The number of available Spectronic 20 spectrophotometers in general chemistry is being increased from two to twelve units. This is allowing all students in a full laboratory section to perform experiments requiring extensive measurements from these instruments. The new instruments are allowing the curriculum to include experiments which establish the formula of complex ions, rates of dissociation of complexes, kinetic rate laws for the bromination of acetone, and other appropriate quantitative experiments. A second infrared spectrophotometer is also being added. This is allowing the organic laboratory students to increase their routine analysis of starting materials and synthesis products. It is also facilitating the introduction of infrared analysis into the general chemistry laboratory sections which are currently too large to be served by a single instruments. An example of a new experiment, which has been added is a study of the bonding in ligands of a cobalt (III) complex. The grantee is matching the award from non-Federal sources.
