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…

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…

Lakes are artists' pigments made from colorants bound to an inert substrate, usually hydrated aluminum oxide. Before the late 19th century, lakes were made from natural pigments extracted from plants and insects, extracted either directly from the dyestuff or indirectly from waste materials generated in the manufacture of dyed textiles. The first…

Spin crossover (SCO) materials that switch between two different spin states, that is, the high spin (HS) and the low spin (LS) state, with very different optical, magnetic, and structural properties offer a unique platform to understand the consequences induced by the different electronic configurations of transition metal complexes. Due to the…

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…

The dangers of organic dye pollutants and environmental pollution improvement through photocatalytic degradation are important courses in applied chemistry programs in universities. Zinc oxide (ZnO)-based nanomaterials are potent catalytic agents against organic dyes, but few experiments are available for students to understand their role and…

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…

We adapted a classical asymmetric Michael addition for a 1 day experimental session (6-8 h) for third- or fourth-year undergraduate students. The experiment contains three steps: synthesis of a chiral Lewis acid, LiAl((S)-BINOL)[subscript 2], then its use as a catalyst in the Michael addition of diethyl malonate on cyclopentenone, followed by…

In an upper-division interdisciplinary laboratory experiment, students use Raman spectroscopy to highlight how the overall structure and conformational order of lipid bilayers can be influenced by their individual phospholipid composition. Students prepare a supported lipid bilayer, as a model cell membrane, by spreading liposomes made of various…

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,…

The autumnal leaf color change is a familiar phenomenon to most students living in temperate climate zones. The extraction and analysis of the pigments of the autumn leaves provide an engaging way to study the phenomenon utilizing both simple as well as more sophisticated analytical methods. In this laboratory experiment, students extract the red…

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…