# UTPA STEM/CBI Courses/Organic Chemistry/Redox of Organic Molecules

Course Title: Organic Chemistry
Lecture Topic: Redox reactions of organic compounds
Instructor: Jose J. Gutierrez
Institution: The University of Texas Pan American

## Backwards Design

Course Objectives
* Primary Objectives- By the next class period students will be able to:
** Identify oxidation and reduction reactions
** Recognize the difference between oxidation and reduction of organic molecules
* Sub Objectives- The objectives will require that students be able to:
** Identify the relative reactivity of substances based on their oxidation potential
** Describe the role of antioxidants
* Difficulties- Students may have difficulty:
** Understanding that antioxidants are not preventing oxidation but rather facilitating reduction
** Understanding that heavy metal poisoning is possible by ingesting large amounts of antioxidants (which contain no metals)
* Real-World Contexts- There are many ways that students can use this material in the real-world, such as:
** Most people consider that the ingestion of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) helps the organism by acting as an anti-oxidant
** High doses of vitamin C can result in heavy metal poisoning because it can precipitate heavy metals within the organism
Model of Knowledge
* Concept Map
** Understanding oxidation and reduction
** Predicting the outcome of reactions based on the oxidation potentials of species involved
** Identify the chemical tsructure of vitamin C
** Identify oxidation and reduction in organic molecules
** What happens when vitamin C acts as an antioxidant
** Identify the chemical changes occurring to vitamin C after it reduces a metal
* Content Priorities
** Enduring Understanding
** Identify reducing agent
** Identify oxidizing agent
** Identify reaction feasibility (shift to prodcuts or reactants?)
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** Important to Do and Know
*** Review oxidation potentials
*** Effect of pH on the outcome of redox reactions
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** Worth Being Familiar with
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Assessment of Learning
* Formative Assessment
** In Class (groups)
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** Homework (individual)
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* Summative Assessment
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## Legacy Cycle

OBJECTIVE
By the next class period, students will be able to:
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The objectives will require that students be able to:
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THE CHALLENGE
Person a dies from heavy metal poisoning. Her husband is the main suspect. However, he claims that his wife took high amounts of Vitamin C on a regular basis. His calim is that since vitamin C is such a strong antioxidant, it caused the accumulation of heavy metals causing his wife's death. You have to determine if it is even possible to get heavy metal poisoning after ingesting high doses of vitamin C. What is the mechanism behind the heavy metal poisoning? What metals can be produced in the body after ingesting high amounts of vitamin C?
GENERATE IDEAS
What happens when vitamin C is ingested? What metal ions are affected by vitamin C? What metals are potentially harmful to the human body? What is the minimum concentration of metals that causes damage? Is vitamin C a strong enough reducing agent to cause reduction of the harmful metals? Is the reducing ability of vitamin C affected by pH? What is the reduncing ability of vitamin C at physiological pH?
MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES
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RESEARCH & REVISE
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TEST YOUR METTLE
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GO PUBLIC
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## Pre-Lesson Quiz

* Define oxidation and reduction
* Define oxidation potential
* Arrange a group of species in order of increasing reduction strength
* Interpret tables of oxidation potentials
* Predict the outcome of redox reactions based on the relative oxidation potentials
* Determine the effect of pH on redox reactions
* What is the chemical structure of vitamin C?
* Why is viatmin C considered an antioxidant?
* Which metal ions can be reduced by vitamin C?
* What is the reducing strength of vitamin C at physiological pH?
* Is the reducing strengtht of vitamin C maximum at physiological pH
* What metal ions present in the human body can be potentially harmful if converted to reduced metals?
* Is it possible to generate a concentration of harmful metals high enough to cause physiological damage?
* Can the harmful metals be produced via reaction with vitamin C?
* What is the minimum amount of vitamin C necessary to cause lethal concentration of toxic metals?

## Test Your Mettle Quiz

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