Ferrocene is an organometallic compound widely incorporated into undergraduate organic and inorganic chemistry curricula. Traditional laboratory experiments typically involve the Friedel-Crafts acylation of ferrocene to produce acetylferrocene or diacetylferrocene, with a purification method focused on column chromatography. To expand the…

The particle-in-a-box experiment is a well-known method used to teach quantum mechanics concepts in physical chemistry laboratories for undergraduates. The investigation involves measuring the wavelength at maximum absorbance ([lambda subscript max]) of electronic transitions in the UV-vis spectrum and linking it to the box length. As the…

NMR prediction using ChemDoodle, NMR calculation with Gaussian, and hands-on data collection using a benchtop NMR spectrometer were explored to assess their synergistic capacity in teaching NMR to organic chemistry students. Nine molecules representing functional groups commonly encountered in undergraduate organic chemistry were selected. Spectra…

This study reports an undergraduate laboratory experiment that explores the temperature-dependent kinetics of caffeine release during tea steeping by using quantitative [superscript 1]H NMR spectroscopy with a water suppression pulse sequence. Designed for introductory organic chemistry laboratory courses, the experiment emphasizes the real-world…

Starting with a double replacement reaction in alcohol between Ni(H[subscript 2]O)[subscript 6](NO[subscript 3])[subscript 2] and NaX, students exploit solubility differences to produce a solution of NiX[subscript 2] and a NaNO[subscript 3] precipitate. They then synthesize a bis(N,N-diethylethylenediamine) Ni(II) complex with chloride, bromide,…

NMR spectroscopy is a powerful spectroscopic tool that not only allows the determination of structures after synthesis, as usually explained to students of Organic Chemistry, but also is useful in many other fields such as medicine imaging, real-time industrial processes, material sciences, or metabolomics. In this experiment, students performed a…

Quantum dots are colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals that display size-dependent electronic and optical properties. These materials are a visual demonstration of a quantum-mechanical effect. Here we present a laboratory exercise for undergraduate/Bachelor students as an introduction to colloidal nanocrystals and quantum dots. The students…

In this paper, we present a concise and technique-heavy route to the synthesis of dimedone for a second-year organic chemistry curriculum. Our preparation of dimedone guides students through a Michael addition followed by a Dieckmann cyclization, basic ester hydrolysis, and thermal decarboxylation, while allowing time for mechanistic discussion…

Cycloadditions in combination with multicomponent reactions are among the most valuable synthetic tools used by organic chemists to construct cyclic and heterocyclic compounds in a straightforward way. Although cycloadditions, such as the Diels--Alder reaction, are mainly covered in basic and advanced organic courses for undergraduate students,…

Low-dimensional materials especially graphene-based are of high interest to a broad community. One of the most fundamental aspects in the biomedical field is material characterization, which helps understand their property and tune for application. Though the existing teaching curricula are well standardized to include basic principles and…

An operationally simple, reliable synthesis of ethynylated acenes suitable for an upper-division undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory course has been developed. This experiment requires students to synthesize two acene derivatives and can be completed in 6-8 laboratory sessions (3 h each); a shorter experiment could be realized in the…

Undergraduate physics laboratory exercises are very important in shaping students' attitude to science, especially for future teachers. Recently, it is necessary to look for ways to easily create large quantities of experimental sets, not only for institutional use, but also for sets that can be produced in large quantities and distributed for use…

This report describes a laboratory experiment for an undergraduate-level inorganic chemistry or biochemistry course involving the study of the kinetics of the catecholase activity of a synthetic nickel­(II)-oximate complex. A model substrate, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol(DBC), undergoes aerobic oxidation to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (DBQ) in the…

Oxidation reactions are critical components of the synthetic toolbox taught to undergraduate students during introductory organic chemistry courses. However, the oxidation reactions discussed in the undergraduate curriculum are often outdated as many organic chemistry textbooks emphasize chromium-based oxidants that are no longer in regular use by…

Organic chemistry students often struggle with reaction mechanisms, particularly in how they are proposed and justified. In this activity targeting second year organic undergraduates, students used infrared spectroscopy (IR) to track the reaction progress of two distinct aldol reactions and used polarimetry to analyze the stereoselectivity of…