Synthesis and Metalation of a Ligand: An Interdisciplinary Laboratory Experiment for Second-Year Organic and Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Students

An interdisciplinary laboratory experiment involving second-year undergraduate organic chemistry and introductory inorganic chemistry undergraduate students is described. Organic chemistry students prepare a series of amine-bis(phenols) via a Mannich reaction, and characterize their products using melting point; FTIR; and H-1, C-13, DEPT-135, and HSQC NMR experiments. In the inorganic chemistry laboratory, students utilize these amine ligands to prepare a series of octahedral titanium complexes, and characterize the resultant complexes using FTIR, and H-1, C-13, DEPT-135, and HSQC NMR spectroscopy. Students are asked to revisit concepts such as the two- and three-dimensional representations of their target molecules and reaction mechanisms throughout both experiments. From these experiments, students gain an appreciation for the multidisciplinary nature of chemistry.