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ERIC Number: EJ1148308
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Jul
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Implementation of picoSpin Benchtop NMR Instruments into Organic Chemistry Teaching Laboratories through Spectral Analysis of Fischer Esterification Products
Yearty, Kasey L.; Sharp, Joseph T.; Meehan, Emma K.; Wallace, Doyle R.; Jackson, Douglas M.; Morrison, Richard W.
Journal of Chemical Education, v94 n7 p932-935 Jul 2017
[Superscript 1]H NMR analysis is an important analytical technique presented in introductory organic chemistry courses. NMR instrument access is limited for undergraduate organic chemistry students due to the size of the instrument, price of NMR solvents, and the maintenance level required for instrument upkeep. The University of Georgia Chemistry Department recently acquired three picoSpin desktop [Superscript 1]H NMR instruments for the undergraduate organic laboratories. These instruments can sit on a standard lab bench, can analyze samples without NMR solvents, and are easily maintained. In this Fischer esterification experiment, students used unknown starting alcohols to synthesize esters through Fischer esterification. Upon completion of the reaction, students identified the unknown starting alcohol via spectral analyses of the products. Over the course of 4 semesters, 704 out of 940 students (75%) correctly identified the starting alcohol and 71% of students surveyed indicated that [superscript 1]H NMR spectrum was the most helpful identification tool in their analyses. This experiment established for students the utility of NMR spectral analysis and provided them with the opportunity to employ technology commonly used in academic research facilities.
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A