The pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry has become the largest industrial sector for the employment of chemists, indicating a need for experiments with a pharmaceutical sciences context in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. In the pharmaceutical industry, testing drug dissolution is a key analytical task for solid oral dosage…

The series of experiments proposed for advanced undergraduate students deal with both standard organometallic preparative methods in dry anaerobic conditions and with a kinetic study of the mechanisms operating in the substitution of square-planar complexes. The preparation of organometallic compounds is carried out by transmetallation or…

An experiment to determine the rotational barrier about a C[subscript aryl]-N[subscript imide] single bond that is suitable for first-semester organic chemistry students is presented. The investigation begins with the one-step synthesis of a N,N'-diaryl naphthalene diimide, which exists as two room temperature-stable atropisomers (syn and anti).…

Kinetics constitutes a core topic in both the lecture and laboratory components of lower- level chemistry courses. While textbook examples can ignore issues of time, temperature and safety, the laboratory can not. Reactions must occur slowly enough to be detected by students, occur rapidly enough for data collection in the few hours assigned to a…

Background information, procedures, and typical results are provided for an experiment which integrates principles of fluorescent and kinetic analysis. In the procedure, mecuric chloride is used as a selective oxidizing agent for converting thiamine to thiochrome. The experiment can be completed in a two-hour laboratory period. (Author/JN)

Describes a set of experiments (for senior-level biochemistry students) which permit evaluation and estimation of rate and equilibrium constants involving an intermediate in the alpha-chymotrypsin mediated hydrolysis of ortho-hydroxy-alpha-toluenesulfonic acid (I). The only equipment required for the experiments is a well-thermostated double beam…

Describes modification of a chemical reaction to a single 4 1/2-hour laboratory period. Reaction kinetics between 2, 4-initrochlorobenzene and piperidine to form 2, 4-dinitrophenyl-piperidine and piperidinium hydrochloride are followed conductometrically at three temperatures to obtain data to calculate activation parameters. (Author/JN)

Background, procedures used, and typical results are provided for an experiment in which students carry out the necessary measurements on the acid-catalysis of penicillin in two hours. By applying kinetic theory to the data obtained, the reaction pathways for the hydrolysis of potassium benzyl penicillin are elucidated. (JN)

An advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is described. Tunnel junctions were fabricated, the tunneling spectra of several molecules absorbed on the surface of aluminum oxide measured, and mode assignments made for several of the prominent peaks in spectra using results obtained from optical…

Describes kinetics experiments completed in a single two-hour laboratory period at 25 degrees Centigrade of nitrito to nitro rearrangement, based on the recently discovered base-catalysis path. Includes information on synthesis and characterization of linkage isomers, spectrophotometric techniques, and experimental procedures. (SK)

Theoretical background, experimental procedures, and analysis of experimental results are provided for an undergraduate physical chemistry experiment on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) linewidths. Source of line broadening observed in a spin-spin exchange process between radicals formed in aqueous solutions of potassium peroxylamine…

Discusses an enzyme kinetics laboratory experiment involving a two substrate system for undergraduate biochemistry. Uses the enzyme gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase as this enzyme in blood serum is of clinical significance. Notes elevated levels are seen in liver disease, alcoholism, and epilepsy. Uses a spectrophotometer for the analysis. (MVL)

Describes a physical chemistry experiment that uses Fourier transform (FTIR) spectrometers and microcomputers as a way of introducing students to the spectral storage and manipulation techniques associated with digitized data. It can be used to illustrate FTIR spectroscopy, simple kinetics, inorganic mechanisms, and Beer's Law. (TW)

Examines the influence of enzyme and substrate concentrations, pH, temperature, and inhibitors on catalytic activity. Follows the influence of different phosphate concentrations in the growth medium on enzyme activity. Studies regulation of enzyme synthesis by repression. Includes methodology for six experiments. (MVL)