Tips and Tools for Teaching Organic Synthesis Online

While synthesis projects are not uncommon in the undergraduate organic curriculum, the problems posed are usually not representative of what chemists actually do. The sudden dislocation to online learning precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic provided both a need and an opportunity to develop an organic synthesis project with greater relevance to both the times and the discipline. Utilizing a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence model accessible to the undergraduate through a fully interactive platform, a project was designed involving molecules of both pharmaceutical relevance and topical interest, and suitable for online instruction. Technological and pedagogical issues posed by the online delivery of this content are discussed, as are issues related to student engagement.