Quantifying the Product Distribution of a Chemical Reaction by 1H NMR Spectroscopy: A Cooperative Learning Approach for the Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory

This enhancement of a classic laboratory experiment investigates the kinetic and thermodynamic control of a reaction utilizing H-1 NMR spectroscopy instead of melting point analysis to determine the product distribution. In this experiment, semicarbazide is reacted with cyclohexanone and 2-furaldehyde under varying buffer and temperature conditions to yield semicarbazone derivative products. After 1H NMR analysis of the products, students compile the class data in a cooperative setting facilitated by graduate teaching assistants. As a result, students are able to analyze a larger data set in this cooperative learning environment in order to describe the product distribution of the reaction on the basis of trends as opposed to using a single data set. The application of H-1 NMR spectroscopy to determine the product distribution of the reaction introduces a modern approach to study a well-established example of the kinetic and thermodynamic control of a reaction.