Journal of Chemical Education

Sustainability

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Editorial
John W. Moore
One trillion dollars. That’s a lot of money. It’s what the U.S. government is likely to spend to shore up (bail out) financial institutions that got into trouble through their own excesses. European governments are likely to spend a similar amount in a similar cause. It is…

Sharing and Its Rewards

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Especially for High School Teachers
Laura E. Slocum
I am on a “teacher’s high” right now! I can’t thank you—my chemistry colleagues—enough. This past week my AP Chemistry students started a lab that is often referred to as the “Green Crystal Lab”. It involves the synthesis of solid…

Research Advances: New Molecule Key to Anti-Heart Attack Drug?; 12 Million Molecules, 143 Basic Shapes; Improving Non-Stick Surfaces at the Flip of a Switch

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Reports from Other Journals: Research Advances
Angela G. King
Toward a chest pain pill. A lack of structural diversity. Nanonails: tunable hydrophobicity…

Revising the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges: Exploring Changes and Opportunities

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: SOCED
John V. Clevenger, Margaret S. Richards, and Jodi L. Wesemann
Based on feedback regarding the goals and overall direction of the revision, a draft of the next edition of the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges has been prepared. As with previous editions, the draft guidelines are designed to maximize the potential of students, faculty, and programs in…

Chemistry in Sustainable Development and Global Environment

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Commentary
Peter Abeta Iyere
This piece was prompted by a call to all departments from the Chancellor of Chapman University to define their roles within a sustainable development and global environment. Because of the wide-ranging impact of the subject matter, we believe that our point of view will benefit the general public beyond Chapman…

Sustainability Education and the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: ACS
Laura E. Pence
The Committee on Environmental Improvement (CEI) is a governance committee appointed jointly by the ACS Council and the Board of Directors. Environmental sustainability has been a long term focus of this committee in terms of writing policy statements to inform U.S. Congressional action as well as providing outreach to the general…

Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee Experiences

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education
Justin D. Fair, Ashley L. Bartelson, Besnik Bajrami, Christine M. Cardillo, Michelle L. Dean, Sadagopan Krishnan, Naimish Sardesai, and Tyson A. Miller
The Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee (GSSPC) is a Division of Chemical Education (CHED) sponsored initiative designed to promote graduate student-led programming at American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meetings and to provide an opportunity for graduate students to network with professionals inside and outside the ACS on a topic of…

Committee Reports, August 2008

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education
Reports from the Division committees that met at the ACS Philadelphia National Meeting…

From Our Roving Reporter

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education
Morton Z. Hoffman
Meeting reports from several recent chemical education conferences. The island of Mauritius was the site of the 20th International Conference on Chemical Education (ICCE). Edmonton, Alberta, was the location of the 91st Canadian Chemistry Conference (CCC) on May 24–28, 2008. More than 250 chemical educators from Europe, the Middle…

CHED Salutes Outreach Volunteers

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education
Betty Moore and Linda Fanis
On behalf of the Journal of Chemical Education, and the Examinations Institute, the CHED Outreach Office salutes the 48 volunteers who have participated in our outreach efforts in 2008. These efforts connect teachers and students with chemistry content and with the larger chemical education community…

The Information Page

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

The most recent contact and technical information about JCE.

Salicylic Acid

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

CLIP, Chemical Laboratory Information Profile
Jay A. Young
Safe handling of salicylic acid in the laboratory is discussed…

Resorcinol

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

CLIP, Chemical Laboratory Information Profile
Jay A. Young
Safe handling of resorcinol in the laboratory is discussed…

News & Announcements

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

JCE news and announcements for this month.

