CM3191 - Chemical Synthesis Experiments

Academic Year 25/26 - Semester 1

Assessments:​

• Risk Assessment: 5%

• Lab Saftey: 5%

• Inorganic Lab Reports (1 proforma + 1 long report): 30%

• Organic Lab Reports (1 proforma + 1 short report + 1 long report): 30%

• Final Lecture Test: 30%

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Lecturers: Dr Edith Chen (Inorganic) & Dr Zhang Sheng (Organic)

Lab Instructors: Dr Edith Chen and Dr Stephen Chui (Inorganic) & Dr Zhang Sheng and Dr Foo Maw Lin (Organic)

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No. of Responses: 2

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REVIEW

What advice would you give to someone considering to take this course?

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Anonymous: Record down details of each lab in your self-prepared data sheet as detailed as possible and try not to leave all your reports to the last minute.

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DolleEicir: It is ill-advised to take both CM3191 and CM3192 concurrently, due to their differing timelines for submission and the nature of the reports/ worksheets. But if you wish to, I recommend courses that are of a lower workload or SU-able, to complement the higher workload from doing both 91 and 92 concurrently.

For CM3191, other than 1 RA that needs to be done before the experiment, the remaining assessments are lab reports that are due towards the end of the sem. Hence, it is much advised to target finishing the report 2 weeks after each set of experiments is completed, to prevent rushing through them at the last min. They are not easy and can be time-intensive, so start early and plan well. Be detailed in noting down your observations during the experiments, but also consistent in your formatting and the amount of detail you include as well.

For the test, it fundamentally focuses more on the experimental procedures, which include considering the rationale for every step, as well as the experimental design of the experiments. Concepts behind the experiments are also crucial in aiding the understanding of the setup and procedures involved.

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What did you enjoy or find most useful from this course?

 

Anonymous: It might be useful to come to lectures since the organic part isn’t recorded.
 

DolleEicir: Laboratory skills for chemical synthesis, especially with considerations to setting up reactions with inert conditions and learning how to characterise and purify the compounds made.

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What aspects of the course did you find most challenging, and why?

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Anonymous: Juggling lab reports with other modules might be challenging so it might be wise so start early.
 

DolleEicir: Lab reports were tedious and time-consuming, especially if you want to be as detailed as possible.

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What resources did you find most helpful in helping you better understand the course material?
 

DolleEicir: Asking the TAs really help, because they can offer tips on how to be efficient while still obtaining accurate results.

 

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What other courses do you think should be taken before or concurrently with this course?

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Anonymous: CM3121 concurrently to understand the organic part earlier.

CM3111 beforehand/concurrently to understand how to explain inorganic experiment observations.
 

DolleEicir: CM3111 and CM3121 are recommended to be taken as a bundle together with CM3191 in the suggested timetable for Chemistry students.