The project will modify the general chemistry course toward a foundation based upon atomic and molecular structure on which to develop chemical concepts taught in this course and courses that follow. Students will learn to predict chemical behavior based on an inspection of structure with a view to identifying electrophilic and nucleophilic sites, and with an emphasis on critical thinking, rather than memorization. A variable- temperature, high field, proton-carbon NMR will provide a part of the instrumental basis for this approach. Using this instrument, students will appreciate how the structure of matter determines its reactivity and how structure can change with time and/or temperature (kinetics and equilibrium). The instrument will be used in general chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, instrumental methods, and student research.