Assessing Nitration Products of Benzene Derivatives Using TLC Analysis

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000

Letters
Rita K. Hessley
In a recent issue of this Journal (1) Professors Malgorzata and Edward Clennan described a guided discovery experiment in which students use GC–MS analyses to identify isomers formed by the nitration of some mono-substituted benzenes. The novel aspects of this exercise include…

J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 1578-1583

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Corrections
John Andraos
There are several corrections to the article “A Streamlined Approach to Solving Simple and Complex Kinetic Systems Analytically” (Andraos, J. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 1578).
In Table 1, the fourth scheme and…

The Way of Synthesis. Evolution of Design and Methods for Natural Products (Tomás Hudlicky and Josephine W. Reed)

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Book & Media Reviews
David G. J. Young
The Way of Synthesis is a 1000-page book on the progress of synthetic organic chemistry spanning its apparent inception in 1828 (Wohler’s preparation of urea) to the state of the art in 2007. It contains intriguing schemes and figures including a table of problems that were…

Advertising in This Issue

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
A list of current advertisers in JCE.

Out of the Editor's Basket

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Information (press releases) on selected products are collected. Links to the WWW sites of the product manufacturers can be found in the Advertiser's Index for three months after the month of publication…

Ionic Blocks

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Secondary School Chemistry
Richard S. Sevcik, Rex Gamble, Elizabet Martinez, Linda D. Schultz, and Susan V. Alexander
Ionic Blocks" is a teaching tool designed to help middle school students visualize the concepts of ions, ionic compounds, and stoichiometry. It can also assist high school students in reviewing their subject mastery. Three dimensional blocks are used to represent cations and anions, with color indicating charge (positive or negative) and…

Student Learning and Evaluation in Analytical Chemistry Using a Problem-Oriented Approach and Portfolio Assessment

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Mary C. Boyce and Kuki Singh
This paper describes a student-focused activity that promotes effective learning in analytical chemistry. Providing an environment where students were responsible for their own learning allowed them to participate at all levels from designing the problem to be addressed, planning the laboratory work to support their learning, to providing evidence of…

Using a Tablet PC To Enhance Student Engagement and Learning in an Introductory Organic Chemistry Course

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Teaching with Technology
Terry L. Derting and James R. Cox
Over the past three decades, computer-based technologies have influenced all aspects of chemistry, including chemical education. Pen-based computing applications, such as the tablet PC, have reemerged in the past few years and are providing new ways for educators to deliver content and engage students inside and outside the classroom…

Designing and Conducting a Purification Scheme as an Organic Chemistry Laboratory Practical

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Kate J. Graham, Brian J. Johnson, T. Nicholas Jones, Edward J. McIntee, and Chris P. Schaller
An open-ended laboratory practical has been developed that challenges students to evaluate when different purification techniques are appropriate. In contrast to most lab practicals, the overall grade includes an evaluation of spectral analysis as well as writing skills. However, a significant portion of the grade lies in successful execution of…

Preparation of a N-Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel(II) Complex: Synthetic Experiments in Current Organic and Organometallic Chemistry.

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Vincent Ritleng, Eric Brenner, and Michael J. Chetcuti
A four-part experiment that leads to the synthesis of a cyclopentadienyl chloro–nickel(II) complex bearing a N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand is presented. In the first part, the preparation of 1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium chloride (IMes·HCl) in a one-pot procedure by reaction of 2,4,6…

Clip Clues: Discovering Chemical Formulas

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE Classroom Activity
Carmen Fies and Diana Mason
In this Activity, students use their deductive reasoning skills as they identify formulas of unknown elements and compounds modeled by paperclips. Each color of paperclip represents a different element, with linkages between different paperclips in appropriate ratios representing 20 unknowns. The Activity supports formation of a basic understanding of elements and…

Cocrystal Controlled Solid-State Synthesis: A Green Chemistry Experiment for Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Green Chemistry
Miranda L. Cheney, Michael J. Zaworotko, Steve Beaton, and Robert D. Singer
Green chemistry has become an important area of concern for all chemists from practitioners in the pharmaceutical industry to professors and the students they teach and is now being incorporated into lectures of general and organic chemistry courses. However, there are relatively few green chemistry experiments that are easily incorporated into…

Synthesis of Albendazole Metabolite: Characterization and HPLC Determination

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Graciela Mahler, Danilo Davyt, Sandra Gordon, Marcelo Incerti, Ivana Núñez, Horacio Pezaroglo, Laura Scarone, Gloria Serra, Mauricio Silvera, and Eduardo Manta
In this laboratory activity, students are introduced to the synthesis of an albendazole metabolite obtained by a sulfide oxidation reaction. Albendazole as well as its metabolite, albendazole sulfoxide, are used as anthelmintic drugs. The oxidation reagent is H₂O₂ in acetic acid. The reaction is…

