Synthesis of (Z)-alkenes is challenging because the (E) stereoisomers are usually more stable. Energy transfer photocatalysis has emerged as an efficient strategy for (E) [right arrow] (Z) alkene isomerization. We report the development of an advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment that introduces students to contemporary organic…

Benzoin, an [alpha]-hydroxy ketone, is stereoselectively reduced by sodium borohydride to yield hydrobenzoin, the stereochemistry of which is determined by acetalization and analysis of the derivative by NMR spectroscopy. This classical experiment has been enhanced by modern spectroscopic and computational analysis to enable students to…

As electrochemistry continues to gain broader acceptance and use within the organic chemistry community, it is important that advanced undergraduate students are exposed to fundamental and practical knowledge of electrochemical applications for chemical synthesis. Herein, we describe the development of an undergraduate laboratory experience that…

We have developed a curriculum for the organic chemistry laboratory in which students draw on authentic usage of spectroscopy, spectrometry, and computational chemistry to explain chemical phenomena. This curriculum, which has been continuously refined over a decade, has been explored by many thousands of students and is scalable to small and…

A key part of the practice of chemistry is the analysis of chemical composition, including through gravimetric analysis and spectrophotometry. However, the complexity of doing multiple calculations to obtain analytical evidence, such as that required to determine an empirical formula, presents a challenge if such analytical methods are to be…

Eleven different laboratory experiments were designed and executed throughout a semester to provide a meaningful research experience for 23 undergraduate biochemistry majors at UTSA. The topic of the semester was based on the idea of exploring new aspects to enhance our understanding of how the human body uses cytochrome P450 enzymes to metabolize…

Chemometric techniques such as partial least-squares (PLS) regression have been applied with huge success to a wide array of chemical problems including multicomponent analysis of analytes in complex mixtures. Despite this, there are few examples of laboratory pedagogical exercises that involve students in the acquisition of chemical data from…

By focusing on food and a pervasive contaminant, this experiment engages student interest and effort while providing essential instruction and experience. As institutions are challenged by existing and emerging budgetary constraints, this experiment offers a determination approach employing commonly available instrumentation, the graphite furnace…

We describe a remote pedagogical approach based on chemical thinking to study metal-carbonyl complexes by analyzing simulated IR spectra. The proposed approach, implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can be employed in classrooms that have very limited laboratory equipment for evaluating toxic metal-carbonyl compounds, as well as for…

Computational and atmospheric chemistry are two important branches of contemporary chemistry. With the present topical nature of climate change and global warming, it is more crucial than ever that students are aware of and exposed to atmospheric chemistry, with an emphasis on how modeling may aid in understanding how atmospherically relevant…

Techniques from the branch of artificial intelligence known as machine learning (ML) have been applied to a wide range of problems in chemistry. Nonetheless, there are very few examples of pedagogical activities to introduce ML to chemistry students in the chemistry education literature. Here we report a computational activity that introduces…