Comments for OChemOnline http://ochemonline.wordpress.com What's going on in Organic Chemistry Lab? Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:18:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Dehydration of Methylcyclohexanols II by jbfriesen http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/dehydration-of-methylcyclohexanols-ii/#comment-87 jbfriesen Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:51:07 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=62#comment-87 we need to find some (1R,2R)-2-bromo-1-ethyl-1,3,3-trimethylcyclohexane and do the experiment. we need to find some (1R,2R)-2-bromo-1-ethyl-1,3,3-trimethylcyclohexane and do the experiment.

]]> Comment on Dehydration of Methylcyclohexanols II by Jean-Claude Bradley http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/dehydration-of-methylcyclohexanols-ii/#comment-86 Jean-Claude Bradley Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:24:51 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=62#comment-86 Your students might find this video I created for my class yesterday helpful to understand how 1-methylcyclohexene was formed. http://youtube.com/watch?v=6mLQrf1ateU For clearer images see http://www.scribd.com/doc/3275134/Shift-Mania Your students might find this video I created for my class yesterday helpful to understand how 1-methylcyclohexene was formed.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6mLQrf1ateU

For clearer images see
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3275134/Shift-Mania

]]> Comment on Collaboration In Organic Chemistry Laboratory I by Cameron Neylon http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/collaboration-in-organic-chemistry-laboratory-i/#comment-77 Cameron Neylon Tue, 20 May 2008 12:59:23 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-77 umm Steffan, surely that's the interesting question? Will the students learn more by interacting with other people doing similar or related things. Or do they learn more by making yet another white solid which then gets stuck in a cupboard and thrown away at the end of term? Will this encourage them to do better at studying and learning the material? Can we use peer group pressure to bring standards up? I don't know. I believe it can work. But I certainly think its worth trying it and finding out. umm Steffan, surely that’s the interesting question? Will the students learn more by interacting with other people doing similar or related things. Or do they learn more by making yet another white solid which then gets stuck in a cupboard and thrown away at the end of term? Will this encourage them to do better at studying and learning the material? Can we use peer group pressure to bring standards up?

I don’t know. I believe it can work. But I certainly think its worth trying it and finding out.

]]> Comment on Collaboration In Organic Chemistry Laboratory I by steffan http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/collaboration-in-organic-chemistry-laboratory-i/#comment-72 steffan Sun, 18 May 2008 18:43:02 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-72 This might be fun. This might be interesting. Is anything really learned ? So students are good at social networking -- are they good at studying and learning the material. I personally do not have time to waste on such rubbish. This might be fun. This might be interesting. Is anything really learned ? So students are good at social networking — are they good at studying and learning the material. I personally do not have time to waste on such rubbish.

]]> Comment on Collaboration In Organic Chemistry Laboratory I by Cameron Neylon http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/collaboration-in-organic-chemistry-laboratory-i/#comment-71 Cameron Neylon Sun, 18 May 2008 14:24:03 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-71 Yes! And I really believe that this will give the students something to compare themselves against that they will see as 'fair' rather than simply what their lecturers tell them about standards. Its one thing for one student to say 'clearly the synthesis doesn't work' but if they can check against other students in other places then a) if it hasn't worked for everyone else they are validated (and we've learnt something) b) if it does then they might pull their socks up or c) if it works some places and not others then we have an interesting question to answer. Yes! And I really believe that this will give the students something to compare themselves against that they will see as ‘fair’ rather than simply what their lecturers tell them about standards. Its one thing for one student to say ‘clearly the synthesis doesn’t work’ but if they can check against other students in other places then a) if it hasn’t worked for everyone else they are validated (and we’ve learnt something) b) if it does then they might pull their socks up or c) if it works some places and not others then we have an interesting question to answer.

]]> Comment on Week 11: “Vanillin Synthesis from 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde” by Ricardo Rodriguez http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/week-11-%e2%80%9cvanillin-synthesis-from-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde%e2%80%9d/#comment-62 Ricardo Rodriguez Thu, 01 May 2008 03:08:55 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=46#comment-62 I would probably suggest heating the reactants to at least 175 C. Although there runs the risk of evaporation to dryness of the sample is not kept an eye on, and the refluxer is not cold enough to prevent the outflow of reactants evaporating into the atmosphere. I would probably suggest heating the reactants to at least 175 C. Although there runs the risk of evaporation to dryness of the sample is not kept an eye on, and the refluxer is not cold enough to prevent the outflow of reactants evaporating into the atmosphere.

