This module outlines, the techniques and approaches of physical organic chemistry that are be used to study mechanisms of organic, bioorganic, and catalytic reactions and MO theory as applied to the analysis of organic reactions, including in pericyclic reactions. 

• Propose a reasonable and falsifiable reaction mechanism for a reaction based on interpretation of physical and/or structural data. 

• Propose experiments and predict outcomes of experiments designed to falsify proposed reaction mechanisms. 

• Critically evaluate publications reporting studies of reaction mechanisms and orally report on the findings. 

• Predict or rationalise the outcome of pericyclic processes, including periselectivity, regioselectivity and stereoselectivity based on analysis of molecular orbital interactions. 

The module is taught using a combination of online recordings, interactive workshop-style lectures, a workshop, and a presentation session as detailed in the weekly module map.  

The online recordings present the required theory and you are required to watch the recordings before the corresponding interactive workshop-style lectures.  

The interactive lectures then apply the theory as presented in the recordings to exam-style problem-solving exercises.  

The workshop is used to explain what is required from the coursework and to allow you to form groups for their presentations.  

During the presentation session, you will deliver their summatively assessed group presentation. 

Employability skills:    

This module is delivered and aligns with the following University Graduate Attributes:    

• Contribute to discussions, negotiate, and present with impact.  

• Consider own personal and professional ethical, social, and environmental responsibilities.  

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity, reliability, and competence.  

• Be mindful of the Climate Emergency and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals  

• Identify, define, and analyse complex issues and ideas, exercising critical judgment in evaluating sources of information.  

• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and engage in the pursuit of new knowledge and understanding. 

• Investigate problems and offer effective solutions, reflecting on and learning from successes and failures.  

• Generate original ideas and apply creative, imaginative, and innovative thinking in response to identified needs and problems.  

• Actively reflect on own studies achievements and self-identity  

• Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and creativity in dealing with challenges, and be open to change.  

• Identify and articulate own skills, knowledge and understanding confidently and in a variety of contexts.  

• Engage with new ideas, opportunities, and technologies, building knowledge and experience to make informed decisions about own future. 

Graduate Attributes – Assessment:    

Group Presentation              30%  

• Contribute to discussions, negotiate, and present with impact.  

• Consider own personal and professional ethical, social, and environmental responsibilities.  

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity, reliability, and competence.  

• Be mindful of the Climate Emergency and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals  

• Identify, define, and analyse complex issues and ideas, exercising critical judgment in evaluating sources of information.  

• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and engage in the pursuit of new knowledge and understanding. 

• Investigate problems and offer effective solutions, reflecting on and learning from successes and failures.  

• Generate original ideas and apply creative, imaginative, and innovative thinking in response to identified needs and problems.  

• Actively reflect on own studies achievements and self-identity  

• Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and creativity in dealing with challenges, and be open to change.  

• Identify and articulate own skills, knowledge and understanding confidently and in a variety of contexts.  

• Engage with new ideas, opportunities, and technologies, building knowledge and experience to make informed decisions about own future. 

Exam                                   70% 

• Contribute to discussions, negotiate, and present with impact.  

• Consider own personal and professional ethical, social, and environmental responsibilities.  

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity, reliability, and competence.  

• Be mindful of the Climate Emergency and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals  

• Identify, define, and analyse complex issues and ideas, exercising critical judgment in evaluating sources of information.  

• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and engage in the pursuit of new knowledge and understanding. 

• Investigate problems and offer effective solutions, reflecting on and learning from successes and failures.  

• Generate original ideas and apply creative, imaginative, and innovative thinking in response to identified needs and problems.  

• Actively reflect on own studies achievements and self-identity  

• Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and creativity in dealing with challenges, and be open to change.  

• Identify and articulate own skills, knowledge and understanding confidently and in a variety of contexts.  

• Engage with new ideas, opportunities, and technologies, building knowledge and experience to make informed decisions about own future. 

Sustainable Development Goals:     

This module is delivered and aligns in working towards the following Sustainable Development Goals: 

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns  

The module will be assessed through a group presentation and an exam. 

The summatively assessed group presentation assesses the student’s ability to critically evaluate publications reporting studies of reaction mechanisms and orally report on the findings, to work as a group to develop a presentation and to deliver an oral presentation on a mechanistic study.  

The marking criteria are the group’s ability in linking data to mechanism a clear demonstration of how mechanism is supported by results from experiments is expected), in critical analysis (comments on quality of data and suggestions for future work are expected) and in quality of presentation (quality of slides, sequence of material & structure of presentation, coherence of presentation are assessed).  

The group is awarded a group mark from which individual marks are decided through peer marking, so that the average of the individual marks corresponds to the group mark.  

The exam assesses the student’s ability to propose a reasonable and falsifiable reaction mechanism for a reaction based on interpretation of physical and/or structural data; propose experiments and predict outcomes of experiments designed to falsify proposed reaction mechanisms; predict or rationalise the outcome of pericyclic processes, including periselectivity, regioselectivity and stereoselectivity based on analysis of molecular orbital interactions. 

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REASSESSMENT IN THIS MODULE: 

Opportunities for re-assessment is only permitted provided you have not failed more credit than in the resit rule adopted by your programme. If the amount of credit you have failed is more than permitted by the relevant resit rule, you may be permitted to repeat study if you are within the threshold set for the Repeat rule adopted by your programme. You will be notified of your eligibility to resit/repeat any modules after the Examining Board in the Summer period. 

All resit assessments will be held in the Resit Examination period, prior to the start of the following academic session. 

A resit exam and a resit presentation will be offered if required. The resit presentation is an individual presentation instead of a group presentation.  

Kinetics techniques in mechanistic studies: experimental methods for the acquisition of kinetic data; data analysis, curve fitting, statistics, and error analysis; simple rate laws; analysis of kinetic data in terms of reaction mechanisms; complex rate laws; numerical integration techniques 

Determination and interpretation of activation parameters in mechanistic studies: Gibbs energies and standard states; Δ‡Hø, Δ‡Sø and Δ‡V and their interpretation 

General & specific acid and base catalysis in mechanistic studies: pH rate profiles; equations and data analysis; mechanisms leading to general/specific acid/base catalysis 

Linear free energy relationships in mechanistic studies: Brønsted plots; Hammett plots 

Use of isotopes in mechanistic studies: isotopic labelling; cross-over experiments; primary kinetic isotope effects; solvent isotope effects 

Proposing reasonable reaction mechanisms: application of the techniques above to proposing reasonable reaction mechanisms 

MO theory as applied to non-pericyclic organic reactions: The application of MO theory to various organic reactions; stereoelectronic effects. 

MO theory as applied to pericyclic reactions: cycloadditions (including Diels-Alder and dipolar cycloadditions); symmetry-allowed and symmetry-forbidden reactions, regioselectivity, stereoselectivity; sigmatropic rearrangements; 1, n hydride shifts, Cope and Claisen rearrangements; electrocyclic reactions; photochemical processes; synthetic strategies involving pericyclic processes