Synthesis, Characterization and Investigation of Trends in Metallated Porphyrin Complexes: An Interlaboratory Approach

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 10 Issue 2 (2005) pp 120-125

Synthesis, Characterization and Investigation of Trends in Metallated Porphyrin Complexes: An Interlaboratory Approach

Elise G. Megehee, Richard J. Rosso,* and Alison G. Hyslop

Department of Chemistry, St. John's University, Jamaica, NY 11439, megeheee@stjohns.edu, rossor@stjohns.edu, hyslopa@stjohns.edu
Received June 30, 2004. Accepted November 3, 2004.

Published online: 7 February 2005

Abstract. We describe here the first fully developed laboratory experiment that utilizes the interlaboratory collaboration approach for the synthesis, characterization, and investigation of metallated porphyrin compounds. This approach for conducting upper-level undergraduate courses strongly utilizes the concepts of cooperative learning both between students within the same laboratory class as well as between two different laboratory courses. It also mimics an industrial setting in which one person will synthesize a compound, another will perform characterization tests on it, and the results are shared between the two groups. In this experiment, the students in the Inorganic Synthesis class were responsible for the synthesis and basic characterization of a series of metallated tetraphenylporphyrins and the preliminary data on these compounds were shared within the class. The compounds and the preliminary data were subsequently passed to the students in the physical chemistry laboratory where variations in the electronic structure were probed by other techniques and this data shared within the class. Students in both classes utilized the collected data in order to formulate various periodic trends that develop upon changing the metal ion in the porphyrin. Students are required to communicate their results to one another through both oral and written means.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; inorganic chemistry; physical chemistry; porphyrins; synthesis; electronic structure; cooperative learning; interlaboratory collaboration

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: hyslopa@stjohns.edu)

Article in PDF format (274 KB) HTML format

Supporting Materials:

Handouts for the students in both the Inorganic and Physical Chemistry classes as well as notes for the instructor are available in a Zip file (581 KB).