A laboratory experiment has been designed for teaching laboratories aimed at training students in the basics of spectroscopy in junior and senior level undergraduate chemistry courses. Despite the ubiquity of light-based tools in modern science, students often find it difficult to comprehend light and light-matter interactions. A portable…

An integrated laboratory experience in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is designed for undergraduate and graduate students in chemistry, materials science, and other related fields. Focusing on ubiquitous Si, Cu, and their common oxides, students are guided to characterize a series of standard materials by XPS to understand the fundamentals…

Experiments that explore quantum principles while utilizing and reinforcing previous synthesis skills are excellent for engaging students and promoting the interconnected nature of chemistry. This experiment utilizes sophomore-level organic synthesis techniques to have students produce their own "meso" substituted porphyrins. The UV-vis…

Synthesis of (Z)-alkenes is challenging because the (E) stereoisomers are usually more stable. Energy transfer photocatalysis has emerged as an efficient strategy for (E) [right arrow] (Z) alkene isomerization. We report the development of an advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment that introduces students to contemporary organic…

Student engagement in evidence-based argumentation plays a central role in science education. These skills can be developed when identifying organic molecules from the spectroscopic data. Molecular structural analysis fosters deep procedural knowledge, as it involves (i) flexibly applying a set of procedures to extract information from spectra,…

This paper describes a data set of IR, MS, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, DEPT, and 2D NMR spectra designed for undergraduate teaching. The data files are provided as MestReNova documents containing all the available spectra for each of the 251 different compounds in the data set. The spectral data in these files can be processed, manipulated, copied, and…

A laboratory experiment in which [superscript 1]H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies are applied to probe the temperature dependence of a monomer-dimer equilibrium involving a cyclopentadienone derivative is described and discussed. Details of the data analysis for extraction of equilibrium constants from the raw experimental data from both techniques…

Machine learning (ML) is extensively applied in chemistry, particularly in vibrational spectroscopy. However, few teaching examples effectively demonstrate the capabilities of ML in classifying polymeric materials, exhibiting subtle spectral differences that elude visual discrimination. This study presents a teaching example specifically tailored…

Chemistry experiments involving biological aspects are in high demand. This laboratory exercise blends biochemistry and physical chemistry, illustrates key concepts of the virus capsid surface, and is designed for a chemistry laboratory course for students majoring in biology in college. The experimental part provides a mastery of…

An organic chemistry experiment designed for senior undergraduates focuses on bifunctional catalysis, a critical yet often omitted topic at the undergraduate level, but essential for advanced studies in chemistry. By utilization of a tertiary amine-thiourea catalyst in the asymmetric Michael addition reaction, the experiment showcases the…

Synthesis of (Z)-alkenes is challenging because the (E) stereoisomers are usually more stable. Energy transfer photocatalysis has emerged as an efficient strategy for (E) [right arrow] (Z) alkene isomerization. We report the development of an advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment that introduces students to contemporary organic…

Quinacridone red and violet are visually different colors, an observation confirmed by their visible reflectance spectra and CIE L*a*b* coordinates. However, their IR spectra are extremely similar. Though chemically identical, the two quinacridones are polymorphs. In this experiment, designed for and tested by nonscience majors, the pigments are…

Stereoselective reduction of ketones to alcohols using baker's yeast is a classic experiment in the undergraduate laboratory. Here we illustrate the reduction of racemic ethyl 2-fluoro-3-oxobutanoate to the corresponding alcohol using a set of four commercially available ketoreductases (KREDs). The reaction sets two stereocenters with four…

Spectroscopic methods of molecular structure identification and analysis constitute part of inorganic, organic, analytical, and physical chemistry in both undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry curricula. Despite the importance and complexity of the relevant concepts, it is only recently that studies on spectroscopy have started to appear in the…

In this second-semester organic chemistry lab experiment, students work collaboratively using a combination of chemical synthesis and NMR spectroscopy to investigate the diastereoselectivity associated with the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of two ketone substrates having carbonyl groups flanked by an [alpha]-chiral carbon with…