In the undergraduate laboratory, students are often unable to connect concepts from class to the experiment being performed.  Since this connection is so important, a project has been developed that further encourages the conceptualization of the reactions that are being performed.  In this project, all students are given a target molecule to synthesize (1,2-diphenylethanol), and each student must come up with a valid pathway using the reactions learned in lecture. Possible pathways include Grignard reactions of benzaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde, reduction of stilbene oxide, reduction of deoxybenzoin, and hydration of trans-stilbene. After this pathway has been approved, the students will search the literature to find an experimental procedure similar to one they have proposed and will proceed with the experiment.  Analysis by GC/MS and NMR will be used to confirm the formation of the product. Results related to the optimization of the syntheses involved in this experiment will be presented.

Development of a multifaceted synthesis project for the organic chemistry laboratory

241st National Meeting (2011)

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