CLICK (Color and Light to Improve Chemical Knowledge) is an NSF TUES grant designed to increase engagement in chemistry courses using activities centered around color and light. Several experiments were developed for organic chemistry laboratory under this grant. The focus of this presentation is an imine synthesis project, that now has adaptations for one- or two-semester organic chemistry courses. The two-semester version is coupled to a semester-long unknowns identification project. Each student receives two unknowns early in the semester (Lab 3) and works through a series of activities to arrive at the exact identities of the two compounds (by Lab 9). In Lab 10 students react the two compounds together to form their own imine (each student makes a unique imine), that they then analyze in Lab 11. In Fall 2017, over 100 different imines were synthesized with an array of colors and luminescent properties. If time permits, two other projects developed under this grant will be discussed: reversible redox dye analyses of benzoin and synthesis of thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) with rapid tyrosinase bioassays and metal ion binding assays.

Simple and green synthesis of colorful, fluorescent, photochromic, and thermochromic imines for organic chemistry laboratory

255th National Meeting (2018)

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