Temperature dependent, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is now a commonplace tool in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Multinuclear experiments are easy to implement thanks to user-friendly software for both operating the spectrometer and for analyzing collected data. A new teaching experiment is introduced whereby temperature dependent 31P-NMR is used to monitor the cis-trans isomerization reaction of phosphine containing molybdenum complexes. The interrelationship between thermodynamic and kinetic parameters - including how the activation energy and the thermodynamic constant are related - can be ascertained from the collected NMR data. The experiment also offers an opportunity for students to fit kinetic data to a derived kinetic model using appropriate symbolic mathematical analysis software.

Cis-trans isomerization kinetics and thermodynamics probed using phosphorus-31 NMR:  A new experiment for the physical or inorganic chemistry lab

247th National Meeting (2014)

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