Episode 3 — Matter & Materials - Organic Reactions

Organic Reactions

Learners will be able to:

• Identify the role of organic chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry and its application in making life-saving medication. • Explain how aspirin was first synthesized in a lab using acetyl chloride and sodium salicylate, and describe the IUPAC name of the product. • Describe the process by which plants manufacture useful chemicals, such as salicylic acid in willow trees, and explain why these chemicals are not easily accessible from natural sources. • Explain how scientists use organic chemistry to make compounds that are present in fruits and other food products, such as esters, for flavouring and perfuming purposes. • Describe the importance of understanding organic reactions in biochemistry, including their role in DNA formation, protein synthesis, and energy production.