At the end of the course the student will: - know the classes of organic compounds and the main organic components of food and their IUPAC nomenclature. - know the main mechanisms of chemical reactions - know the spectroscopies and their applicability for the identification of organic compounds and food components and the control of their reactions - know the organization of scientific literature The student will also be able to propose strategies for the preparation of compounds that require simple processes with no more than two synthetic steps (retrosynthesis). Through the experimental work in the laboratory, minimal manual skills will be acquired in simple experimental operations such as quantitative analysis of a food colorant and an ester (aroma or flavour) with UV-Vis spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. For the purpose of autonomy of judgment and technical communication the student will be able to - write a laboratory report - search the scientific literature - know international nomenclature. This knowledge and skills are acquired through lab wok and the preparation of a simplified bibliographic research on a compound of interest such as an organic compound present in food.

Students should know the fundamentals of general chemistry, in particular they should have basic knowledge on primary and secondary chemical bonds, stoichiometry, chemical balances, as well as thermodynamics and chemical kinetics.

Hybridization and primary carbon bonds. The basic organic compounds (hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds) and their essential nomenclature. Derivative compounds: classification of the main families of compounds containing oxygen and compounds containing nitrogen. Chlorinated and fluorinated organic compounds: CFCs. Main rules of the IUPAC nomenclature. Classification of the main components of food: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins with identification of the organic functional groups present. Molecular architectures and secondary bonds: rationalization of the effects on the physical and chemical properties of the treated compounds (melting or boiling temperatures, solubility, etc.). Classification of solvents. Surfactants. Isomerisma of organic compounds: conformational, geometric, optical metameries and stereoisomeries (with Fisher projections). Effect of stereoisomeric configurations on properties. Separation processes of optical isomers. Acid and basic compounds according to Arrehnius, Bronsted-Lowry, Lewis and acid-base balance in organic compounds (examples from the world of food). Elements of UV-visible spectroscopy: typical electronic transitions, chromophore and bathochromic groups, color. Elements of infrared spectroscopy: hints at physical phenomena based on the analytical technique, resonance modes (stretching, bending). Elements of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy 1H NMR: hints at the physical phenomena based on the analytical technique, chemical shifts, rules for the prediction of resonance signals and their multiplicity. Quantitative determinations with spectroscopic techniques: Lambert-Beer's law, calibration line methods, standard addition method, cases of monitoring the kinetics of a reaction. Use of spectroscopies for the analysis of food components and control of reactions and certain processes in the agri-food industry (e.g. control of flavonoids in wine ageing or control of Maillard's reaction in food cooking). Chemical reactions of organic compounds: classification according to outcome and reaction mechanism (for each class of reaction we will see the application to biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids). Addition reactions with radical mechanism: oxidation of unsaturated lipids. Addition reactions with electrophilic mechanism. Nucleophilic additions to carbonyl: the cyclization of monosaccharides and the equilibrium of mutarotation. Electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Substitution reactions with radical mechanism on saturated hydrocarbons, radical mechanism of oxidation inhibition with antioxidant organic compounds. Aliphatic nucleophilic substitutions with SN1 and SN2 mechanisms: acetalization reactions of sugars or polysaccharide formation. Acyl nucleophilic substitutions: the synthesis of esters as food flavour, cholesterol esterification. Unimolecular and bimolecular elimination: the dehydration of alcohols. The scientific literature: primary and secondary sources, basics on bibliographic search.

The lab report is normally a written paper presenting the results of experimental tests. Alternatively, some students teams may agree with the instructor to make a video during the lab work: the film made should be completed with comments and contain information on the results of the tests carried out.

The guiding principle of this course is to teach organic chemistry as a discipline based on unifying ideas and concepts, discouraging pure memorization. Therefore, the relationships between structures and properties of compounds will be emphasized, and much discussion will be given to reaction mechanisms, presenting synthetic processes by mechanistic similarities and not by functional group. This means, for example, treating the reactivity of carbonylic compounds, illustrating nucleophilic addition reactions such as hemiacetalization of aldehydes and ketones, but excluding the preparation of aldehydes and ketones, thus treating their synthesis in the course section on the oxidative reactions of alcohols. Moreover, the above reactions will be contextualized by illustrating them with reference to sugars, i.e. talking about the cyclization of sugars and their muta-rotation equilibria. The theoretical treatment will be complemented by practicals, solving exercises on the identification of organic compounds, their nomenclature, their spectra (UV, IR and NMR) and discussing problems on chemical reactions and their mechanisms, in view of developing strategies for compound preparation (retrosynthesis - limited to processes that require no more than two synthetic steps). Lab work is planned: small groups of students will do experimental measurements: polarimetry, UV and IR spectrophotometry experiments will be done, also for the dosing of agro-food compounds. Students will also carry out a small bibliographic research (team project) on an agro-food product (a carbohydrate, a fatty acid, a food colorant).

Through the website of the course, handouts on all the topics will be made available to students , guides to laboratory work and bibliographical research will be provided. The recommended reference texts are: J. Smith Gorzynski, Fondamenti di chimica organica, III edition, McGraw-Hill, Milan, 2018 (English version: Organic Chemistry McGraw-Hill Education; V edition, 2016) For each topic this book contains many examples and case studies related to biomolecules and food products.

Exam: Computer lab-based test; Written test; Optional oral exam;

La valutazione è fatta attraverso una prova scritta in aula, un test informatizzato relativo alle esperienze pratiche svolte in laboratorio ed una eventuale prova orale su richiesta del docente o, in modo facoltativo, dello studente. La prova scritta consiste di 10 domande di diversa difficoltà, dal semplice vero/falso alla domanda teorica aperta, su tutto il programma dell'insegnamento. Il tempo a disposizione è di 90 minuti e non è possibile consultare materiale didattico né appunti o altri testi. Con la prova scritta si valutano i risultati di apprendimento attesi, ovvero il riconoscimento dei composti organici e delle loro reattività, delle le isomerie e l'uso della nomenclatura internazionale: in generale lo studente, mediante la prova scritta e l'eventuale prova orale, deve dimostrare di avere acquisito la capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione della chimica organica e della spettroscopia a casi semplici di scelta di processi di sintesi e selezione di tecniche idonee all'analisi qualitativa e quantitativa di prodotti chimici e al controllo di reazioni. Per l'esame scritto l'esito dipende da a) la correttezza delle risposte, b) la pertinenza delle informazioni fornite, c) la capacità di rispondere in modo chiaro, preciso e razionale, motivando adeguatamente le argomentazioni prodotte. Il test informatizzato, relativo alle attività svolte in laboratorio, valuta la capacità critica dello studente nell'interpretare e descrivere le esperienze pratiche svolte in prima persona nel laboratorio didattico e di saper utilizzare la tecnica analitica spettroscopica più idonea ad un determinato contesto. Per la valutazione del test si considerano la correttezza delle informazioni fornite, la appropriatezza del linguaggio (che deve essere chiaro e conciso), e le considerazioni personali pertinenti. Il punteggio massimo che può essere ottenuto con la prova scritta (e l'eventuale prova orale che persa per il 50% del punteggio) è pari a 28 e la soglia per il superamento della è di 17. Il punteggio massimo ottenibile con il test informatizzato sulla prova di laboratorio è pari a 3. Il voto complessivo e finale dell'insegnamento è dato dalla somma dei punteggi ottenuti nelle singole prove. Gli esiti sono comunicati allo studente tramite il portale della didattica con cui si concorda anche un incontro per la visione delle prove dopo correzione.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.