This course consists of two parts: A) Mechanistic Organic Chemistry and B) Asymmetric Synthesis.

Part A: This section of the course will focus on fundamental energetic parameters of organic transformations. We will discuss various cases that highlight the use of kinetic and thermodynamic control, Hammond postulate, Curtin-Hammett principle, Benson increments, heats of formation and their use, microscopic reversibility, and isodesmic reactions. We will cover the details of electrostatic and orbital control, formulation of common transition state assemblies in organic chemistry, various heuristics (such as homology and vinylogy). Particular attention will be devoted to understanding oxidation states of carbon and their relevance to strategic selection building blocks, industrial organic chemistry, spatioenthalpic analysis, synthetic half-reactions, reactive intermediates, and multicomponent reactions. Students should ensure that they are familiar with material at least up to the level of CHM342H, before beginning this section.

Part B: Asymmetric Synthesis and Catalysis. This section of the course will focus on topics in asymmetric synthesis and catalysis. Selected topics include asymmetric hydrogenations and oxidations; kinetic resolution, dynamic kinetic resolution and DYKAT; ligand design, etc. Students should be familiar with basic aspects of asymmetric synthesis from CHM342/343. Students should therefore ensure that they are familiar with material covered in CHM342H and CHM440H (CHM1004) before taking this course. Access to the lecture notes from CHM342H and CHM440H (CHM1004) can be provided upon request.