Investigating the Stability of Benzoyl Peroxide in Over-the-Counter Acne Medications

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Marina Canepa Kittredge, Kevin W. Kittredge, Melissa S. Sokol, Arlyne M. Sarquis, and Laura M. Sennet
One of the most commonly used ingredients in over-the-counter acne treatments in cream, gel, and wash form is benzoyl peroxide. It is an anti-bacterial agent that kills the bacterium (Propionibacterium acne) involved in the formation of acne. The formulation of these products is extremely difficult owing…

Real-World Topics: Medicinal Chemistry

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE Concept Connections
Arrietta Clauss
JCE offers a wealth of materials for teaching and learning chemistry that you can explore at JCE Online. In the list below, Arrietta Clauss of the Editorial Staff suggests additional resources for teaching using real-world topics that are available through JCE.

Salicylate Detection by Complexation with Iron(III) and Optical Absorbance Spectroscopy: An Undergraduate Quantitative Analysis Experiment

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Jeremy T. Mitchell-Koch, Kendra R. Reid, and Mark E. Meyerhoff
An experiment for the undergraduate quantitative analysis laboratory involving applications of visible spectrophotometry is described. Salicylate, a component found in several medications, as well as the active by-product of aspirin decomposition, is quantified. The addition of excess iron(III) to a solution of salicylate generates a deeply colored solution whose…

Troubleshooting 101: An Instrumental Analysis Experiment

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Joseph E. Vitt
An experiment is described where students troubleshoot a published procedure for the analysis of ethanol. UV–vis spectroscopy is used to measure the change in absorbance upon reaction of dichromate with ethanol. The experiment requires the students to critically evaluate their experimental results to correct a fundamental flaw in the…

The Fuge Tube Diode Array Spectrophotometer

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Cost-Effective Teacher
B. T. Arneson, S. R. Long, K. K. Stewart, and J. J. Lagowski
We present the details for adapting a diode array UV–vis spectrophotometer to incorporate the use of polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes—fuge tubes—as cuvettes. Optical data are presented validating that the polyethylene fuge tubes are equivalent to the standard square cross section polystyrene or glass cuvettes generally used…

Playing with Liquid Foams: Learning Physical Chemistry

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Hernán Ritacco
Who has never played with soap bubbles? They are so beautiful and amazing, they have a perfect spherical shape and surprising tints. Foams are structures of bubbles of an incredible complexity and they are a perfect system to stimulate students' interest in the chemistry and physics of surface phenomena. In this…

Integrating Statistical Mechanics with Experimental Data from the Rotational–Vibrational Spectrum of HCl into the Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Bret R. Findley and Steven E. Mylon
We introduce a computer exercise that bridges spectroscopy and thermodynamics using statistical mechanics and the experimental data taken from the commonly used laboratory exercise involving the rotational–vibrational spectrum of HCl. Based on the results from the analysis of their HCl spectrum, students calculate bulk thermodynamic properties such as internal…

Ab Initio Determinations of Photoelectron Spectra Including Vibronic Features. An Upper-Level Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Richard L. Lord, Lisa Davis, Evan L Millam, Eric Brown, Chad Offerman, Paul Wray, and Susan M. E. Green
We present a first-principles determination of the photoelectron spectra of water and hypochlorous acid as a laboratory exercise accessible to students in an undergraduate physical chemistry course. This paper demonstrates the robustness and user-friendliness of software developed for the Franck–Condon factor calculation. While the calculator is suitable…

The Rotating Morse–Pekeris Oscillator Revisited

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Advanced Chemistry Classroom and Laboratory
José Z&uactue;ñiga, Adolfo Bastida, and Alberto Requena
The Morse–Pekeris oscillator model for the calculation of the vibration–rotation energy levels of diatomic molecules is revisited. This model is based on the realization of a second-order exponential expansion of the centrifugal term about the minimum of the vibrational Morse oscillator and the subsequent analytical resolution…

