April 2021 update: I am in the process of expanding this laboratory and have now recorded videos, linked below, on youtube. There is a video of general air sensitive reaction setup, the synthesis and isolation of the mesitylene and the N,N-diethylaniline derivatives. I also have better quality data which I will add here as well.
This is the classic Chromatography of Ferrocene Derivatives experiment from "Synthesis and Technique in Inorganic Chemistry" 3rd Ed. (1986 pp 157-168) by R. J. Angelici.
This is a video I made to demonstrate the basics of air-sensitive reaction setup under nitrogen flush. It is the simplest, most basic method for setting up a reaction with air/water sensitive reagents.
The link goes to my channel on YouTube.
This collection includes new and/or updated lab experiments useful for online/distance learning. To be included in this collection, data should be provided for others to use in their new virtual laboratory courses. This collection was prepared as part of my response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an attempt to find a substitute for our chemistry seminar program, I have found a number of YouTube videos of chemists giving seminar lectures, mostly between 2017-2020. The topics span a range of chemistry disciplines, and are all around 1 hour in length (typical seminar length). I have not watched them, so I cannot vouch for video quality. Feel free to add additional links in the comments below if you know of or find any great talks.
We will ask students to select and watch a certain number of lectures from the list and then write and submit a one-page summary of the talk.
This tutorial will introduce students to some of the three-dimensional crystal structures exhibited by ionic and metallic solids. They will examine the simple cubic, body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, and the hexagonal closest-packed systems. To facilitate visualization of the structures at the atomic level, they will use the Crystal Explorer website at Purdue University.
Many faculty and students now have iPads and Apple Pencils for use in their classes. At Merrimack, we have a 1:1 iPad program (called Mobile Merrimack) in which all students and faculty are provided an iPad and students are also given an Apple Pencil and a keyboard.
This was a short LO developed to give the students some context for ionic liquids in use. Since this paper is from a chemical engineering perspective, it supported a goal of having the students think about chemistry outside of the typical inorganic journal/research boundaries. This LO was implemented after a discussion of HSAB/ECW, frustrated Lewis pairs, non-aqueous media, and superacids. No explicit discussion of catalysis prior to this class discussion.
Short prompts for a mini review about recent applications in FLP chemistry. Trends in Chemistry also includes highlights and outstanding questions in the sidebar, which makes this an approachable review for students.
Many of the topics in this course have their origins in the topics that are covered in General Chemistry but are covered in more detail. Many of the rules learned in General Chemistry are actually the exception. Chemical systems are much more complicated than the simple models presented in a first year course. The course begins with the electronic structure and periodic properties of atoms followed by discussion of covalent, ionic, and metallic bonding theories and structures. Students also apply acid-base principles to inorganic systems. The second half of the course is dedicated to t