ERIC Number: EJ1212304
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Apr
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Resorcin[4]arenes: A Convenient Scaffold to Study Supramolecular Self-Assembly and Host:Guest Interactions for the Undergraduate Curriculum
Young, Michael C.; Djernes, Katherine E.; Payton, John L.; Liu, Daniel; Hooley, Richard J.
Journal of Chemical Education, v96 n4 p781-785 Apr 2019
In response to the call for an increased emphasis from the American Chemical Society on including macromolecular studies in the undergraduate curriculum, a supramolecular-themed experiment was designed for undergraduate-level organic laboratory courses that provides a convenient platform to study physical behaviors of supramolecular assemblies. Students synthesize an easily purified resorcin[4]arene and characterize the product of its self-assembly via [superscript 1]H NMR spectroscopy. These bowl-shaped molecules are noteworthy because of their propensity to self-assemble in organic solution in the presence of trace water or alcohol solvents. Upon self-assembly, the resulting hexamer adopts a well-defined molecular cage structure with a large internal cavity that can be used to explore host:guest chemistry. After completing the experiment, students are expected to gain a better understanding of electrophilic aromatic substitution, [superscript 1]H NMR spectroscopy, supramolecular chemistry and self-assembly, and molecular recognition.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Undergraduate Study, College Science, Science Laboratories, Organic Chemistry, Spectroscopy, Molecular Structure
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: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A