Monthly Archives: November 2010

When is a 'glycol' not a glycol?

Posted on November 29, 2010 by alan

In class today, I gave you a special name for 1,2-diols: glycols. Since a 1,2-diol requires a minimum of two carbon atoms, the simplest compound in this class is ethylene glycol, HOCH2CH2OH.It turns out that one glycol has been in… Continue reading →

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Hg-free Exams? Not quite

Posted on November 29, 2010 by alan

Homework assignment #6 contained an important announcement, but many students who worked on the homework either ignored the announcement or didn't fully understand it (and many students may not have even seen the announcement given the small number of completed… Continue reading →

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How to finish the acetylferrocene lab

Posted on November 20, 2010 by alan

We do not have any lab work scheduled for this week or beyond. The only thing that needs to be accomplished by most students is printing the NMR spectrum of acetylferrocene. This can be done during the lab periods this… Continue reading →

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Anticrastination anyone?

Posted on November 11, 2010 by alan

Procrastination is a problem. I have trouble dealing with it. Everyone that I know suffers from it. (Actually, "suffers" is the wrong word; "complains" would be more accurate. Procrastination can be a good thing, but if you find yourself complaining… Continue reading →

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New Homework Signals New Direction

Posted on November 9, 2010 by alan

I have just posted a new homework assignment: HW #6. You can download it from the homework page.This assignment signals a switch from an emphasis on modeling to an emphasis on chemical transformations. It is essential at this point that… Continue reading →

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Watch the TLC video

Posted on November 8, 2010 by alan

Last Thursday night I started showing a video demonstrating the technique of thin-layer chromatography. I also pointed out where to find this link. Let me point you at it again:Lab techniques (MIT videos): TLC (thin-layer chromatography) (16 min)(located in Off… Continue reading →

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Learn about the last EDG on your own

Posted on November 3, 2010 by alan

I have posted all of the slides from today's lecture (see Syllabus or here). I did not finish my description of electron-donating groups (EDG), but I had saved the easiest material for last so I would like you to look… Continue reading →

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