A New "Bottom-Up" Framework for Teaching Chemical Bonding

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Tami Levy Nahum, Rachel Mamlok-Naaman, Avi Hofstein, and Leeor Kronik
Traditional curriculum for teaching bonding often fosters the use of over-simplifications and over-generalizations. Therefore, there is a need for a presentation that is consistent with current scientific knowledge and that provides the student with the proper intellectual infrastructure for further studies. In this article, we present a general framework…

Orbital Exponent Optimization in Elementary VB Calculations of the Chemical Bond in the Ground State of Simple Molecular Systems

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Valerio Magnasco
Orbital exponent optimization in the elementary ab-initio VB calculation of the ground states of H₂⁺, H₂, He₂⁺, He₂ gives a fair description of the exchange-overlap component of the interatomic interaction that is important…

Two Equivalent eg Orbitals for the Discussion of Bonding in Octahedral Complexes

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Kai Brandhorst, Jög Grunenberg, and Matthias Tamm
A new set of d orbitals, constructed as a linear combination of the omnipresent set of d_xy, d_yz, d_xz, d_x²–y², and d…

Forging Faculty–Student Relationships at the College Level Using a First-Year Research Experience

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
David C. Forbes and Patricia M. Davis
Coupling the scholarly activities of the chemistry research faculty with that of the first-year honors general chemistry laboratory has resulted in additional research experience for undergraduate students and a rise of productivity within the chemistry department. For seven years, first-year university honors students enrolled in the honors general chemistry…

Synthesis Explorer: A Chemical Reaction Tutorial System for Organic Synthesis Design and Mechanism Prediction

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
Jonathan H. Chen and Pierre Baldi
Synthesis Explorer is an interactive tutorial system for organic chemistry that enables students to learn chemical reactions in ways previously unrealized. Accessible online through a user-friendly Web interface, Synthesis Explorer delivers a rich learning experience including dynamic generation of customized multi-step synthesis design and mechanism prediction problems; context-specific…

A Web-Based Interactive Module to Teach Acid–Base Principles of Drug Action

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE WebWare: Web-Based Learning Aids
Maria A. Hernandez and Jolanta Czerwinska
The College of Pharmacy at Nova Southeastern University adopted interactive compressed video teleconferencing as the distance learning format for its entry-level doctor of pharmacy program. Students at the main campus in Ft. Lauderdale see the professor in person, while students in West Palm Beach and Ponce, Puerto Rico see the…

Intellectual Property Rights and the Symbolic Mathematics Chemistry Community

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE SymMath: Symbolic Mathematics in Chemistry
Theresa Julia Zielinski
Previous essays in this column addressed the need for community building and fair use of copyright when creating new digital materials for dissemination (1, 2). Here the ideas presented earlier are extended to the area of intellectual property rights as identified in the general proscription…

Evaluating Volumetric and Other Thermodynamic Properties by Means of Cubic Equations of State

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE SymMath: Symbolic Mathematics in Chemistry
Inmaculada Suárez and Baudilio Coto
The use of equations of state to evaluate volumetric properties is straightforward for students, at least when the ideal gas equation of state is used. The application of a more complicated equation of state, for example a cubic equation, is a little more difficult, especially for the determination of volume. In…

Maple-Assisted Template for Automatic Calculation of Second Order AA’XX’ NMR Spectra

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE SymMath: Symbolic Mathematics in Chemistry
Gavin Heverly-Coulson, Benjamin Vail, Starr Dostie, Amber Findleton, and Mihai Scarlete
The utilization of symbolic computation engines (SCE) allows smooth transfer of learning objects from advanced programs of study into the undergraduate curriculum. This paper presents the creation of a template for the interpretation and simulation of second order AA′XX′ NMR-spectra, starting from the core information offered in…

Introductory Explorations of the Fourier Series

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE SymMath: Symbolic Mathematics in Chemistry
Theresa Julia Zielinski
The ability to use series expansions effectively is one of the important skills for students in quantum chemistry courses. This Mathcad template enables students to practice this skill using the Fourier series. Students start with the definition of orthonormal functions and then move on to the fundamental equations used in Fourier…

