CHEM 237 B: Organic Chemistry

Autumn 2025
View in MyPlan View in Time Schedule
Meeting:
TTh 11:30am - 12:50pm
SLN:
12461
Section Type:
Lecture
Instructor:
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

CHEM 237B Canvas Site Home Page

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."

Albert Einstein

Course Meeting Times

Lecture

T/TH 11:30am - 12:50pm
BAG 131

Lectures are recorded via Panopto, and available as live streams (links in Course Schedule)

The best learning happens when as many students as possible participate in our large group lecture sections! While we do not track or excuse lecture attendance, PollEverywhere participation and engagement earns course credit. See the Grading System page for more info.

Discussion Sections

Mondays (times and locations per the UW Time Schedule)

Discussion sections are not recorded and in-person participation is expected. You are allowed to miss two discussion sections without penalty. If you need to miss discussion section for any reason, please submit a response to this absence form. 

Teaching Team

To contact us, see Communication, Contact Information, and Office Hours.

Instructor

Dr. Samantha Robinson (she/her) | sjconnel@uw.edu

Office: BAG 202D (above the front doors of Bagley Hall)

Office Hours held in BAG 331, Thursdays 1:00 - 2:30pm

Teaching Assistants

Anna Duboff, Eli Jaffe, Farhad Akrami

Course Materials

  • Organic Chemistry, 7th edition (Loudon & Parise) and our online homework is embedded in Macmillan's Achieve platform, available through Day One Access. 
  • Study Guide & Solutions Manual for Organic Chemistry, 7th edition (recommended)
  • Molecular Model Kit (recommended)
  • Non-graphing calculator

(More information is available on the Textbook, Online Homework, and Materials Information Page)

Learning Objectives

Students who successfully complete CHEM 237 will be able to:

  • Describe the core physical and chemical principles that explain bonding in organic molecules
  • Draw and evaluate Lewis structures and resonance forms
  • Identify organic functional groups
  • Convert between names, two-dimensional representations, and three-dimensional structures of organic compounds
  • Describe intermolecular forces found in organic molecules and explain their impact on physical properties
  • Describe push-pull effects that modify electron distributions (such as resonance and induction) and explain how that impacts chemical reactivity
  • Predict the 3D shape and chirality of molecules and identify constitutional or stereoisomers to explain their properties
  • Explain the Lewis and Bronsted definitions of acids and bases and identify factors that change acid and base strength
  • Explain the relative stability or reactivity of a group of similar compounds
  • Describe common organic reactive intermediates such as carbocations and apply them to organic reactions
  • Use the Lewis acid/base framework to draw curved arrow mechanisms to describe organic reactions involving alkenes and alkynes
  • When given either the reactant or product of a reaction involving alkenes and alkynes, predict the other

See a more specific breakdown of objectives & skills per chapter on the Course Learning Objectives page in Canvas.

Course Components & Grading

The course consists of:

  • 2 in-person class sessions per week - Recordings and live stream available in Panopto in Canvas
  • 1 in-person discussion section per week with a teaching assistant (sessions are not recorded)
  • Daily work in the Achieve online homework platform
  • In-person exams (3 midterms and 1 final exam) administered in BAG 131
  • Various participation assignments: PollEverywhere, exam reflections, reading assignments, etc.

You can find more specific information on the percent of your grade earned from each task on the Grading System page.

Some additional notes on grading:

  • The final median GPA in Chemistry 237 generally falls between 2.6-2.9. (Historically, the class total average percent is ~75% at the end of the quarter)
  • It is the Chemistry Department’s policy not to make grade changes of 0.1 after final class grades are submitted to the UW Registrar.
  • Your scores for the various assignments and exams will be recorded using the online Gradebook in Canvas.

Resources in Canvas

Catalog Description:
First course for students planning to take three quarters of organic chemistry. Introduction to physical properties, structure, nomenclature, and stereochemistry of organic compounds. Reactions of alkenes and alkynes. No organic laboratory accompanies this course. CHEM 237; CHEM 238; and CHEM 239 (or equivalents) must be completed in sequence. Course equivalent to: B CHEM 237. Course overlaps with: CHEM 220; CHEM 223; CHEM 257; and T CHEM 251. Prerequisite: a minimum grade of 1.7 in either CHEM 153, CHEM 162, or CHEM 165. Offered: AWSpS.
GE Requirements Met:
Natural Sciences (NSc)
Credits:
4.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
January 9, 2026 - 8:15 pm