CHED Abstracts - Division of Chemical Education

CHED 1
Green chemistry: Connections to our world
Kate Anderson, [email protected], Mollie Enright. Beyond Benign,
Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States
The Next Generation Science Standards call for students to analyze problems and
create solutions. Green chemistry is the science of creating safe, energy efficient and
non-toxic processes and products that provide sustainable solutions for the
environmental problems facing our society today. Green chemistry provides a
framework and lens for learning, teaching and investigating chemistry concepts.
Highlighting industrial examples of sustainable design is one way to engage students
and provide an opportunity to demonstrate how chemistry connects to our world. Learn
how innovative green chemistry technologies are serving as tools to capture the
imagination of the next generation of problem solvers. Teachers and students alike,
delight in the interactive and engaging activities that bring these innovative ideas,
designs and applications to life.
CHED 2
Developing a high school organic chemistry course
Esther Hines, [email protected]. Science, Billerica Memorial High School, Billerica,
Massachusetts, United States
Developing an Organic Chemistry Course at Billerica Memorial High School
Esther Hines, Billerica Memorial High School, Billerica MA
[email protected]
The high school organic chemistry course taught at Billerica Memorial High School,
Billerica MA, was offered for the first time in the Fall of 2014. This course is open to all
students as a semester elective. The students who selected this course in the past two
years have been interested in pursuing careers in the medical and or health fields after
high school.
The lecture portion of the course starts with a vocabulary lesson in which the familiar
terms used in general chemistry is “translated to organic chemistry language”, a
practice that continuous throughout the follow up units. We have adopted a textbook,
purchased with a generous donation from a local company.
The course has a laboratory section component. The selection of laboratory
experiments we used was determined by the laboratory infrastructure at our high
school, the budget (both from our STEM department and grants), and the topics of
interest by the students (based on surveyed results).
I will share our course curriculum, laboratory experiments we currently do, sources from
which we obtained our lab kits, and the inclusion of green chemistry experiments in the
course.
We look forward to your input to guide our efforts with this course since it is a work in
progress.
CHED 3
Atoms, molecules, and ions – Oh my! Teacher-designed inquiry activities with
particulate models
Ellen J. Yezierski2, [email protected], Deborah G. Herrington1. (1) Dept of Chem,
Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, United States (2) Chemistry &
Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States
This session features classroom-ready, teacher-developed, and teacher-tested inquiry
activities with a focus on particulate level models and building conceptual
understanding. Participants will interact with the activities developed by high school
chemistry teachers who completed the nationally known professional development
program, Target Inquiry at Miami University. Participants will also discuss important
considerations for facilitating the activities as well as strategies for incorporating more
inquiry into their own lessons. Topics include stoichiometry, intermolecular forces, and
redox, to name a few. Participants will be introduced to the Target Inquiry web sites at
Miami University and Grand Valley State University where they can join over 3,000
teachers across the world who have accessed Target Inquiry student and teacher
guides.
CHED 4
Advancing scientific literacy with inquiry based lessons designed around
ChemMatters articles
Kathy Chesmel, [email protected]. Science, New Egypt High School, Cream
Ridge, New Jersey, United States
Science teachers are being asked to incorporate additional and rigorous reading and
writing tasks into their lessons to support literacy in the science classroom. The goal of
these tasks is to help students think critically as they use informational texts to deepen
their understanding of the nature of science and important scientific concepts. One way
of weaving instruction in reading, writing and speaking into chemistry content is using
challenging, grade-level appropriate articles that examine the exciting science behind
everyday life.
In this workshop, specific strategies to improve students’ understanding of scientific
concepts through reading and conducting their own investigations will be explored.
Some of the most highly ranked ChemMatters articles will be used as exemplars to
demonstrate the process of developing and implementating inquiry lesson plans based
on non-fiction texts. Strategies to create specific learning goals and authentic
assessments that are in line with Next Generation Science Standards and Common
Core State Standards will be discussed. Assessments include presentations, debates,
and other creative projects that stimulate student interest, develop content knowledge
and expand scientific literacy.
