There are several different types of experiments available on this site, each described by a status. These statuses are:
APCELL Experiments
Spectroscopy is a direct probe of molecular properties. The novelty of this experiment is the placement of a nearstandard Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in an applied context of relevenace to physical chemistry, toxicology and organometallic chemistry.
For many years, there was disagreement about the direction of the carbon monoxide (CO) molecular dipole, which had major...
No description currently available
There are a number of sensitive and accurate analytical techniques that can be used to detect metal ions in water samples, for example, Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)1 and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)1. However, those methods require the use of highly expensive instrumentation, can only be used in a laboratory with gas (eg. acetylene) access and be operated by a trained technician or...
No description currently available
No description currently available
Chemical kinetics is a fundamental component of chemistry. Traditional chemistry-laboratory exercises have concentrated on the study of non-biological organic or inorganic reaction kinetics. Historically, these experiments are chosen for their perceived didactic value – they usually exhibit simple kinetics, without complicating factors – rather than for any...
The majority of disciplines in science involve instrumentation to provide meaningful data for a wide range of applications. The automation of many modern instruments means the user can often obtain reliable data easily without requiring an in depth understanding of the underlying science. Such automation (including computer-interfaced data acquisition) is extremely beneficial to the scientist and...
In chemistry, many experiments rely on a comparison of experimental results to theoretical models. For the most part, such comparisons are valid and reliable. In many cases, however, a theoretical expression may only be applicable under certain experimental conditions. For example, an ion selective electrode may only act in accordance with the Nernst Equation under a specified pH or temperature...
No description currently available
No description currently available
Small hydrocarbon radicals are important as intermediates in combustion processes, including the disposal of household and chemical waste by incineration, in engines, and in energy generation. Moreover, their introduction into the environment plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry. During combustion, of the more abundantly produced hydrocarbon radicals, C2 is a species that can be...
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An understanding of how experimental variables influence the position of equilibrium for a reaction mixture is of fundamental importance to a chemist, biochemist or other molecular scientist. The ability to describe a reaction in terms of its thermodynamic equilibrium constant and hence Gibb’s Free Energy and see the relative influences of enthalpic and entropic drivers gives a great deal of...
Experiments Under Review
The experiment/problem orientated approach described here is designed to maximise student engagement in the learning process. Specifically, it is about students being responsible for their learning, for them to undertake some self directed and independent learning, to work collaboratively with their peers, to read the literature, to design, plan and carry out some experiments, to manage their time...
In this reaction a base-catalysed crossed aldol condensation will be performed, in which an enolate anion from a ketone adds to an aromatic aldehyde. It is followed by a virtually spontaneous dehydration:
Aldol reactions with two carbonyl compounds usually give mixtures of products: both reactants might form enolate anions, and each anion could react with either carbonyl compound –...
The purpose of this experiment is to set up and observe the well-known oscillating reaction involving the manganese-catalysed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by iodate. The various reagents required are prepared at the required concentrations from the bulk chemicals. The oscillations produce a cyclic colour change in a starch indicator, allowing the reaction to be followed photometrically using...
The laboratory exposes students to some of ‘the principles of Green chemistry’. The laboratory exercise involves the synthesis of tri-substituted pyridines via solventless Aldol and Michael addition reactions and subsequent cyclisation in acetic acid. The products of the Aldol condensation, Michael addition and cyclisation are analysed by TLC, IR (and NMR) spectroscopy to confirm...
This experiment allows the student to calculate the force constant by quantum mechanical calculations for the three diatomic molecules, F2, O2 and N2. It uses the Gaussian and Mopac quantum chemistry codes running on a server and accessed by forms through a web browser. A selection of Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory methods are available, along with the semi-empirical AM1 and PM3...
This is a safety experiment, which allows the students to observe the damage that concentrated acids and bases and potassium permanganate can to different materials in a controlled environment. The students write their own Material Safety Data (MSD) Table and in group discussions discuss their own MSD Tables with actual MSD Sheets.
