FROM THE CLINICAL CASE TO CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO TEACHING “ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS” IN A PREPARATORY CHEMISTRY COURSE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Keywords:
alcohols, phenols, clinical context, comparative analysis, chemistry educationAbstract
Understanding the relationship between molecular structure, chemical properties, and biological action is an essential component of organic chemistry education. This methodological development presents a clinically oriented approach to teaching the topic “Alcohols and Phenols” in a preparatory chemistry course for international students. A clinical case of methanol intoxication is used as the starting point. Through comparative analysis of methanol and ethanol, students identify structural similarities and differences, examine oxidation processes, and relate transformation products to differences in biological effects. The transition from alcohols to phenols extends this reasoning by comparing ethanol and phenol and emphasizing the influence of the molecular environment of the hydroxyl group on chemical behavior. The teaching sequence follows the logic: clinical case → problem question → comparative analysis of molecular structure → chemical properties → biological action → generalization and application of knowledge. Problem questions, structural formulas, reaction schemes, comparative tasks, and an exam-oriented task are used to encourage explanation and argumentation rather than mechanical reproduction. The approach is expected to support conceptual understanding, comparative reasoning, and the application of chemical knowledge in a medically relevant context. Its methodological contribution lies in using the clinical problem as an organizing framework for causal relationships between molecular structure, chemical reactivity, and biological consequences. The effectiveness of the approach should be evaluated in a subsequent empirical study.
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