In the second part of the workshop participants will engage in building their own lesson
plans designed to teach high-level literacy skills and promote critical and analytical
thinking. To assist with this activity, we will provide a selection of ChemMatters articles,
templates for building lessons, and relevant sections of the ChemMatters Teacher
Guide. After the workshop the lesson plans will be refined, formatted and posted on the
ACS website for use in the classrooms.
CHED 5
Student centered activities from JCE & ChemEd X
Deanna Cullen, [email protected]. Chemistry, Whitehall High School ,
Montague, Michigan, United States
The Journal of Chemical Education has been a reliable source for research-based
activities for over nine decades. ChemEd X provides an interactive venue for
collaboration that helps bridge the gap between the research and introductory chemistry
courses at the high school and college level courses. Engage in student-centered
activities from both sources.
CHED 6
Ötzi the iceman meets the new IUPAC periodic table of the elements and isotopes
Peter G. Mahaffy1,2, [email protected], Brian Martin2, Mckenzie Oliver2, Tyler
DeBoon2. (1) Chemistry, The King's University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (2) King's
Centre for Visualization in Science, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
A hand goes up in your chemistry classroom. “What is the atomic weight of hydrogen?”
It used to be 1.0079, a number that I can plug into calculating molar mass values. But
on the new periodic table it is shown as [1.007 , 1.009], an interval between two
numbers!
Enter Ötzi the well-preserved 5,300 year old frozen mummy found on a melting glacier
in the Ötztal Alps along the Austrian-Italian border. Ötzi serves as an entry point for
teachers and students to an IUPAC project to create for the education community an
interactive, electronic version of the IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and
Isotopes. The electronic resources will be formally launched for global dissemination in
August at the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia and the International Conference
on Chemistry Education in Malaysia. Data about Ötzi’s Pb, Sr and O isotopes helped
forensic scientists determine where he lived as a child and an adult.
The IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes has been created to familiarize
students, teachers, and the public with the existence and importance of isotopes of the
chemical elements. For some elements like Hydrogen, the atomic weight is no longer
considered to be a constant of nature, since the ratios of the constituent isotopes can
vary in nature. The new interactive, electronic version of the Periodic Table of the
Elements and Isotopes, which has been created by the research team at the King’s
Centre for Visualization in Science (www.kcvs.ca), will be presented in this session, and
you will learn how you can make use of KCVS interactive digital learning objects and
electronic resources to help your students wrap their minds around these important
changes to the periodic table that hangs on your classroom wall. We will also explore
how we can introduce students to the widespread importance of isotopic variability, with
applications in medicine, forensics, and proxy measurements for climate. The new
interval IUPAC atomic weights complicate life for plug-and-chug calculations for our
students, but the variability of isotopic abundances also presents intriguing opportunities
for rich and deep education about fundamental ideas related to atoms, isotopes, and
atomic weights.
CHED 7
Total Synthesis of Pyrophen and Campyrones A-C
Hannah Burdge, [email protected]. Chemistry, Towson University, Towson,
Maryland, United States
The total synthesis of the novel compounds pyrophen and campyrones A, B and C,
isolated from the fungus Aspergillus niger, is reported for the first time. Beginning from
L-phenylalanine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine and L-valine respectively, key steps in this
route include a Claisen condensation utilizing N-acylbenzotriazoles to form a pivotal
carbon-carbon bond and a dioxinone thermolysis/cyclization sequence to generate the
α-pyrone moiety. These compounds have displayed promising antifungal activity against
Candida albicans, and in partnership with Eli Lilly’s Open Innovation Drug Discovery
(OIDD) program, we plan to examine the full potential of this biological activity.
CHED 8
ORGN: Developing a synthetic route to caramboxin, a rare bioactive non-peptidic
amino acid
Chris Fritschi, [email protected], Andrea Pascucci, Luis Sanchez. Niagara
University, West Seneca, New York, United States
While safe for everyone else, ingestion of Averrhoa carambola, more commonly known
as star fruit, can be harmful to chronic kidney disease patients; symptoms such as
vomiting, mental confusion, and seizures and even deaths have been reported.