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In this experiment, you will synthesise hippuric acid starting from glycine, an amino acid that is commonly found in proteins, and benzoyl chloride. The reaction of glycine with benzoyl chloride in the presence of an alkaline catalyst yields the amide, benzoylglycine (hippuric acid). The name comes from the Greek work for horse, hippos, because hippuric acid was first isolated from the urine of...
Students are given a stock solution of 0.25 M copper(II) nitrate, Cu(NO3)2, and then they make a series of accurate dilutions. They then use the PASCO Colourimeter to produce a calibration absorption curve, and find the equation of best-fit. The absorbance from a sample of Cu(NO3)2 of ‘unknown’ concentration is measured and the calibration curve and its linear regression equation is...
Water is so familiar and accessible as a solvent that its properties are usually taken for granted and underlie most general statements about inorganic compounds. However, the chemistry of many compounds is not accessible in aqueous systems, or when water is present. Therefore there are very practical reasons for exploring solvents other than water, Here we explore the acid / base characteristics...
One of the most important laws about the behaviour of matter is the ideal gas law, which relates the pressure, volume, temperature and the number of moles of a gas. In this experiment a known number of moles of hydrogen is collected, at known conditions of temperature and pressure by a simple chemical reaction. The hydrogen is produced by reacting the metal magnesium with an acid according to the...
Photovoltaic energy is a renewable energy source of major significance. Current technologies are based on silicon. Silicon solar cells are relatively expensive, difficult to manufacture and do not provide the highest levels of biocompatibility. To date, no solar cell technology has produced an efficient, reliable and cost effective solar module that can be widely used to replace fossil fuel energy...
The activities involved in this experiment are:
Prepare and/or collect of solution state spectra of a series of homoleptic complexes of chromium(III) so as to arrive at an experimentally-based spectrochemical series.
Collection of the solid state UV-Vis spectra of CrCl3 (anhydrous) and KCr(SO4)2.12H2O so as to determine (using the rule of average environment) the coordination...
p-Dimethoxybenzene reacts with excess t-butanol in the presence of sulfuric acid to give a high yield of 2,5-di-t-butyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene, which is readily obtained in pure form by recrystallisation from methanol. The product is characterised by mp and proton NMR. The reaction is an example of a Friedel-Crafts alkylation. Students contrast the reaction with that of excess p-xylene with...
The concentration of dissolved calcium hydroxide in a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide is determined by three independent methods:
gravimetric analysis (evaporation of the water followed by weighing the solid residue);
titrimetric analysis (titration with hydrochloric acid); and,
pH measurement (via estimation of the concentration of hydroxide ion present).
The...
The experiment is divided into three parts:
Visualising a fingerprint using the iodine-fuming procedure and characterising the print using solid-state UV-Vis;
Synthesis and characterisation of a iodine-donor complex; and,
Comparison of the thermodynamic (equilibrium constant and molar extinction coefficient) values for several donors and iodine by solution UV-Vis.
Iodine fuming...
The hydroboration-oxidation of 1-octene to prepare the anti-Markovnikov addition product, 1-octanol, is performed in this experiment using BH3-THF for the hydroboration and basic H2O2 for the oxidation.
The ratio of anti-Markovnikov product, 1-octanol, to the Markovnikov addition product, 2-octanol, is measured by gas chromatography. Because the addition reaction known as...
This experiment demonstrates effects of various factors on the corrosion on iron. Factors include; exposure to oxygen, history of the metal, contact with dissimilar metals, non-metallic coatings and current. Students will perform this experiment during the electrochemistry component of the unit, which covers topics such as; redox, electrochemical cells, electrolysis and corrosion. Corrosion is a...
This laboratory experiment was designed as a practical component in the Natural Products Chemistry course (3rd year undergraduate) at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Christchurch, New Zealand. This experiment uses Soxhlet extraction followed by purification using ion exchange (Amberlite 1RA-400 resin), decolorization using activated charcoal and recrystallisation – all...
