Teaching NMR spectroscopy in organic chemistry using predictive and interpretive exercises

CHED 1617

David Soulsby, david_soulsby@redlands.edu and Barbara Murray. Department of Chemistry, University of Redlands, 1200 E. Colton Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373-0999
In the spring of 2005, we made significant changes in the spectroscopy part of our laboratory curriculum because we were frustrated that many of our students failed to understand that NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for structure determination. By introducing the conceptually simpler 13C NMR spectroscopy first (including the DEPT experiment), followed by 1H NMR, we have increased our students proficiency in using NMR spectroscopy for structure determination and decreased their over reliance on IR and MS spectroscopy. We have also introduced predictive 13C and 1H NMR exercises that establish functional group location, off-resonance decoupling, and J-coupling concepts, resulting in an increase in students' predictive and interpretive skills. As a result of these changes we have found that our students are more proficient in using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, DEPT and IR in an experiment later in the spring where they must determine the structure of an unknown ester.
 

General Papers
1:00 PM-3:40 PM, Thursday, April 10, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- HEC A, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008