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2025-2026 / CHIM9283-1

Organic Chemistry II, Part A

Duration

25h Th, 45h Pr, 10h Mon. WS

Number of credits

 Bachelor in chemistry6 crédits 

Lecturer

Jean-Christophe Monbaliu

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Organic Chemistry II (Part A) provides a complement to the basic notions and fundamental concepts of organic chemistry (covered in the CHIM0205 course taught in Year 1 of the Bachelor in Chemical Sciences). The course consists of a collection of chapters documenting various aspects of heteroatom organic chemistry. The first section is a "toolbox" that recalls key concepts (thermodynamics, kinetics, electronic and energetic parameters) and summarizes the fundamentals underlying the main principles of reactivity and selectivity. This toolbox equips Bachelor students with the necessary foundation for a rational approach to organic chemistry. The course then explores the diversity of reactivity of organic derivatives of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, and silicon. This teaching is anchored in recent developments and modern strategies in organic chemistry, within the context of atom economy, green chemistry, and low-environmental-impact processes.

The course is organized into 4 chapters (+ one "toolbox" review chapter):

  • Chapter 0: Review of fundamental concepts
  • Chapter I: Chemistry of nitrogen compounds
  • Chapter II: Organophosphorus compounds
  • Chapter III: Sulfur and selenium derivatives
  • Chapter IV: Organosilanes
Chapter 0 is a review of the fundamental concepts from Year 1 (CHIM0205) and is not discussed again during the term; it summarizes the minimum knowledge expected from the previous year. Each chapter (electronic version available on MyULiège) includes numerous problems and articles related to current developments in chemistry, in order to foster self-learning and curiosity. Multiple examples drawn from current industrial processes (pharmaceutical active ingredients, organic materials) and from biochemistry illustrate the omnipresence of organic chemistry in everyday life. Exercise sessions accompany each chapter to illustrate and put into practice theoretical concepts. Clear links are established with other major areas of chemistry to ensure a transversal approach from the early years.

Tutorial sessions (5 sessions of 2 hours) will complement the lectures and serve to illustrate them:

  • Session 1: Chapter I (Chemistry of nitrogen compounds)
  • Session 2: Chapter I (Chemistry of nitrogen compounds - continued)
  • Session 3: Chapter II (Organophosphorus compounds)
  • Session 4: Chapters II and III (Organophosphorus compounds - continued, and sulfur derivatives)
  • Session 5: Chapter IV (Chemistry of silicon)
Additional exercises for revision and reinforcement of prerequisites are available online (MyULiège). These are to be completed at home before the first tutorial in order to test and ensure a good command of the Year 1 material in organic chemistry. A detailed answer key is provided to allow for self-correction.

Laboratory sessions will be presented in detail during an introductory meeting held before the start of the lab work. They revolve around six projects involving multi-step sequences, connected to the theoretical material covered in the course, and illustrating advanced techniques in organic synthesis. Students will be confronted with issues of toxicity and hazards associated with handling chemicals, with best laboratory practices, and with the ethics of scientific work. Several workshops highlight the use of light as a lower environmental impact alternative for complex transformations.

Laboratory projects:

  • Project I: Synthesis of a pharmaceutical active ingredient precursor by electrophilic amination
  • Project II: Preparation of an olefin via the reaction between a phosphorus ylide and an aldehyde
  • Project III: Selective oxidation of a thioether to a sulfoxide or sulfone
  • Project IV: Formation of a silyl enol ether and Mukaiyama-aldol condensation
  • Project V: Synthesis of safrole
  • Project VI: Decomposition of a diazoamide and formation of a lactam

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

  • mobilize fundamental concepts (thermodynamics, kinetics, electronic parameters) to analyze reactivity and selectivity in organic chemistry;
  • describe and explain the chemistry of the main organic derivatives of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, and silicon;
  • apply a transversal approach linking organic chemistry with industrial processes, biochemistry, and the principles of green chemistry;
  • solve exercises and problems independently using complementary resources and tools;
  • carry out multi-step sequences and modern synthetic techniques in laboratory sessions, while adhering to rules of safety, ethics, and sustainability.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The Bachelor student is expected to possess the basic notions of organic chemistry as taught in the CHIM0205 course (Organic Chemistry I).

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Tutorial sessions

The five tutorial sessions (2 h each) are held alternately with the lectures. They accompany each chapter to illustrate and put into practice the concepts covered (see description above). Tutorials are organized in a classroom setting. The use of a molecular model is recommended, but not mandatory.

Laboratory sessions

Laboratory sessions take place in rooms R14 and R20, on the ground floor of building B.6d. Attendance at laboratory sessions is compulsory. Any absence must be justified by a medical certificate or by an appropriate supporting document. For safety reasons, access to the laboratory is only permitted to students equipped with a laboratory coat (made of non-flammable fabric) and safety goggles. The laboratory coat and goggles must be worn at all times. Safety instructions will be recalled during the introductory laboratory session. Any failure to comply with these safety rules will result in exclusion from the laboratory.