In this experiment, students examine the hydrolysis of aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid, under different conditions. The hydrolysis of aspirin occurs much more rapidly in basic conditions, a fact which is illustrative of an important principle in pharmacology. That is, the stability of drugs and their mechanisms of action can be strongly dependent on the pH conditions of the body system...
This is the introductory transition metal chemistry experiment given to second year students doing inorganic chemistry at James Cook University. The experiment examines the preparation of three labile transition metal complexes and examination of some properties like solubility and reactivity in acid or base.
The students are asked to observe the behaviour of the complex under these conditions...
Experiments were designed to explore some of the basic properties of liquid crystals. The relationship between molecular shape, molecular order and macroscopic properties, such as optical birefringence, phase transitions and electrically controlled birefringence, as demonstrated by the electro-optic effect, are investigated. Students are encouraged to consider the importance of surface phenomena...
In this experiment, some redox reactions and their application to cells are investigated. Combinations of five half-reactions are investigated and, using diagnostic chemical tests, the couples are to be ranked in the order of their tendency to undergo reduction, that is, in the order of their electrode-reduction-potentials. A galvanic cell is constructed.
The experiment illustrates how ranking of...
Students prepare a pale-yellow tetrahedral complex of manganese(II) and a brown-black stable octahedral complex of manganese(III). Students carry out a series of solution-phase reactions to demonstrate transformations between some oxidation states of manganese, and to rationalise the reactions in terms of standard reduction potentials, E° . The progress of the reactions can be followed using...
Most NMR books concentrate on the 1H and 13C spectra of organic compounds. In this laboratory exercise, 31P and 77Se spectra are used to illustrate the use of the NMR spectrometer, introducing students to the multinuclear NMR of inorganic compounds.
The NMR spectrometer is used to investigate the extent and regioselectivity of the reaction of the chelating agent,...
In this experiment three nickel(II) complexes with different geometries are synthesised. The magnetic moments of the complexes are measured in order to establish the correct geometry of each. Molecular mechanics calculations are used to rationalise the observed differences in geometry of two of the complexes....
This experiment consists of two distinct sections:
Synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid: Students add acetic anhydride, salicylic acid and sulfuric acid and heat the mixture on a water bath. The crude product is recrystallised and dried.
Thin-layer Chromatography: Students compare their prepared product with a commercial one. Students also run a separate TLC with four standards and one...
The experiment consists of three parts:
Simple Redox Reactions. Spontaneous electron-transfer reactions in solution are studied and some oxidising agents, Br2, Cl2, Fe3+ and I2, are ranked in order of decreasing oxidising power.
Measurement of Reduction Potentials of Selected Electrodes and of the Emf of an Electrochemical Cell. The cell potential, Ecell, for several electrochemical...
There has been considerable interest in nanoparticles over the last 10 to 15 years. This has been motivated by interest in new materials for miniaturisation of electronic devices, as well as fundamental questions about how molecular properties, including electronic and optical properties, change with particle size. One of the most exciting aspects of the nanotechnology revolution is the...
This experiment involves the reaction of water with fumaric acid to form malic acid. The analogous experiment with D2O may be followed by 1H NMR, through either syn or anti addition across the double bond to provide two possible diastereoisomers. Through the 1H NMR the coupling constant of vicinal protons in the product, the vicinal Karplus correlation diagram (pictorial representation) is used to...
In this experiment, a synthetic and non-natural porphyrin ligand, meso-tetraphenylporphyrin will be used as a tetradentate ligand for zinc ions, and the thermodynamics of binding of an extra ligand to the zinc will be investigated. Students prepare 10 solutions containing the zinc porphyrin complex with varying amounts of an allocated p-substituted pyridine, as the ligand. The visible spectra are...
During this exercise students are able to synthesise a complex, iron oxalate, and then analyse it via colourimetry to determine the amount of iron present. This data coupled with other analytical data – microanalysis and thermal gravimetric analysis, enables the students to deduce the molecular formula for the complex.
Included in this exercise is a prelab – a set of questions for the...
