The ability to extract structural information from a drawing of a molecule is key to being successful in organic chemistry. One source of difficulty for novices in interpreting structures is that hydrogens bound to carbon are represented implicitly in the often-used line-angle structures. Other representations that explicitly show hydrogens, such…

Teaching the three-dimensional structure of saccharides has consistently been a challenging aspect of organic chemistry courses, impeding students' ability to grasp more advanced topics in biochemistry and food chemistry. In this article, we designed and developed a novel d-glucopyranose model using 3D printing technology for the first time. This…

Research shows that there are multiple benefits to giving college students oral rather than written exams. However, studies that examine, describe, and differentiate how students view their oral exams were never found in a literature search. The purpose of this study was to use Q methodology [Q] to describe the divergent student views about taking…

This study seeks to elucidate the fundamental principles underlying the hydration, hydrolysis, and enolization of [beta]-diketones, aiming to enhance students' comprehension of the link between fundamental chemical principles and the practical implications of keto-enol tautomerization and diketone-gem diol equilibrium in diverse chemical…

A comprehensive teaching experiment plan tailored forthird-yearundergraduates has been developed. Initially, instructors synthesize(E)-2-(4-((4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-3-methylphenyl)­diazenyl)­phenoxy)-ethan-1-ol­(M-Azo-2)monomer as part of the preclass preparation. Subsequently, studentsperform an acylation reaction experiment to prepare an…

Chemical reactions that mimic the function of ATP hydrolysis in biochemistry are of current interest in nonequilibrium systems chemistry. The formation of transient bonds from these reactions can drive molecular machines or generate materials with time-dependent properties. While the behavior of these systems can be complicated, the underlying…

Resonance is a crucial concept in Organic Chemistry that enables both deriving chemical properties from molecular structures and predicting reactions by considering electron density distribution. Despite its importance for problem-solving and learning success, learners encounter various difficulties with this concept. Although prior research…

In all fields of chemistry, it has become essential to use quantum chemical calculations and machine learning for explaining and predicting chemical phenomena. However, it is challenging to apply textbook knowledge to practical research. In this study, we developed teaching material based on computational chemistry to promote the integration of…

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that are often crystalline with high surface area and structural tunability. In this laboratory experiment designed for inorganic chemistry students at the undergraduate level, students complete a two-step experiment where they will first (i) synthesize two isostructural…

As detection and subsequent remediation of misconceptions developed within high-school organic chemistry courses in regard to various classes of organic compounds are a prerequisite for meaningful learning of more advanced organic chemistry content, this study sought to identify high-school students' misconceptions about alcohols and carbonyl…

Students need a strong understanding of how to represent chemical compounds in order to succeed in organic chemistry. This project set out to gain a better understanding of students' difficulties with symbolic representations, by identifying the specific errors associated with drawing wedge-dash structures. The focus was on how students…

As the COVID-19 pandemic transformed higher education, St. John's University (New York), among other academic institutions, worked to incorporate methodologies that would allow for social distancing and the attainment of hands-on experience that is expected of a science laboratory course. To account for the constraints that the pandemic posed, St.…

Transfer students are a growing population at four-year higher education institutions, especially in STEM degree programs. Though much work has explored the broad transfer student experience, the experience of these students within specific courses is understudied. Furthermore, knowledge of how transfer students approach STEM courses and their…

Here we showcase an undergraduate teaching laboratory in which students synthesize and characterize colloidal nanoparticles of organic semiconductors and assess their suitability for applications in printed electronics such as solar cells and bioelectronics. Scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy…

Potash, an essential raw material of the 18th century, used to be produced from the ashes of plants. Known since antiquity, it was in 1807 that Humphry Davy put an end to the decades-long controversy about its nature as a compound. The technology behind potash production was implemented in Brazil by the Portuguese naturalist Frei Velloso. The…