Rhys Batchelor, Peter T. Northcote, and Joanne E. Harvey
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Emma M. Dangerfield and Bridget L. Stocker
The Malaghan Institute Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
Carbohydrates, in the form of glycoconjugates, have recently been shown to control a wide range of cellular processes. Accordingly, students interested in the study of organic chemistry and biomedical sciences should be exposed to carbohydrate chemistry. To this end, we have developed a sequence of experiments that leads the student from the derivatization of naturally occurring D-glucose through to the formation of simple alkyl and aryl glycosides, and in doing so this experiment provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of glycoside synthesis. These experiments focus on the control of stereochemistry at the anomeric center and NMR spectroscopy for the structural elucidation of products.
Supplement
Handouts from the student laboratory manual; Notes for the teaching assistants; NMR spectra (1D and 2D)
Experiments, laboratory exercises, lecture demonstrations, and other descriptions of the use of chemicals, apparatus, instruments, computers, and computer interfaces are presented in the Journal of Chemical Education as illustrative of new or improved ideas or concepts in chemistry instruction and are directed at qualified teachers. Although every effort is made to assure and encourage safe practices and safe use of chemicals, the Journal of Chemical Education cannot assume responsibility for uses made of its published materials. Many chemicals are hazardous. Precautions for the safe use of hazardous chemicals and directions for their proper disposal are described in the Material Safety Data Sheets and on the labels. We strongly urge all those planning to use materials from our pages to make choices and to develop procedures for laboratory and classroom safety in accordance with local needs and situations.
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.
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.
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.