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…

Purpurogallin (PPG), an orange-red crystalline compound from nutgalls and oak bark, is an exemplar of numerous, ubiquitous natural colorants, biosynthesized through oxidative dimerization-decarboxylation of phenolic compounds. It possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein, a robust method is presented to allow…

Experimentation is a contributing factor to the interest and meaningful learning of Science. In Geology and Earth Science, the effects of soil textures, settlements, and water-holding capacity are parameters for landslides in Barotac Viejo and other flooded areas. Landslides are triggered during heavy rainstorms, causing severe property damage and…

By adapting a well-established expository style practical on the topic of chemoselectivity, we present our successful approach to introducing elements of guided inquiry and decision-making to novice undergraduate chemists. Using nitroacetophenone as the polyfunctional substrate, students investigate the effect of using two different classes of…

Green chemistry is finding its place as one of the most essential study topics in the curriculum of future chemists and chemical engineers. Experiments that meet green chemistry principles contribute to make the laboratory a safer working place, generate less waste, and allow students to increase their knowledge in new environmentally friendly…

Chemistry undergraduate curricula typically place Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) lectures under either Organic Chemistry or Spectroscopy courses, aiming for students to acquire basic knowledge for the determination of the structure of simple organic compounds. On the other hand, regarding laboratory practice, NMR is frequently disregarded by…

We present the design of a periscope-type VIS spectrometer for educational purposes that combines strong features from various earlier designs and adds new ones. Three 3D-printed pieces that hold a small thin mirror sheet, a 1/8th wedge of a DVD, and two razor blades are easily assembled and facilitate insight into its construction. A new feature…

A didactic sequence is proposed using an infrared puzzle and a didactic questionnaire for the teaching-learning of infrared spectroscopy at the upper secondary level. The didactic sequence that was designed was implemented in person in the subject of Chemistry IV at the high school level, corresponding to the sixth semester of the curriculum of…

Introducing elementary concepts of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) to a beginner can be challenging. Using an interactive graphical platform can greatly aid in demonstrating key concepts in such cases. This paper aims to bridge this gap in teaching basic NMR spectroscopy through simple standalone interactive Python programs or a…

Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions using a curated set of alcohols provide students with the opportunity to combine the study of electrophilic aromatic substitution with carbocation rearrangements. In this experiment students may be presented with up to nine alcohols that yield six products, all synthesized under identical reaction conditions.…

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…

The laboratory is a complex environment where the three levels of the chemistry triplet coincide. As the laboratory environment places a large demand on the working memory of students, cognitive load theory can address overload which causes barriers to learning. Breaking down barriers requires iterative phases of analysis/exploration,…

Fractional distillation is part of the essential experimental techniques taught to first-year chemistry students, especially during practical organic chemistry work. The characterization of the distillate generally involves measuring the boiling temperature, the refractive index, or the infrared spectrum. In this paper, an unknown mixture composed…

Most chemistry students struggle with interpreting and understanding NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectra and the general concepts of NMR spectroscopy. NMR spectroscopy seems to be difficult to both teach and learn. Therefore, the corresponding courses should be investigated in more detail. We conducted a survey with N = 39 German university…

[NiBr[subscript 2](PPh[subscript 3])[subscript 2]] and [NiBr[subscript 2](dppe)] are prepared from nickel bromide hydrate and phosphine. These brightly colored coordination compounds are then converted into the related organometallic compounds "trans"-[NiBr(Mes)(PPh[subscript 3])[subscript 2]] and [NiBr(Mes)(dppe)] (Mes =…