Students' expectations for their laboratory coursework are theorized to have an impact on their learning experiences and behaviors, such as engagement. Before students' expectations and engagement can be explored in different types of undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses, appropriate measures of these constructs must be identified, and…

Culturally relevant pedagogy and critical race feminism can be utilized to challenge the inequality and masculine nature of chemistry. Such an approach is needed to increase the representation of Black women in STEM and can be leveraged to create a curriculum that addresses the lived experiences of these individuals. This approach can shift the…

A laboratory experiment has been devised to train new graduate trainees in the safe and controlled handling of air-sensitive organometallic reagents using Schlenk lines, high vacuum pumps, liquid nitrogen traps, and cannula transfers. The reaction involves the formation of air-, moisture-, and thermally sensitive 2-pyridyllithium, generated in…

Micellar catalysis has become an important aspect of the chemical industry's effort to "go green". However, this chemistry has yet to be fully explored in educational settings such as second-year organic chemistry laboratories. Reported herein is a discovery-based nucleophilic aromatic substitution experiment that introduces chemistry…

The separation of chamazulene from hydrophilic contaminants present in blue tansy oil provides a visually engaging example of two common techniques: extraction and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). This application uses liquid CO[subscript 2] as a lipophilic solvent to pull a brilliant blue hydrocarbon molecule, chamazulene, out of or through a…

This laboratory experiment leverages the pedagogical value and multidisciplinary nature of biodiesel production from vegetable oil to introduce students to continuous-flow chemistry, a modern and rapidly growing approach to chemical synthesis. An interdisciplinary approach exposes students to the practical and conceptual aspects of modern…

Expensive, highly reflective barium sulfate plates are typically used to obtain solid-state UV-vis electronic spectra. Through normal laboratory use these plates become dirty, chip, and break, thus requiring replacement. An alternative to purchasing new plates is to make your own by combining a mechanical stabilizer, such as gum arabic, with…

Project-based learning is widely used in organic laboratories. This goal-oriented and inquiry-based learning model complements student-centered training. Such models focus on complicated issues or real-world problems on the frontier of chemistry. Students progress through three project phases: preproject, during the project, and postproject.…

Novice chemists often struggle with the highly visual nature of some chemistry topics. To make visually demanding concepts, such as isomerism and stereochemistry, more accessible to students, chemistry instructors have long recommended the use of molecular model kits as visual aids. However, studies pertaining to student model usage have shown…

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…

Collaborative experiences have been widely integrated into the classroom and laboratory, with goals to build time management, communication, and team-working skills. Most reported laboratory collaborations occur between students within the same lab section, which could limit the potential benefits of these experiences. Presented herein is an…

Large, multisection laboratory courses are particularly challenging when managing grading with as many as 35 teaching assistants (TAs). Traditional grading systems using point-based rubrics lead to significant variations in how individual TAs grade, which necessitates the use of curving across laboratory sections. Final grade uncertainty…

Proficiency with instrumental analysis via GC-MS is an important skill for chemistry students. The application of analytical techniques and fundamental theoretical principles to real-world problems can be valuable learning exercises for undergraduates which can also improve their analytical thinking skills. Xylitol is generally considered safe for…

An undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment that provides an introduction to the concepts and practices of photoredox catalysis is reported. While undergraduate-level photochemistry experiments typically place emphasis on analytical properties of catalysts rather than synthetic applications, this experiment showcases the power and…

An interdisciplinary laboratory experiment was designed and carried out on the basis of the photo/electrochromism of N,N'-bis(cysteine)pyromellitic diimide (BCPD), suitable for organic chemistry laboratory I and physical chemistry laboratory II students. In the organic chemistry laboratory, students synthesized BCPD and studied its…