ECU Web Unit Outline
 
FACULTY OF HEALTH, ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Full Unit Outline - Enrolment Approved Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Disclaimer
This unit outline may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.
 
UNIT TITLE Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
UNIT CODE SCC1226
CREDIT POINTS 15
FULL YEAR UNIT No
PRE-REQUISITES SCC1123 - Chemistry for the Life Sciences or WACE Chemistry 3A/3B (or equivalent)
MODE OF DELIVERY On-campus
DESCRIPTION

This unit provides an introduction to organic chemistry and biochemistry. It covers the structure and reactions of important classes of organic compounds and biomolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids. Various important applications will be described, including polymers, medicinals, soaps, detergents.
 
LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. explain and apply fundamental concepts and principles in organic chemistry and biochemistry and recognise applications of these concepts and principles;
  2. identify important functional groups and classes of organic and biomolecules, describe their structure, and predict outcomes of typical reactions;
  3. describe and relate the structure and properties of medicinals, polymers and soaps to their uses in society;
  4. demonstrate laboratory skills relevant to organic chemistry and biochemistry including handling and disposal of chemical reagents with respect to personal safety and sustainable practice.
 
UNIT CONTENT
  1. General
    Overview of organic and biological chemistry and the applications in many fields of science across international contexts, such as biochemistry, nutrition and forensics.
  2. Hydrocarbons
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, physical and chemical properties of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and aromatic compounds. Applications as fuels, chemical feedstocks.
  3. Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, preparation, physical properties, typical chemical reactions. Example of fermentation and production of alcoholic beverages.
  4. Aldehydes, Ketones and Amines
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, preparation, physical properties, typical chemical reactions. Comparison of aldehydes and ketones.
  5. Carboxylic Acids, Esters and Amides
    Nomenclature, bonding, structure, preparation, physical properties, typical chemical reactions. Examples of fruit essences and flavourings, cosmetics, vitamins, medicinals, soaps and detergents.
  6. Synthetic Polymers
    Addition and condensation polymerisation reactions. Poly(ethylene) and its derivatives, polyesters and polyamides.
  7. Carbohydrates
    Structure of monosaccharides (especially glucose, fructose, galactose), disaccharides (maltose, lactose, sucrose), polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose), including stereoisomerism. Identification tests for carbohydrates as reducing sugars. Formation and hydrolysis of glycosidic linkages.
  8. Lipids
    Classification system for lipids. Triglycerides, degree of unsaturation, hydrolysis and saponification. Phospholipids and application as biological membranes. Steroids, prostaglandins, waxes as categories of lipid.
  9. Proteins
    Structure of amino acids, importance of side chain structure, existence as zwitterions. Formation of peptide bonds. Proteins and their primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures.

    Enzymes and biological catalysts, dependence on temperature and pH, models of enzyme function (lock and key model, induced fit model).

  10. Nucleic Acids
    Components and structure of nucleic acids, formation of double helix, DNA and RNA exemplars, role and function of nucleic acids.
  11. Metals in biological systems
    Metals in important biological molecules such as haemoglobin and chlorophyll, metals in the environment, trace metals.
  12. Analysis of biomolecules
    Introduction to spectroscopy and chromatography and their application to biological, nutritional and forensic analysis.
 
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES
Lectures and laboratory work. During laboratory work, students will work in teams, and develop time-management and communications skills required to complete multiple activities simultaneously.
 
GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

The following graduate attributes will be developed in this unit

  • Ability to communicate
  • Ability to work in teams
 
ASSESSMENT
Grading Schema 1
 
Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.
 

Item

On-Campus Assessment

Value

  

Test

Mid-semester test

30%

Examination

End of semester examination

50%

Laboratory Work

*Laboratory reports

20%

 
* This assessment item may include the cumulative assessment of laboratory skills or reports. Reports are graded with a focus on accurately-reported observations and scientific inferences made.


In order to pass this unit, students must attend at least 80% of the laboratory sessions.
 
TEXTS
Seager, S. L., & Slabaugh, M. R. (2011). Organic and biochemistry for today (7th ed.). New York: Cengage.
 
SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES
Bruice, P. Y. (2010). Essential organic chemistry (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson
Bettelheim, F. A., Brown, W. H., Campbell, M. K., & Farell, S. O. (2007). Introduction to general, organic and biochemistry (8th ed.). Belmont: Thompson Higher Education.
Brown, W., & Poon, T. (2011). Introduction to organic chemistry (4th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley
Hein, M., Pattison, S., Arena, S., & Best, L. (2009). Introduction to general, organic and biochemistry (9th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley
Seager, S., & Slabaugh, M. (2011). Chemistry for today: General, organic and biochemistry (7th ed.). Belmont: Thompson Brooks/Cole
Timberlake, K. C. (2009). Chemistry: An introduction to general, organic and biological chemistry (10th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson
 
 
 
Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability Service website:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/student-equity
 
 


Academic Misconduct


Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students’ work.

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.


The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.
ECU Web Unit Outline