Student engagement in evidence-based argumentation plays a central role in science education. These skills can be developed when identifying organic molecules from the spectroscopic data. Molecular structural analysis fosters deep procedural knowledge, as it involves (i) flexibly applying a set of procedures to extract information from spectra,…

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a very powerful analytical method that has found many applications in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. It is an indispensable tool particularly for synthetic chemists because it can be used for a rapid elucidation of the structures of organic compounds. For this reason, NMR spectral…

In an effort to further develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, a guided-inquiry-based, multioutcome organic chemistry synthesis and characterization experiment was developed. Students were provided with the protocol for a time-saving microwave-assisted acetanilide synthesis reaction from acetic anhydride and an unknown primary aryl…

Laboratory experiments that offer interdisciplinary experiences for students are appealing and are increasingly popular additions to undergraduate chemistry curricula. Students can capitalize on their knowledge of multiple areas of chemistry while working through an application, and this fosters the development of progressive problem-solving…

Advancements in technology have led to significant changes in the workforce and created a demand for expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In response, curricula have evolved to emphasize essential skills such as critical thinking and communication to prepare students for STEM-based careers. To this end,…

We present a showcase of our experience with videos complementing analytical chemistry lectures to familiarize undergraduate students with instrumental element analysis. This includes a detailed account of how we planned, produced, and utilized a video to review the course content at the end of the semester. The analytical case study focused on…

A collaborative learning module for teaching protein mass spectrometry has been developed to overcome common obstacles to incorporating the modern topic of biological mass spectrometry into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Protein mass spectrometry data is provided to eliminate the need for expensive instrumentation, and an instructor's…

A multiweek laboratory experiment is described, which guides students to use data to make decisions through multiple steps, before reaching a final conclusion. The lab focuses on the comparisons of fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopies to determine the concentration of a desired substance in an unknown sample in consideration of a complex…

Mass spectrometers are ever-increasingly powerful, user-friendly, and affordable. Thus, the addition of mass spectrometry experiments into the undergraduate laboratory curriculum is now both feasible and an effective tool to introduce students to relevant instrumentation. Here an experiment demonstrating the use of a high-resolution electrospray…

Given student familiarity with electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), this lab uses a student-built smoke collection apparatus to collect e-cig vapors to teach students about gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Students in a second semester, introductory organic chemistry course spent 1 week collecting e-cig vapors and 1 week qualitatively…

Analysis of stochastic processes can be used to engender critical thinking. Quantum dots have a reversible, stochastic transition between luminescent and nonluminescent states. The luminescence intermittency is known as blinking and is not evident from ensemble measurements. In order to stimulate critical thinking, students design, perform, and…

[superscript 31]P{[superscript 1]H} nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a particularly useful tool for studying the reactions of P-donor ligands such as phosphines and phosphites with transition metals and other Lewis bases because the reactions take place on the nonbonding pair of electrons on the phosphorus. In addition, [superscript 31]P…

Strategies for teaching NMR spectral interpretation in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum are often faculty-centered and can lead to student reliance on rote memorization and "guess and check" methods rather than critical-thinking skills for structure determination. This article describes a student-focused methodology for the…

Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments are a frequently taught as part of upper-division teaching laboratories. To expose undergraduate students to an applied fluorescence technique, a corrosion detection method, using quenching, was adapted from authentic research for an instrumental analysis laboratory. In the experiment, students acquire…

Performing the identification of organic chemical compounds from a set of spectroscopic data gives the opportunity to students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this context, we developed a student-centered methodology for teaching molecular structural analysis to first-year undergraduate students. This systematic…