]]> Comment on Instructor Evaluation of Peer-Developed Peer-Led Labs by Laura Volpe http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/instructor-evaluation-of-peer-developed-peer-led-labs/#comment-61 Laura Volpe Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:18:33 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=56#comment-61 Perhaps for students to take more "ownership" of their work, they could give a five to ten minute lecture during lab period on the theory behind the reactions. Also, maybe set aside part of the Friday class period to a reflection on what happened in lab that week. Ask students to explain why the experiment is relevant to the course material. Self-explanation can be a powerful method of learning. Perhaps for students to take more “ownership” of their work, they could give a five to ten minute lecture during lab period on the theory behind the reactions.

Also, maybe set aside part of the Friday class period to a reflection on what happened in lab that week. Ask students to explain why the experiment is relevant to the course material. Self-explanation can be a powerful method of learning.

]]> Comment on Week 13: Ugi Synthesis Collaborative Project by Jean-Claude Bradley http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/week-13-ugi-synthesis-collaborative-project/#comment-58 Jean-Claude Bradley Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:36:55 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=53#comment-58 We now have some pretty convincing evidence for what is happening with the 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid run - it is not a Ugi product but is still interesting. I am concerned that your students did not get a white precipitate for this one. It is important that methanol is not allowed to evaporate because starting materials will co-precipitate. This may be why you're getting a brown goo instead of a white crystal. Have your students kept an online log and lab notebook so that we can investigate more closely the differences with my group's results? We now have some pretty convincing evidence for what is happening with the 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid run - it is not a Ugi product but is still interesting. I am concerned that your students did not get a white precipitate for this one.
It is important that methanol is not allowed to evaporate because starting materials will co-precipitate. This may be why you’re getting a brown goo instead of a white crystal.
Have your students kept an online log and lab notebook so that we can investigate more closely the differences with my group’s results?

]]> Comment on Barriers to Contributing to (& Benefiting From) Online Communities by Jean-Claude Bradley http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/barriers-to-contributing-to-benefiting-from-online-communities/#comment-52 Jean-Claude Bradley Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:31:25 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-52 I agree that the willingness to participate is the most important component. Other things can be learned. By the way we have the NMR, IR and m.p. for 171H up on the wiki in the results section: http://usefulchem.wikispaces.com/Exp171 JSpecView is a little flaky with Firefox still - use IE if you are going to look at a lot of spectra. You can expand the spectra by dragging the mouse with the left button pressed then releasing it. If you or your students want to comment the best place is right on the wiki page - just have them join the space and I'll approve it. Analyzing that NMR is a good exercise in this case.... :) I agree that the willingness to participate is the most important component. Other things can be learned.

By the way we have the NMR, IR and m.p. for 171H up on the wiki in the results section:
http://usefulchem.wikispaces.com/Exp171

JSpecView is a little flaky with Firefox still - use IE if you are going to look at a lot of spectra. You can expand the spectra by dragging the mouse with the left button pressed then releasing it. If you or your students want to comment the best place is right on the wiki page - just have them join the space and I’ll approve it.

Analyzing that NMR is a good exercise in this case…. :)

]]> Comment on Putting a Human Face on Electronic Social Networking by Jean-Claude Bradley http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/2008/04/06/putting-a-human-face-on-electronic-social-networking/#comment-42 Jean-Claude Bradley Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:08:24 +0000 http://ochemonline.wordpress.com/?p=48#comment-42 Face to face meetings still have their role and I try to go when it is convenient. It is nice to finally meet people that you've collaborated with online for a long time! We are also mixing things up at ACS - see our poster session in Second Life tomorrow April 7, 2008: http://usefulchem.blogspot.com/2008/04/acs-island-party-tonight.html Face to face meetings still have their role and I try to go when it is convenient. It is nice to finally meet people that you’ve collaborated with online for a long time!
We are also mixing things up at ACS - see our poster session in Second Life tomorrow April 7, 2008:
http://usefulchem.blogspot.com/2008/04/acs-island-party-tonight.html

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