CHEM 764/7640 - Synthetic Organic Reactions
Semester: Fall 2025
Professor: W. Tam | Discipline: Organic | Campus: GuelphDescription
Named organic reactions and other synthetically useful reactions are discussed. The mechanism, stereochemical implications and use in organic synthesis of these reactions will be presented. Examples from the organic literature will be used to illustrate these aspects.
Materials
Lecture slides/notes will be available for download through CourseLink at the beginning of the semester. It is assumed that you are familiar with the organic chemistry materials covered in undergraduate courses and you may wish to have the notes available to review topic as needed.
Assignments, revisions materials, past exam papers will also be available for download through CourseLink.
Evaluation
The final grade will be obtained as follows:
Term Paper: 20% (Due date: November 25, 2025)
Seminar: 20% (Dates: November 18 & 25, 2025)
Mid-term Exam: 20% (Date: October 21, 2025)
Final Exam: 40% (Date: December 2, 2025)
Lab/Project
Lecture Schedule
September 9th Chapter 1 (Introduction & Review on Basic Organic Reactions)
16th Chapter 2 (Oxidation)
23rd Chapter 3 (Reduction)
30th Chapter 4 (Olefination)
October 7th Chapter 5 (Introduction to Protecting Groups in Organic Synthesis)
& Chapter 6 (Functional Groups Interconversion)
14th (Fall Study Break Day – No Classes Scheduled)
21st Mid-term Exam. (covering Chapters 1-6)
28th Chapter 7 (Carbonyl Chemistry)
November 4th Chapter 8 (Cycloaddition) & Chapter 9 (Sigmatropic Rearrangement)
11th Chapter 10 (Organometallic Reagents in Organic Synthesis)
18th Seminars
25th Seminars
December 2nd Final Exam
Schedule
- Tue: 7:00 pm - 9:20 pm in Synchronous Remote