Each laboratory session must be carefully prepared in advance using the laboratory manual. The instructions and objectives of each session will be clearly presented during the introductory session and then reiterated in the laboratory. Each session will begin with a short quiz on the material of the day. Each student is responsible for keeping their laboratory notebook and equipment in order. The notebook will be subject to periodic checks; a notebook not completed according to the standards specified in class will be penalized in the behavior grade. A written report is required for each project, following a provided template. A calendar will specify the projects, the objectives to be achieved, and the reports to be submitted. A laboratory fee is required, as well as a deposit for small equipment (spatulas, magnetic stir bars, etc.).

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

In-person lectures: the theoretical foundations will be presented and illustrated with numerous concrete examples. E-learning opportunities are available (exercises, supplementary resources).

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- MyULiège

Other site(s) used for course materials
- DOX (https://dox.uliege.be/index.php/s/AoQV3LSSmohjwR8)


Further information:

Platform(s) used for course materials:

  • MyULiège
Other site(s) used for course materials:

Additional information:

The course notes (in French, with audio commentary) are available via the MyULiège and DOX platforms. Also accessible there are exercises and supplementary readings, a laboratory manual (in French), exercise sheets for tutorials, and sample exams from previous years. The laboratory manual includes a theoretical and mechanistic introduction as well as the experimental procedures.

Recommended (but not mandatory) reference books, available at the Science and Technology Library or for consultation at the instructor's office:

  • Organic Chemistry, J. Clayden, N. Greeves, S. Warren, and P. Wothers, Oxford University Press, 2012, ISBN 9780199270293
  • Mécanismes Réactionnels en Chimie Organique - méthodes synthétiques, stéréochimie et réactions modernes, R. Brückner, De Boeck Université, 1999, ISBN 2-7445-0052-6
  • Chimie Organique - hétéroéléments, stratégies de synthèse et chimie organométallique, N. Rabasso, 2nd edition, De Boeck Université, 2009, ISBN 9788804101688

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

Written work / report

Out-of-session test(s)


Further information:

Exam(s) during session

All sessions combined

  • In person
  • Written evaluation (open-ended questions)
Additional information:

The course assessment consists of a four-hour written exam during the January session, covering the entire course material. The exam is mainly focused on solving exercises and directly applying the principles taught in the course. A resit session is scheduled in August/September if the grade obtained in January is below 10/20. The modalities are identical to those of the January exam.

Assignments - Reports

Additional information:

For each project developed in the laboratory sessions, a report must be completed per pair (bench). This report follows a predefined template provided to students. The teaching assistant will provide feedback based on the first report, in order to improve subsequent reports and encourage the adoption of good laboratory practices. A calendar will be established and clearly displayed in the laboratory, specifying the projects, the objectives to be achieved, and the deliverables (reports) to be submitted.

At the end of the term, individual laboratory notebooks will be collected for assessment (see the note below concerning the overall course grade).

Quizzes outside the exam session

Additional information:

There are no formal quizzes on the course material during the semester. However, each laboratory session begins with a short quiz of three questions on the content of the day's session.

Overall course grade

The overall course grade takes into account both the evaluation of knowledge acquired in lectures and tutorials, as well as the assessment of the practical work. The final grade is expressed on a scale of 20 and is calculated as follows: 70% from the exam and 30% from the practical sessions. The practical grade is based on three equally weighted criteria: (i) the overall assessment of laboratory work ("performance/attitude", 1/3), (ii) the quality of the individual laboratory notebook (1/3), and (iii) the evaluation of reports and quizzes (1/3).

Exemption from laboratory sessions

Any repeating student who obtained a mark of at least 13/20 for the laboratory sessions in the previous academic year (n-1) is exempted from the laboratory sessions in the current year (n).

In this case, the overall course grade no longer takes laboratory marks into account. The final grade is therefore entirely based on the exam (100% weighting).

If a repeating student obtained a mark equal to or higher than 13/20 in the laboratory sessions, he/she may nevertheless choose to redo all laboratory sessions in order to improve the grade. In that case, the overall course grade will be recalculated according to the same rules as for a first registration.

Work placement(s)

Nihil

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

  • Molecular models are recommended for the exercise sessions.
  • Lab coat, safety goggles, and laboratory notebook are mandatory for the laboratory sessions.

Contacts

Course Instructor: Prof. Jean-Christophe M. Monbaliu

Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis - CiTOS

Department of Chemistry, Building B6a, Room 3/19

phone: 04 366 35 10 

email: jc.monbaliu@uliege.be  

Teaching Assistant: Sébastien Renson

Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis - CiTOS

Department of Chemistry, Building B6a

phone: 04 366 90 91

email: srenson@uliege.be

Teaching Assistant - lab practice: Loïc Bovy

Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis - CiTOS

Department of Chemistry, Building B6a

phone: 04 366 27 67

email: Loic.Bovy@uliege.be 

Association of one or more MOOCs

Items online

Organic Chemistry II Partim A
Organic Chemistry II Partim A

exemples d'examens
exemples d'examens