Isotope effects are widely used in infrared analyses of a range of chemical systems. Water molecules with three active modes are one of the most studied for testing the applicability of theoretical models. Whereas the IR spectrum of free gaseous water is very complex due to the accompanying rotational spectral features, the ATR-FTIR spectrum of a…

The concept of using appropriate statistical methods to compare results from a newly proposed analytical method to a standard method can be poorly understood among undergraduate students. We developed a learning activity for an undergraduate analytical chemistry course to provide a practical demonstration of method comparison. The activity…

A laboratory experiment has been designed for teaching laboratories aimed at training students in the basics of spectroscopy in junior and senior level undergraduate chemistry courses. Despite the ubiquity of light-based tools in modern science, students often find it difficult to comprehend light and light-matter interactions. A portable…

The self-association of caffeine in solution, driven by the hydrophobic effect, is a simple example of molecular aggregation. It obeys an isodesmic association model in which each successive binding occurs with the same equilibrium constant. Here, we describe an activity for chemistry students that explores this phenomenon using nuclear magnetic…

The chromatographic separation of plant pigments is one of the most popular and visually appealing experiments encountered by young scientists when they are introduced to the principles of analytical chemistry. As such, it has found widespread application in schools, public engagement activities, and undergraduate laboratories. However, most of…

Experiments that explore quantum principles while utilizing and reinforcing previous synthesis skills are excellent for engaging students and promoting the interconnected nature of chemistry. This experiment utilizes sophomore-level organic synthesis techniques to have students produce their own "meso" substituted porphyrins. The UV-vis…

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…

This paper describes a data set of IR, MS, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, DEPT, and 2D NMR spectra designed for undergraduate teaching. The data files are provided as MestReNova documents containing all the available spectra for each of the 251 different compounds in the data set. The spectral data in these files can be processed, manipulated, copied, and…

A laboratory experiment in which [superscript 1]H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies are applied to probe the temperature dependence of a monomer-dimer equilibrium involving a cyclopentadienone derivative is described and discussed. Details of the data analysis for extraction of equilibrium constants from the raw experimental data from both techniques…

This work presents a modernized lab module for nitrite analysis using a novel probe, AAC (4-(2-aminophenyl)-7-(diethylamino)-2H-chromen-2-one, C[subscript 19]H[subscript 20]N[subscript 2]O[subscript 2]), offering a safer and more sensitive alternative derived from recent research. The 12-h module follows a three-stage structure (Basic…

Chemistry experiments involving biological aspects are in high demand. This laboratory exercise blends biochemistry and physical chemistry, illustrates key concepts of the virus capsid surface, and is designed for a chemistry laboratory course for students majoring in biology in college. The experimental part provides a mastery of…

Quinacridone red and violet are visually different colors, an observation confirmed by their visible reflectance spectra and CIE L*a*b* coordinates. However, their IR spectra are extremely similar. Though chemically identical, the two quinacridones are polymorphs. In this experiment, designed for and tested by nonscience majors, the pigments are…

Stereoselective reduction of ketones to alcohols using baker's yeast is a classic experiment in the undergraduate laboratory. Here we illustrate the reduction of racemic ethyl 2-fluoro-3-oxobutanoate to the corresponding alcohol using a set of four commercially available ketoreductases (KREDs). The reaction sets two stereocenters with four…

In this two-session experiment for an organic chemistry lab, students prepare a macrocyclic host compound--namely, a pillar[5]arene--by means of a templated 1,4-dimethoxybenzene/formaldehyde cyclo-oligomerization (session 1), and then, they explore its molecular recognition properties toward the 1,8-diaminooctane guest with the aid of [superscript…

Space telescopes are some of the most precise and complicated machines ever built. Not only must they survive the harshness of space travel, but they also need to be incredibly accurate: misalignments by fractions of a millimetre can have huge effects on the quality of the images they capture. In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope became the first…