When structure-property relationships are discussed in inorganic chemistry and materials science, the common perception is that materials with the same composition and atomic arrangement have the same properties. In this laboratory experiment, we show that "processing"--the exact conditions under which materials are made--can in fact…

A [beta]-lactam, the core structure unit of clinically important antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporin, is one of the most commonly encountered four-membered heterocycles in organic chemistry and is widely used in medicine and biochemistry. The Kinugasa reaction, a copper­(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of a terminal alkyne with a nitrone,…

In undergraduate science education, laboratory courses stand as essential cornerstones of experiential learning. Chemistry laboratory courses offer students unique hands-on experiences that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. The journey through the undergraduate chemistry curriculum is paved with a series of…

Catalysis and catalytic cycles are widely used in both research and industry. The addition of a catalysis experiment into the undergraduate laboratory curriculum is important and necessary training to expand student learning. Here, an experiment demonstrating iron-based tandem catalysis was developed and implemented in an organic chemistry course…

Surface chemistry impacts technology, advancing the development of new heterogeneous catalysts, semiconductor devices, and materials synthesis. Carbon surfaces are ubiquitous in various fields, and the surface reactivity can be altered by surface functionalization on the molecular scale, introducing functional groups, thus shifting their…

Approximations can help to orient the student in an organic chemistry laboratory. There the student needs to develop the solvent systems for the reaction and isolation of organic reactants and products. The adage "like dissolves like" helps in this regard, but this approach is vague and entirely qualitative. More quantitative approaches…

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…

Given the importance of self-healing polymers for chemistry education, herein, we introduce our latest research results in self-healing materials based on thioctic acid into undergraduate chemistry laboratory. In this experiment, a natural small molecule, thioctic acid (TA), and a few other commercially-available reagents have been used to make a…

High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is an analytical technique that is typically used by mass spectrometry experts. However, with recent advancements, it is becoming more accessible to students in organic chemistry laboratories. Still, a significant knowledge gap exists between these experts and students. A straightforward laboratory…

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has revolutionized our ability to visualize cellular structures, offering unprecedented detail. However, the intricate biophysical principles that underlie SMLM can be daunting for newcomers, particularly undergraduate and graduate students. To address this challenge, we introduce the fundamental…

We have developed a guided-inquiry laboratory exercise in which students perform viscosity measurements to infer the structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in aqueous solution. The activity combines both experiments and modeling. In the experimental portion of the exercise, students measure the viscosity of several solutions of PVA with differing…

Electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions are common in the organic chemistry laboratory. These reactions, while ubiquitous, use corrosive reagents and halogenated or hydrophobic solvents that produce expensive and hazardous waste streams. The carboxylation of phenols (Kolbe-Schmitt reaction), although aqueous, typically involves conditions…

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has become a cornerstone tool for studying a variety of molecular features in advanced chemistry laboratories. In this experiment, students prepare a pyrrole-[beta]-amide via a one-pot, three-step synthesis and use NMR spectroscopy to confirm its molecular structure. In addition, variable temperature…

This laboratory experiment consists of the synthesis of two series of alkaline-earth titanates (calcium-strontium and strontium-barium)to corroborate Vegard's law by obtaining their X-ray diffraction patterns and plotting the lattice parameter versus mole fraction of both cations. This experiment allows students to understand the key concepts in…

Protein molecular weight standards are routinely employed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to estimate the apparent sizes of unknown proteins within a sample. For training students, a laboratory course based on the production of marker proteins is proposed. Following fractionation by column chromatography, a…