Caramboxin has been recently identified as the active compound responsible for these
effects and its molecular structure has been determined to be an amino acid-like moiety
resembling phenylalanine. Our interest in caramboxin lies on its orsellinic acid-like
aromatic ring, a feature present in a number of medically relevant natural products.
These compounds and their analogues are currently being investigated for the
treatment of malaria, menopause symptoms, and various forms of cancer. We envision
that caramboxin, as an amino acid, has the potential to be incorporated in peptide-like
compounds for the development of novel drugs. With this in mind, synthetic access to
large quantities of this rare active amino acid for biological studies is highly desirable.
Given that the chirality of caramboxin has not been determined, the present project
aims at its first total synthesis for structural confirmation. Furthermore, our synthetic
route, which begins with aspartic acid, may provide a glimpse at how this molecule is
produced in nature by Averrhoa carambola.
CHED 9
ORGN: Tuning chemoselectivity toward an affordable synthesis of
aurantioclavine
Zachary Mariani, [email protected], Luis Sanchez. Niagara University,
Wilson, New York, United States
Aurantioclavine is a natural product isolated from Penicillium aurantiovirens that gained
the interest of the synthetic community for its proposed role in the biosynthesis of the
complex polycylic alkaloids of the communesin family. Members of this family display
notable bioactivities, including insecticidal properties and cytotoxicity toward leukemia
cell lines. Our interest in this important compound lies in its structural resemblance to
tryptamine, a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan. Since tryptamine is readily
available and more than a hundred times less expensive than the starting materials
used in the reported total syntheses of aurantioclavine, we aim at developing a rational
reaction sequence to progressively transform tryptamine and access aurantioclavine
synthetically. This approach, nevertheless, is bound to involve an “unfavored”
cyclization in order to assemble aurantioclavine’s characteristic seven-membered ring.
We expect to tune the chemical selectivity of this process via the functionalization of the
indole ring and pendant chain of tryptamine—altering the geometry and electronics of
the functionalities involved in the cyclization. Our progress in these efforts will be
presented.
CHED 10
Ligand-driven pursuit of structure of d(CAGAGG)n repeats
Barrett Powell1, [email protected], Jessica Chen1, Eric Brown2, Liliya A.
Yatsunyk1. (1) Chemistry and Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore,
Pennsylvania, United States (2) Perelman School of Medicine, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
In the mouse genome, the repeats of (CAGAGG)n have been identified to be associated
with collapse of replication forks. Such a collapse can potentially cause breakpoints
leading to translocations and other types of mutations, contributing to cancer. The
structure of (CAGAGG)n repeats is not known but previous biophysical studies from our
lab led us to propose a model consisting of a quadruplex core built using canonical C-G
base pairs, and possibly stabilized by noncanonical AG and GG base pairs in loops
above and below the core structure. Recent crystallization efforts led to successful
crystal formation, but with poor diffraction pattern with resolution of up to 6 Å. We
therefore screened for small molecule ligands (NMM, TMPyP4, RHPS4, etc) known to
bind to a variety of DNA structures that would stabilize the (CAGAGG)n repeat without
altering its existing secondary structure. Binding of ligands was determined using UV-vis
and CD titrations and their stabilizing ability was tested in CD melting studies. Ligands
capable binding to, stabilizing, and not altering the structure of (CAGAGG)n were used
for co-crystallization with (CAGAGG)n. Results of successful crystallization trials will be
discussed. Biological implication of (CAGAGG)n secondary structure will be presented.
