Stonehill College is integrating high field FT-NMR across the entire chemistry curriculum in order to strengthen the ability of students to retain what they learn, draw connections between courses, interpret spectroscopic results, and design experiments. This project is impacting chemistry, biochemistry, biology, environmental studies, and computer engineering majors. The incorporation of high field FT-NMR across the entire curriculum is based on NSF-DUE funded projects (Nolen-DUE008827, Smart-DUE0087655, Wallace-DUE9952343, McDonald-DUE9850423, Gaede-DUE9750847) and on a Journal of Chemical Education (JCE) article (Davis-JCE, 99). Most experiments have been adapted from JCE or NSF-DUE funded projects and implemented into our curriculum. For example, in General Chemistry, students are investigating electronegativity as well as the heavy atom effect by obtaining C-13 NMR spectra of halogenated methanes (Baer-JCE, 99). In Organic Chemistry, C-13 NMR is being introduced early in the semester (Reeves-JCE, 98), eventually leading to the introduction of H-NMR. Once the basics are established, NMR is then being used for structure determination, to determine optical purity (Viswanathan-JCE, 95), to study Markovnikov verses anti-Markovnikov hydration (Smart-DUE0087655, Nolan-DUE008827, Blankespoor-JCE, 91), and to determine the stereochemistry of hydride reduction (McDonald-DUE9850423). In Instrumental Analysis, students are exploring how different parameters change the appearance of a spectrum (Gaede-DUE9750847) and investigating the nuclear Overhauser effect (Schmedake-JCE, 96). In Physical Chemistry students are performing variable temperature NMR kinetic and thermodynamic studies (McDonald-DUE9850423, Gallaher-JCE, 96). Advance NMR techniques (two-dimensional, heteronuclear, isotopic labeling, etc.) are becoming an integral part of Biochemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry and student/faculty research.
