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Overview
Results
This lab will focus on applying your base of chemical knowledge to actual transformations from the literature. Working with a partner, you will isolate and purify the natural products neurolenin A and neurolenin B. You will then propose and carry out reactions on one of these molecules in hopes of preparing a previously unknown molecule that the Williams Lab can test for biological activity. Professional presentation of your results, both in written and oral formats, will be a major component of the course.
The general goal for this lab is to develop an understanding of how chemists plan, run, purify, analyze, and report reactions with a focus on practical applications in the laboratory. We will apply our knowledge from Organic I and II to help address a real world problem, namely the development of new molecules to fight the tropical disease lymphatic filariasis.
Beyond the specific chemistry-related goals mentioned above, there are numerous broader goals that I hope each of your will achieve. If successful, you should be able to utilize these skills long after you have forgotten the specific details of the reactions and techniques we will study.
• Think like a chemist
• Work productively as a member of a team
• Learn how to efficiently perform database and literature searches
• Evaluate hazards of chemicals and techniques
• Work safely with hazardous materials
• Repeat experiments described in the literature
• Write clear and concise scientific papers
• Learn something new from books and papers
• Learn how a new instrument works
• Clearly present results obtained in lab
Grading
Project Proposal
Lab Report
Poster
Journal
Preparation/Technique
Notebook
I know this is mostly because the lab section is experimental, but I would love if the expectations of what we are to do in preparation for and in follow up to lab were more clear. We are given the huge topic of synthesizing molecules, and I am not sure if the expectation is for us to spend one hour outside of class preparing, or ten hours.
It was really cool to hear about everyone else’s projects. I realized that even proposals that seemed straightforward at first can easily become tricky because it is difficult or impossible to control where the reactant reacts when there are multiple sites for the same functional group. It was also really interesting to think about which new functional groups may add more biological function to the compound.
Today is the big day! Our first day of performing our reactions! I am extremely nervous and worried that we will do something wrong and lose all of our product.
I think the experiment-based lab section is good for us in the kinda hellish, mostly intangible, and probably wishful way that eating spinach and waking up early is good for us - in the long run, I believe it will make us better (scientists, people, whatever).
I’m a little bit disappointed that we didn’t make the ether product, but I’m still really glad that we did the individual projects. I feel like I’ve gained more confidence in lab. I have learned several different lab techniques, like column chromatrography, rotovapping, cannulation, and working under nitrogen. I think that the experimental lab was a really good idea.
It was really fun and rewarding to have the poster session today. We received feedback that was really encouraging and has given us a few ideas/directions to pursue in the next week or so. We were also able to look at and hear about the ideas of our classmates, which was a lot of fun, especially because I feel like I understand some of the reactions better now than I did earlier in the semester, when we presented our proposals. Everyone I talked to wanted to repeat their reaction again, using the knowledge and experience in the lab that we now have, and that is how I feel too. This was my first poster session that I took part in and it was a great experience!
Well, December sure was a whirlwind! This was a very scary, but very impactful course. Definitely worth the worry! The poster session was so fun, it was great to get to feel knowledgeable and hear other people’s feedback. I only wish we had more time to purify our potential Neurolenin A product and redo Neurolenin B!
How would you describe your own efforts to learn in this course?
What features of this course made the most valuable contributions to your learning?
In what ways could specific features of this course be improved?
Numbers
Looking back, would you choose to be in this lab section if you were starting 223 over again?
Pros
Cons
What will you take from this experience as you move forward at Smith?
Comments on the impact of investigating a novel problem versus your lab experience in CHM 222
Conclusions and Next Steps