Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiments

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Welcome to the Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiments repository at OpenBU. We hope that this collection will enable organic chemistry educators to share with other universities valuable experiments performed in the undergraduate teaching laboratory. All lab procedures are available to download and modify, and we encourage the submission of new experiments to the database.

To search the collection:
Under the "Browse This Collection" menu on the right-hand side of your screen, you may view the available experiments by author name, title, and subject. Select the desired experiment to view the files available for download. Select either Download or View

To register for an account for uploading privileges:
Under the "Deposit Materials" menu on the right-hand side of your screen, click "Login" and follow the instructions to create your new profile with "BU account". After approval, use the instructions outlined below to upload a new experiment.

To submit your own experiment:
Under the "Deposit Materials" menu on the right-hand side of your screen, click "Submissions" to start your own submission. Follow the instructions for uploading your materials to the "Organic Chemistry Labs" collection. Be sure to provide the name of the author(s), title, and a brief abstract of your experiment. We ask that you submit your files in word-processing format so that your materials may be modified as others see fit.

Thank you for choosing Organic Chemistry Labs at OpenBU! For more information, contact open-help@bu.edu

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Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 17 of 17
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    Passerini reaction
    (2022) Loy, Rebecca
    A simple Passerini reaction using acetic acid, benzaldehyde and methyl isocyanoacetate, that is is complete in 40 minutes. The product can be purified via recrystallization. Students can analyze the product using NMR, IR and LC/MS.
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    Coumarin bromination
    (2022) Loy, Rebecca
    In this open ended experiment, students have to determine the identity of the brominated product when a coumarin is treated with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). The product is purified via column chromatography and analyzed by NMR. The hydrogen of the alkene of the coumarin is replaced with a bromine instead of the bromine reacting with the aromatic ring.
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    Friedel-Crafts acylation
    (2022) Loy, Rebecca
    A Friedel-Crafts acylation of anisole with maleic anhydride promoted by aluminum chloride. The reaction goes at room temperature in 30 minutes and the product can be purified via recrystallization. The final product can be analyzed by NMR and LC/MS. Students have to determine from their NMR, what is the substitution of the benzene product, ortho or para.
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    Pechmann condensation
    (2022) Loy, Rebecca
    A simple preparation of a coumarin product via an Pechmann condensation catalyzed by sulfuric acid. The product can be analyzed by NMR and LC/MS. Fluorescence is examined at various pHs in water using a UV lamp.
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    Cyclization of citronellal
    Loy, Rebecca
    A simple cyclization of citronellal catalyzed by ferric choride. Introduces students to extraction and column chromatography. Diastereomers of the product are visible by TLC and allows for a discussion of stereochemistry of the cyclohexane products.
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    Wittig Reaction
    (2012-01-03) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A simple preparation of a conjugated diene via the olefination reaction between cinnamaldehyde and triphenylphosphonium chloride under basic conditions. Students are reintroduced to dry glassware techniques, recrystallization, and stereochemical determination by NMR. Modifications of this procedure include use of a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reagent or inclusion in a multi-step synthesis (ie. Diels-Alder reaction).
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    Suzuki Cross Coupling
    (2012-01-03) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    An easy preparation of differentially-substituted biaryls is reported by palladium-catalyzed cross coupling. The Suzuki cross coupling reaction is both fast and substituent-independent. Column chromatography is performed to isolate pure biaryl product, which is analyzed by NMR.
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    Fisher Esterification: Synthesis of Volatile Esters
    (2012-01-03) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A microwave-accelerated synthesis of volatile aromatic esters is described in this convenient Fisher esterification reaction. Students perform a liquid-liquid extraction to isolate crude product which they purify by distillation. Analysis by GC/MS and NMR allows students to identify an unknown.
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    Claisen-Schmidt (Aldol) reaction
    (2012-01-03) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A short aldol condensation reaction that produces differentially-substituted dibenzylideneketones whose UV-Vis spectra can be determined. This experiment allows students to construct structure-activity relationships in the context of the synthesis of a new sunscreen.
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    The asymmetric aldol reaction
    (2012-01-03) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A convenient multi-week experiment that results in the formation of two new stereocenters starting from enantiopure norephedrine as the chiral auxiliary. This experiment uses a variety of purification techniques, including distillation, recrystallization, and column chromatography and is a useful extension of classroom topics. Students can be introduced to transition state modeling, COSY spectroscopy, Hammond postulate, and asymmetric induction.
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    Forensic analysis of analgesics by TLC
    (2011-10-15) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    An introductory laboratory on the identification of analgesics in an unknown sample. Ideal for the first week of an organic chemistry sequence to get students familiar with their surroundings. Students extract, isolate, and perform thin layer chromatography on aspirin, acetominophen, or ibuprofen.
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    Grignard Reaction - Synthesis of Substituted Benzoic Acids
    (2011-10-11) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A convenient preparation of substituted benzoic acids from Grignard additions to solid carbon dioxide. Students create a library of carboxylic acids by using differentially substituted, commercially available aryl bromides, which can be used as the starting materials for a multistep synthesis. This is a modification and improvement of a very popular undergraduate organic chemistry experiment.
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    Borohydride Reduction of Fluorenone
    (2011-10-11) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A simple experiment to demonstrate nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl. Sodium borohydride-mediated reduction of fluorenone is a fast and high-yielding reaction that is suitable for beginning students. Students isolate their fluorenol product by recrystallization and characterize it by NMR and IR.
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    Reductive Amination Reaction
    (2011-07-14) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A simple, solventless procedure for reductive amination that results in an impressive color change. Reaction proceeds in three stages: imine formation, reduction, and acetylation and purification is done by crystallization.
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    Extraction of Caffeine from Energy Drinks
    (2011-07-14) Mulcahy, Seann P.; Bishop, Joshua
    A simple procedure for the isolation of caffeine from energy drinks by solid phase extraction on a C18 cartridge. Quantitative analysis of the amount of caffeine by LC/MS is determined by referencing a standard curve.
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    Kinetic Analysis of Ester Hydrolysis
    (2011-07-14) Mulcahy, Seann P.
    A two-week multi-step experiment that introduces students to mechanistic organic chemistry and substituent effects. A simple preparation of differentially substituted para-nitrophenyl benzoates is followed by ester hydrolysis with monitoring by UV-Vis spectroscopy to provide rate data for the reaction.
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    Microwave-Assisted Biginelli Reaction
    (2011-07-14) Mulcahy, Seann P.; Evans, Thomas; Rossi, Lauren
    Excellent laboratory procedure for a small focused library of dihydropyrimidinones. Good example of a multicomponent reaction performed using microwave irradiation.