CHED 11
Towards validation of novel Hepatitis C virus drug target via computer-aided
molecular design
Aisha A. Alharbi , [email protected], Elaf A. Felemban , Ohoud I. Qadi,
Anfal K. Bajammal, Abdelsattar M. Omar, Maan T. Khayat, Moustafa E. El-Araby.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Dept. , King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Pharmacy ,
Jeddah , Saudi Arabia
Causing mild symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea and tenderness in the liver,
Hepatitis C is a snarky disease that is as a sly as it is deadly. It causes terrible
complications, from something as seemingly simple as liver scarring to cirrhosis to,
irrevocably, liver failure and carcinoma. Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the causative agent of
hepatitis C, is a blood-borne infection that is transmitted by shared needles, blood
transfusion and childbirth. In Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, around 1.5% of the population is
suffering from HCV, where the transmission rates are high among certain risk groups
such as renal dialysis and haemophilia patients. Treatment of hepatitis C is still under
careful development, and the three classes of medications currently available drugs act
through the inhibition of the viral NS3/4A protease by binding to the substrate site of the
enzyme. Conversely, both drugs are used for treatment of the HCV genotype-1 while
most of Saudi patients are affected by HCV genotype-4. In this research proposal, focus
on the design of non-peptide mimics of the viral protein NS4A that compete with this
viral cofactor on its binding with NS3 protease, an important enzyme for the maturation
of the virus. The aim of our presented work is to study the virtual screening of a large
array of compounds belonging to the scaffolds 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,7-naphthyridine
(THNt). Automatic docking by Surflex-Dock™ furnished a top compound THNt-1 that
appears promising in its docking because it has maintained several hydrogen bonds
that are important for the binding of the core part of the NS4A. What is more striking is
that the THNt-1, through its cycloheptyl group, made a hydrophobic binding attraction in
a deep pocket composed of Val-33, Leu-44 and Val-107. This compound will be
synthesised and will be tested and subjected for further target validation
studies.Towards validation of novel Hepatitis C virus drug target via computer-aided
molecular design.
CHED 12
Introducing green chemistry into the undergraduate curriculum
Daniel J. Swartling1,2, [email protected]. (1) Tennessee Tech Univ, Cookeville,
Tennessee, United States (2) Swartling Green & Sustainable Chemistry Group,
Cookeville, Tennessee, United States
Our lab has recently developed a parabolic solar reflector to be used to heat chemical
reactions (Agee, Brian M.; Mullins, Gene; Swartling, Daniel J. ACS Sustainable
Chemistry & Engineering (2013), 1(12), 1580-1583). It has been used for several
organic reactions, including the Diels-Alder reaction (Shikha Amin, Ashley Barnes,
Courtney Buckner, Jordan Jones, Mattie Monroe, Leon Nurmomade, Taylor Pinto,
Samuel Starkey, Brian M. Agee, David J. Crouse, and Daniel J. Swartling J. Chem.
Educ., 2015, 92 (4), pp 767–770). To further expand the use of the parabolic reflector,
this study looks at the dehydration of alcohols to form alkenes, a common reaction in
the undergraduate organic laboratory experience. This combines solar thermal heating
with distillation. This involves Green Principles #6 (design for energy efficiency) and #1
(prevent waste) . The overall reaction yields and general procedure will be discussed.
CHED 13
Effective approaches to integrating green chemistry in undergraduate organic
chemistry courses
Sudhir B. Abhyankar, [email protected]. Chemistry and Environmental Science,
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, Newfoundland,
Canada
Second and third year organic chemistry courses in most colleges and universities
provide greater opportunities to teach the principles and practices of green chemistry in
the lecture and laboratory.
We have designed, developed and modified a number of experiments where students
learn and apply the principles of green chemistry. Students use solid-state reaction
conditions, microwave radiation, greener solvents and biomaterials to carry out
stereoselective reactions.
This presentation will focus upon different approaches to integrating green chemistry in
undergraduate organic chemistry courses including independent student research
projects in their fourth year
CHED 14
Development of green problem-based learning experiments for the organic
chemistry laboratory
Casey E. Wright1, Megan G. Kowalske2, James J. Kiddle1, [email protected].
(1) Western Michigan Univ, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States (2) Chemistry &
Science Education, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Chemical educators have clearly shown the benefit to student learning by moving from
the traditional expository format for laboratory experiments to problem-based
experiments especially with regards to the development of critical thinking skills.
