Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity In this course we will provide students with an introduction to the structure and reactivity of organic molecules sufficient to continue directly to the study of biochemistry (CHEM 0322). Topics covered will include models of chemical bonding, acid-base relationships, three-dimensional molecular structure (conformations and stereochemistry), reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams, substitution and elimination reactions, carbonyl reactions (additions, reductions, interconversions, and alpha-reactivity), and the fundamentals of biological molecules (carbohydrates, DNA, and RNA). Laboratory experiments will relate to purification techniques (recrystallization, distillation, extraction, and chromatography), as well as microscale organic reactions that complement the lecture material.

Advanced Organic Chemistry        This course covers advanced topics in organic chemistry, with the goal of bringing students to the point where they have the knowledge necessary to become lifelong learners of organic chemistry through primary literature, rather than reliance on textbooks.  With this goal in mind, the course will cover qualitative molecular orbital theory and reactive intermediates beyond the anion and cation chemistry which form the main body of the introductory organic chemistry sequence.  More advanced techniques in NMR spectroscopy, stereochemistry, and conformational analysis will also be covered, and the course will culminate in literature examples of total synthesis of natural products, and a final project involving authoring a Wikipedia page on a topic of interest relating to organic chemistry.

Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Spectroscopy In this course students will explore how organic molecules are made and their structures are identified. The study of organic reactions will continue from CHEM 0205 with radical reactions, alkene and alkyne additions, aromatic reactions, oxidations, reductions, and additional carbonyl reactions. Emphasis will be placed on using reactions in sequences to synthesize larger and more complex molecules. The theory and practice of mass spectrometry and UV-Vis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy will be studied as a means to elucidate the exact structures of organic molecules. Laboratory experiments will focus on synthetic techniques that complement the lecture material and the identification of complex unknowns via spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques.

Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Spectroscopy In this course we will explore how organic molecules are made and their structures are identified. The study of organic reactions will continue from CHEM 0203 with radical reactions, alkene and alkyne additions, aromatic reactions, oxidations and reductions, and additional carbonyl reactions. Emphasis in this course will be placed on using reactions in sequences to synthesize larger and more complex molecules. The theory and practice of mass spectrometry and UV-Vis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy will be studied as a means to elucidate the exact structures of organic molecules. Laboratory experiments will focus on synthetic techniques that complement the lecture material and the identification of complex unknowns via  GC-MS, IR, and NMR.

Thomas Anderson

Reviews and ratings for Thomas Anderson at Middlebury College.Thomas Anderson teaches Organic I: Struct & Reactivity, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Organic II: Synthesis & Spect. and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Thomas Anderson good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

I enjoyed this course with Professor Anderson. I thought that he was much better than Repka at explaining concepts and we focused on useful information, not just orbitals. While it was a lot of work, I do not believe that it was busy work. It was useful and the repetition is necessary to successfully memorize all of the different reactions

Didn't love how he lectured, nothing ever really made total sense and the exams were way harder than practice problems and stuff we had seen. He didn't curve the final and the average was low. Was helpful in office hours.

I think this class is overall just a really difficult topic. Anderson knows what he’s doing though and always was able to answer questions we had. He curves really hard on the exams as well which really gave our grades a boost