JCE Online Journal of Chemical Education
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print

JCE Digital Library

JCE Software

Only@JCE Online

About JCE


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2001  > January  >
In the Laboratory
The Discovery-Oriented Approach to Organic Chemistry. 4. Epoxidation of p-Methoxy-trans-b-methylstyrene: An Exercise in NMR and IR Spectroscopy for Sophomore Organic Laboratories
Rebecca S. Centko and Ram S. Mohan
Department of Chemistry, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL 61701

Cover
January 2001
Vol. 78 No. 1
p. 77

Abstract
Epoxidation of alkenes using peroxyacids is one of the most fundamental reactions in organic chemistry, yet there are very few examples of laboratory experiments that illustrate this important reaction. We have developed a discovery-oriented lab experiment that illustrates epoxidation of alkenes as well as the reactivity of epoxides toward acids. The experiment involves reaction of p-methoxy-trans-b-methylstyrene (trans-anethole) with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA), in both the absence and presence of a buffer, followed by product identification using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. The added element of discovery ensures that students' interest and enthusiasm are retained.
Supplement
Notes for the instructor and sample spectra are available.
*  Contents JCE2001p0077W.doc (MS Word 98, Mac); 13Cnobuffer.tif, 13Cwithbuffer.tif, 1Hnobuffer.tif, 1Hwithbuffer.tif, IRnobuffer.tif, IRwithbuffer.tif (Adobe Photoshop 5.0)
*  Download
JCE2001p0077W.pdf

JCE2001p0077W.zip

JCE2001p0077W.sit

More Information
*  Citation
Centko, Rebecca S.; Mohan, Ram S. J. Chem. Educ. 2001 78 77.
*  Keywords
Inquiry-Based / Discovery Method; IR Spectroscopy; Laboratory Instruction; NMR Spectrometry; Organic Chemistry; Problem-Based Learning
*  History
Created:
Last Updated:
November 30, 2000
August 31, 2005
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2001  > January  > Page 77


Subscriptions

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.


Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.