence of simple sugars and starches.

Unit 7: Lipids

Through assigned readings and videos with embedded questions, students will learn about the properties (insoluble in water, soluble in organic compounds, etc.) and different categories of lipids. They will then examine these properties collaboratively in live session as they complete the “Synthesis and Analysis of Soap” lab.

Students will be able to:

Classify lipids (waxes, triacylglycerols, steroids, etc.)
Discuss solubility of lipids in water.
Discuss characteristics of fatty acids.
Describe the following common reactions:
- Esterfication
- Hydrolysis of Triacylglycerols
- Saponification of Triacylglycerols

Unit 8: Amino Acids, Proteins, and Enzymes

The unit begins with an introduction to the twenty amino acids that make up proteins. Students learn the basic structure of all amino acids and how the side chains give each one a unique set of properties. Students then learn how amino acids link together through peptide bonds to form polypeptides. Interactions between side chains result in secondary structures, which give rise to tertiary structures. Interactions between chains define quaternary structures and students begin to see the essential relationship between form and function that enables to enzymes to catalyze reactions.

Students will be able to:

Identify properties of amino acids.
Explain how amino acids form polypeptides.
Describe primary, secondary, and tertiary structure for proteins.
Explain the role of enzymes and how they function.

Unit 9: Metabolism

In this unit, students will see how the biomolecules they have studied throughout the course are broken down (catabolism) or built up (anabolism) through metabolic processes. Asynchronous work will focus on glycolysis, the Citric Acid Cyle, and the Electron Transport Chain and Oxidative Phosphorylation. The synchronous live session will involve collaborative labwork focused on anaerobic fermentation.

Students will be able to:

Describe the stages of catabolism.
Explain the role of ATP in metabolic processes.
Explain the role of coenzymes.
Describe the steps of glycolysis.
Describe the steps of the Citric Acid Cycle.
Explain how the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation work.

Unit 10: Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis

In the final unit students will see how interrelated processes allow genetic information to ultimately code for proteins. Starting with nucleotides, students will see how the building blocks of nucleic acids create the genetic code. From there they will learn the processes of transcription and translation.

Students will be able to:

Describe the structure of DNA and RNA.
Discuss the similarities and differences between DNA and RNA.
Explain the process of transcription and translation.