ERIC Number: EJ1442872
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jan
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
Building a Torsional Potential between Thiophene Rings to Illustrate the Basics of Molecular Modeling
Journal of Chemical Education, v100 n1 p395-401 2023
Modeling an inter-ring torsional profile of a simple2,2'-bithiophenemolecule has been used to illustrate the main concepts associated with basic molecular modeling within an introductory course in a master's degree on computational modeling. The methodology proposed in the activity has been used to guide and train the student along the classical and quantum model concepts visited along the main subject. The common thread that links the different concepts being learned is based on the deficiencies that usual force fields present in the right description of the torsional profiles. The students have learned how to obtain and implement the torsional profile of 2,2'-bithiophene to obtain the correct conformer population distribution and compare it to the distribution obtained using a predetermined classical forcefield. On the basis of the results obtained along the implementation of this activity and the student surveys, we conclude that this lab activity was successful as a complement to help students to understand the basic concepts of molecular modeling.
Descriptors: Chemistry, Molecular Structure, Models, Scientific Concepts, College Science, Masters Programs, Introductory Courses, Graduate Students, Computation, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods, Science Process Skills, Quantum Mechanics
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 - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A