Course name: CHE212 Organic Chemistry II (lab)
Instructor: Dr. Takashi Suyama, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Organic Chemistry II was one of the coolest classes I took during college...Through this class, I learned how to problem-solve and think outside the box, which made me feel like an actual scientist."
About the course: The continuation course in organic chemistry, employing recent theoretical concepts and current techniques; laboratory emphasis on techniques, synthesis, and qualitative organic analysis. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period each week. Prerequisites: CHE 211 with a grade of C- or above. (Course Outcomes: “Propose a multistep synthesis, Adapt literature procedures, Execute synthesis, Purify products, Characterize and prove structures, Oral & written presentation of the synthesis”)
Instructor commentary: “The ‘synthesis project’ is an exciting, semester-long project in which each student will choose a molecule that they are interested in and is relevant to their vocational interest, research the primary scientific literature, propose a synthesis of the molecule based on the literature, have the department provide/purchase the necessary chemicals, execute the synthesis, troubleshoot, purify and analyze the product, and present their project outcome to the class. In this process, students make a huge step toward transforming into scholars from pupils and get to go through the whole realistic process of scientific R&D that ‘real life’ scientists participate in. Upon completion, this is something that they put on their CV to showcase their WU education in chemistry.” - Dr. Takashi Suyama
Student commentary: "Organic Chemistry II was one of the coolest classes I took during college. My favorite part of the class was the fact that we got to design and synthesize a compound of our own choice. I chose to make a compound which is used as a clinical drug. Through this class, I learned how to problem-solve and think outside the box, which made me feel like an actual scientist." - Andrew Gordon, biochemistry major from Strongsville, Ohio
"The class is challenging, but being able to synthesize your own product(s) with the newfound understanding of how chemicals interact on a molecular level is rewarding." - Samantha Boni, forensic science major from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
The Department of Chemistry & Forensic Science
As a student in the Department of Chemistry and Forensic Science, you'll be ready for a career both in and out of pure chemistry. Our graduates are working in medicine, pharmacology, agriculture and soil science, geology, mining and metallurgy, material science, engineering, patent law, pollution control, and ecology.
