Incorporation of FT-NMR Throughout a New Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum

University Of Illinois At Springfield, Springfield IL

Investigators

Abstract

Chemistry (12) With the upgrade of our continuous wave NMR spectrometer to a multinuclear FT-NMR instrument, we are integrating NMR spectroscopy throughout our undergraduate curriculum. In the chemistry department, we are developing an exciting new curriculum which makes use of major laboratory instrumentation, including FT-NMR, in all of our chemistry courses. We are adapting and implementing a number of NMR experiments from the peer-reviewed chemical education literature for this purpose. For example, our new freshman curriculum include an integrated chemistry and biology course focusing on the environment. We are adapting a H-NMR study of mono-, di-, and trihalomethanes to examine the concepts of electronegativity and polarity in this course. These compounds are familiar to students through the discussion of trihalomethanes in the module on "Water Purification" which we have adapted from the NSF-supported ChemConnections initiative. In our Inorganic course, we are adapting a C-13 NMR experiment on the structure of fullerenes. In our more advanced courses we emphasize the integration of the various disciplines of chemistry to prevent our students from seeing each class as a separate discipline. To show this integration of knowledge we are using FT-NMR experiments throughout the curriculum in activities highlighting the relationship between the structure and properties of molecules. We are also integrating molecular modeling analysis of structure with NMR spectroscopy.