The modern curriculum for undergraduate organic chemistry teaching labs is rooted in the well-established bench techniques commonly used by synthetic chemists. However, techniques and methodologies that are now common place in chemical industry are often neglected. For example, reactions are increasingly being designed and run as automated continuous flow processes. Despite the prevalence of automated chemistry, few students at the undergraduate level are exposed to automation during the course of their studies. We present here a lab that was developed for undergraduate organic chemistry students that explores the fundamentals of automated flow chemistry with a Sonogashira coupling reaction. We employ a flow apparatus that was built easily and inexpensively from commercially available peristaltic pumps, tubing, and a raspberry-pi single-board computer. Additionally, we have also developed an open source program and interface for controlling the flow apparatus. In the lab, the students run the Sonogashira coupling reaction in batch, as well as in flow, allowing them to compare the two methodologies and set-ups.

Low-cost automated flow chemistry and electronic notebooks for a sonogashira reaction

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.