The helium-plasma (HePI) ionization mass spectrometry method was used to track the formation of reaction products and consumption of reactants by continually monitoring the vapors in the reaction headspace in real time. Two examples of the application procedure are presented here: a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction and a 1,4-nucleophilic…

The discovery of ferrocene, Fe(C[subscript 5]H[subscript 5])[subscript 2], in the 1950s sparked the development of organometallic chemistry including metallocene compounds. Shortly after the isolation of ferrocene, the analogous ruthenium and osmium compounds were discovered. The preparation of ferrocene is common in undergraduate inorganic…

Two experiments are described which lead to the preparation of dimethyl fumarate, a compound currently used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Preparation of a compound with "real-world" applications is believed to increase student interest in the experiment. One experiment involves the isomerization of dimethyl maleate to the…

The ability of certain organometallic reagents to react via 1,2- or 1,4-addition to an a,ß-unsaturated ketone is a fundamental example of regioselectivity at the second-year undergraduate organic level. The following two experiments were designed to demonstrate this preference by exploiting carvone as an inexpensive chiral, nonracemic substrate.…

We report here the development of an inexpensive and engaging laboratory-based activity that can help students learn about the scientific method and the role of plant epicuticular waxes and surfactant function on waxy plant leaves as real life example in the agricultural industry. Three each of nontreated collard leaves ("Brassica…

This work describes an effective, low cost method to anodize small aluminum objects. The use of a PVC spacer between the anode and cathode significantly reduces the size of the electrochemical cell and electrolyte required for its operation. Students will explore the physical and chemical properties of aluminum and anodized aluminum. They will…

A signature of life is that biological molecules occur as a single stereoisomer with respect to each chiral center, and this is echoed in the structures of biological polymers. Thus, circular dichroism (CD) has emerged as a hallmark of biomolecular structures. The tangible and familiar phenomenon of raw egg white's conversion from transparent…

Over the past decade, mechanistic cross-linking probes have been used to study protein-protein interactions in natural product biosynthetic pathways. This approach is highly interdisciplinary, combining elements of protein biochemistry, organic chemistry, and computational docking. Herein, we described the development of an experiment to engage…

The blue bottle experiment is a popular chemical demonstration because of its simplicity and visual appeal. Most papers on the topic focus on a new formulation or a new presentation, but only a few discuss pedagogical application for a full lab session. This article describes the use of this experiment in the first session of undergraduate…

The synthesis of nanomicelles in the aqueous phase on the basis of nonhazardous detergents is described where azulene and a naphthalene tetracarboximide are used in this experiment to teach the relation between structural and optical properties of organic compounds and point out possible applications. The experiment covers many aspects of…

A laboratory experiment is described in which a simple characterization of a historical lime mortar is made by the determination of its approximate composition by a gravimetric method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are also used for the qualitative characterization of the lime mortar components. These…

Portions of classic undergraduate quantitative analysis experiments in complexiometric titration and potentiometry are combined with a field-sampling experience to create a two period (2 × 3 h) comparison-based experiment for second-year students. A multifunctional chemical analysis device is used with calcium ion-selective electrode for field…

Chemical kinetic experiments to determine rate laws are common in high school and college chemistry courses. For reactions involving a color change, rate laws can be determined experimentally using spectrophotometric or colorimetric equipment though this equipment can be cost prohibitive. Previous work demonstrated that inexpensive handheld camera…

Thanks to their unique physicochemical properties (e.g., surface plasmon resonance), noble metal nanoparticles are at the cornerstone of nanotechnology. Silver triangular nanoprisms are presented here as an ideal playground to introduce students to nanochemistry concepts such as the formation of shape-controlled nanostructures. Not only a reliable…

First-order kinetic decay rates can be obtained by measuring the time-dependent reflection spectra of ultraviolet-sensitive objects as they returned from their excited, colored state back to the ground, colorless state. In this paper, a procedure is described which provides an innovative and unique twist on standard, undergraduate, kinetics…