Learning synthetic techniques is an important component of the inorganic laboratory experience. However, if a lab only requires students to prepare a compound, they can be left questioning if the compound they made serves any useful purpose. In this lab, the ligand 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) can either be prepared as part of a previous laboratory or purchased. A variety of transition-metal complexes are prepared and characterized by NMR and UV–visible spectroscopy. While 1H NMR will be useful in characterizing the complexes, 31P{1H} NMR will be essential for characterization. By varying the metal centers, instructors will be able to introduce crystal field theory, the Evans method, and the effect of NMR active nuclei that are not 100% abundant. In addition, students can examine the electrochemistry of their compounds to determine the effect of the metal on the potential at which oxidation of their ligands occurs.
Supplement
Student handouts including prelab questions; Instructor notes
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