A new organic chemistry experiment aimed to separate the chlorophyll precursor in plant seeds by column chromatography is described. The primary pedagogical goal in developing this experiment is to establish a simple and interesting chromatographic separation to demonstrate basic concepts and the standard procedure for this important lab…

There has been dramatic growth in interest and research regarding organic photochromism in recent decades. Despite this, the topic is seldom addressed in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Herein, we present a straightforward and robust experiment for the second semester organic chemistry laboratory curriculum which combines multistep…

A fast, operationally simple, and reproducible synthetic protocol for anthraquinone dyes (AQDs), suitable for upper-division undergraduate industrial and organic chemistry laboratory courses, has been developed. This experiment is composed of three stages; the first step deals with the synthesis of AQDs, followed by a purification step, and…

An introductory normal phase column chromatography experiment is described and evaluated for second year undergraduate chemistry laboratory class. The experiment involves a nucleophilic substitution yielding a crude mixture of reactant and one product, both of which are brightly colored and contrasting, creating a clearly visual separation when…

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the separation of the primary colors of ink markers and food coloring was performed using a simplified column chromatography setup at home to accomplish the educational outcome of the course. The virtual class instruction, for the students enrolled in the "Organic Techniques Laboratory"…

Unlike the large number of laboratory experiments on phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) that focus on a catalyzed chemical process, the present laboratory emphasizes the mechanism of phase transfer catalysis itself. Students can follow visually the actual transfer of the reagent by the catalyst, and its consumption in the organic phase, in a…

A laboratory experiment is described that extracts the tetrapyrrolic teal-colored biliverdin IXa, as its dimethyl ester, from commercially available emu eggshells. The extraction of ~10 mg samples of biliverdin is simple and requires two 3 h lab periods: A two-step acid digestion and liquid-liquid extraction, followed by short silica gel flash…

A guided inquiry laboratory experiment for teaching liquid/liquid extractions to first semester undergraduate organic chemistry students is described. This laboratory is particularly useful for introductory students as the analytes that are separated are highly colored dye molecules. This allows students to track into which phase each analyte…

A discovery chemistry laboratory has been developed for the introductory organic chemistry student to investigate the concepts of polarity, miscibility, solubility, and density. The simple procedure takes advantage of the solubility of two colored dyes in a series of solvents or solvent mixtures, and the diffusion of colors can be easily…

A simple and ecofriendly procedure was developed in order to prepare extracts from red and green leaves. This procedure enables the separation of yellow, green, and red band pigments and optimizes the previously reported baking soda "supermarket column". The same extract also led to a novel and colorful potato starch column, which can…

A novel undergraduate chemistry experiment involving superabsorbent polymers commonly used in diapers and other personal care products is described. Students observe the removal of divalent transition-metal ions from aqueous solutions by the polymers. With the procedures provided, students are able to color the superabsorbent polymers with metal…