Fourier Transforms

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE Concept Connections
JCE offers a wealth of materials for teaching and learning chemistry that you can explore at JCE Online. Below are some additional resources for teaching Fourier transforms that are available through JCE.
JCE Print
Some additional articles that…

Molecular Models of Peroxides and Albendazoles

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE Featured Molecules
William F. Coleman
This month our featured molecules come from two sources, the paper by Marina Canepa Kittredge, Kevin W. Kittredge, Melissa S. Sokol, Arlyne M. Sarquis, and Laura M. Sennet on the stability of benzoyl peroxide (1) and the paper by Graciela Mahler, Danilo Davyt, Sandra Gordon…

Information for Volume 85, 2008 of the Journal of Chemical Education

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0000
JCE Online: Index
Information for Volume 85, 2008 of the Journal of Chemical Education is available at our HTML Information Page and at at our Features information page in the About JCE section of this Web site…

Journal of Chemical Education

Sustainability

Sharing and Its Rewards

Research Advances: New Molecule Key to Anti-Heart Attack Drug?; 12 Million Molecules, 143 Basic Shapes; Improving Non-Stick Surfaces at the Flip of a Switch

Revising the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges: Exploring Changes and Opportunities

Chemistry in Sustainable Development and Global Environment

Sustainability Education and the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement

Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee Experiences

Committee Reports, August 2008

From Our Roving Reporter

CHED Salutes Outreach Volunteers

The Information Page

Salicylic Acid

Resorcinol

News & Announcements

Assessing Nitration Products of Benzene Derivatives Using TLC Analysis

J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 1578-1583

The Way of Synthesis. Evolution of Design and Methods for Natural Products (Tomás Hudlicky and Josephine W. Reed)

Advertising in This Issue

Out of the Editor's Basket

Ionic Blocks

Student Learning and Evaluation in Analytical Chemistry Using a Problem-Oriented Approach and Portfolio Assessment

Using a Tablet PC To Enhance Student Engagement and Learning in an Introductory Organic Chemistry Course

Designing and Conducting a Purification Scheme as an Organic Chemistry Laboratory Practical

Preparation of a N-Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel(II) Complex: Synthetic Experiments in Current Organic and Organometallic Chemistry.

Clip Clues: Discovering Chemical Formulas

Cocrystal Controlled Solid-State Synthesis: A Green Chemistry Experiment for Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

Synthesis of Albendazole Metabolite: Characterization and HPLC Determination

Investigating the Stability of Benzoyl Peroxide in Over-the-Counter Acne Medications

Real-World Topics: Medicinal Chemistry

Salicylate Detection by Complexation with Iron(III) and Optical Absorbance Spectroscopy: An Undergraduate Quantitative Analysis Experiment

Troubleshooting 101: An Instrumental Analysis Experiment

The Fuge Tube Diode Array Spectrophotometer

Playing with Liquid Foams: Learning Physical Chemistry

Integrating Statistical Mechanics with Experimental Data from the Rotational–Vibrational Spectrum of HCl into the Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Ab Initio Determinations of Photoelectron Spectra Including Vibronic Features. An Upper-Level Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Laboratory

The Rotating Morse–Pekeris Oscillator Revisited

A New "Bottom-Up" Framework for Teaching Chemical Bonding

Orbital Exponent Optimization in Elementary VB Calculations of the Chemical Bond in the Ground State of Simple Molecular Systems

Two Equivalent eg Orbitals for the Discussion of Bonding in Octahedral Complexes

Forging Faculty–Student Relationships at the College Level Using a First-Year Research Experience

Synthesis Explorer: A Chemical Reaction Tutorial System for Organic Synthesis Design and Mechanism Prediction

A Web-Based Interactive Module to Teach Acid–Base Principles of Drug Action

Intellectual Property Rights and the Symbolic Mathematics Chemistry Community

Evaluating Volumetric and Other Thermodynamic Properties by Means of Cubic Equations of State

Maple-Assisted Template for Automatic Calculation of Second Order AA’XX’ NMR Spectra

Introductory Explorations of the Fourier Series

Fourier Transforms

JCE Print

Molecular Models of Peroxides and Albendazoles

Information for Volume 85, 2008 of the Journal of Chemical Education