CHEM 1069: Chemistry Laboratory 3

Theme Preferences Form 2017

Name: George Alexopoulos

Please fill in your first four preferences in the boxes using the numbers 1 to 4.
Title of theme


1 Organic 1: Preparative & Organic Chemistry
This theme comprises a sequential, multi-step, preparation and investigation of the properties of chemiluminescent and
fluorescent compounds such as lucigenin The preparations will require standard organic synthesis techniques. The
compounds prepared will be characterised by spectroscopic techniques such as mass spectrometry, nmr, ir aUV and
fluorescence spectroscopy

 Organic 2: Analytical Organic Chemistry

This theme includes three small preparations, after each of which the products are identified by spectroscopic methods:
iodochlorination of styrene (additions, eliminations and substitutions; analysis by GC/MS and NMR);Williamson synthesis
(SN2 reaction) O-alkylation of a phenol and analysis by NMR and the dimerisation of cinnamic acid (photochemical cyclo-
addition; analysis by NMR).


4 Metal Complexes 1: Imininodiacetate Complexes and Job’s Law
This theme includes the preparation of some isomeric iminodiacetate complexes of metals, after which the products are
identified by spectroscopic and other methods: (preparation, visible/UV, NMR, magnetochemistry, to determine the
stereochemistry); and a Job’s law study to determine the metal/ligand ratio present in solution in several metal complexes.

 Metal Complexes 2: Acetylacetone Complexes

This theme includes the preparation of a series of acetylacetonate complexes of metals (preparation, visible/UV, NMR,
magnetochemistry). The ‘aromatic’ nature of the acetylacetone ring in the compelx will be investigated by spectroscopic
means and carrying out some electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions will be performed on the complexes.


2 Micelles
In this theme you will measure the Critical Micelle Concentration of a surfactant by measuring physical properties
(conductivity, surface tension) of solutions; observe the effect of CMC formation on the spectral properties (absorption,
fluorescence) of a dye and use this to determine the CMC of the surfactant; and determine the effect on the rates of certain
reactions when micelles are formed.


3 Spectroscopy
In this theme you will measure and assign the peaks in high-resolution infrared spectra of simple diatomic gas molecules
and calculate physical properties from them; you will use quantum mechanics to calculate bond lengths, force constants and
rotational constants of some diatomic molecules; you will investigate the high resolution infrared spectrum of a triatomic
molecule; and you will deduce the force constants and dissociation energy of a diatomic gas from its uv-visible spectrum and
investigate how force constants are affected by isotopic substitution using Raman spectroscopy

 Molecular Modelling
In this theme you will become familiar with some specialised molecular modelling software programs for visualising and
manipulating molecules and nanomaterials. You will learn how to view these structures on-screen and measure different
geometric parameters (bond lengths and angles). You will also run some computational simulations to calculate a variety of
properties including molecular geometries, vibrational modes, and potentially NMR and electronic properties.

 Designing a Teaching Package

In this theme you will design a computer teaching package to teach a particular topic in Chemistry. The topic will be chosen
by negotiation with the theme coordinator. The teaching package will be on-line style, including text with hyperlinks,
graphics, etc.
  Green Chemistry
The Green Theme comprises two sections, both of which address different aspects of Anastas’ 12 Points of reen
Chemistry.
Part 1 consists of a metal-catalysed aerobic alcohol oxidation of an aldehyde. Inorganic oxidants such as
chromate are widely used but are toxic. More environmentally benign methods for alcohol oxidation will be
tested. Part 2 of the Green Theme focuses on the use of microwave heating to greatly enhance the reaction rate
and yield of typical organic syntheses that usually require several hours of refluxing to achieve completion

Please get this form back to the course coordinator (Jeff Hughes) before the end of 2016.