In an effort to improve student learning outcomes as well as engaging the students
through exposure to contemporary synthetic methods our research has recently focused
on the evolution of our organic chemistry experiments to include the principles of green
chemistry and problem-based experiences. In our presentation we will describe the
efforts at our institution to improve the sustainability of our experiments and foster
critical thinking skills through the use of problem –based learning experiences for our
organic chemistry students.
CHED 15
Development of a green chemistry resource guide for the organic chemistry
laboratory course in partnership with Sigma-Aldrich
Amy S. Cannon1, [email protected], Irvin J. Levy2,1,
[email protected]. (1) Beyond Benign, Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States (2)
Ken Olsen Science Center, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts, United States
In the organic chemistry laboratory, green chemistry has been widely adopted as a
means for reducing hazards and waste in the laboratory course, while maintaining the
necessary rigor for teaching the subject. Through a partnership with Beyond Benign, a
non-profit organization dedicated to green chemistry education, and Sigma-Aldrich, a
resource guide has been developed for integrating green chemistry in the organic
chemistry course. The resource guide features measurable benefits from implementing
greener alternative organic chemistry labs, including waste reduction, economic
benefits, and hazard reduction. The guide provides multiple pathways for adopting
greener labs and points faculty members to options that can be tailored to suit the
needs of their own department, and their own courses. The guide also provides an
assessment of other benefits of green chemistry implementation, including energy
efficiency, use of renewable resources, and use of safer solvents. The resource guide
has been developed through a collaboration of Beyond Benign, Sigma-Aldrich, and a
network of chemistry faculty from throughout North America.
CHED 16
Learning green analytical chemistry using mobile phone local available materials
in connection to culture
Wasin Wongwilai1,3, Kanokwan Kiwfo1,2, Nyesa Enakaya5, Kajorngai Thajee1,2,
[email protected], Conrad H. Bergo4, Norio Teshima6, Tadao Sakai6, Kate Grudpan1,2.
(1) Center of Excellence for Innovation in Analytical Science and Technology,Chiang
Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2) Chemistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai,
Thailand (3) Science and Technology Research Institute, Chiang Mai University, Chiang
Mai, Thailand (4) East Stroudsburg University of PA, West Chester, Pennsylvania,
United States (5) Chemistry, California State University, California, California, United
States (6) Applied Chemistry, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, Japan
Students can use local cotton cloth treated with indigo carmine or with simple extract of
red maple leaf to learn green analytical chemistry. We found it possible to measure
hydrogen peroxide fading of indigo. The rate law was found to be first order in dye and
first order in hydrogen peroxide. Color changes of red maple leaf extract can determine
acidity. Both methods use microliter scale quantities and a mobile phone camera as a
detector. These methods enable students and the public to connect the culture of their
traditional cotton cloth or local trees to green analytical chemistry. Traditional cloths of
Thailand (Moh Hom), Japanese (Yukata) and US (blue jeans) will be discussed.
CHED 17
Green Contagion: How teaching green chemistry has inspired students to share
green chemistry
Jane E. Wissinger, [email protected]. Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Plymouth,
Minnesota, United States
Green chemistry has become one of the foundational elements of our sophomore level
organic chemistry courses taught by ~45 teaching assistants (TAs) per year and taken
by ~1100 students. The topic has captured the interest of a notable number of these
TAs and students, especially those interested in academic careers at the high school
and college level. The result been enthusiam for pursuing research opportunities by
undergraduates in my group as well as enrollment in an upper division green chemistry
lecture course. Also, collaborations with graduate students were established in
developing new chemistries often related to their research. Examples will be given of
contributions made by these individuals to new green curricular materials and how
many have continued or plan to continue sharing the principles of green chemistry in
their post-baccalaureate careers.
CHED 18
Teaching research: Designing molecular systems for greener advanced
undergraduate laboratories
Patrick Julien, [email protected], Jan Christopherson, Tomislav Friscic.
Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Effectively preparing advanced undergraduates for graduate research or industrial
laboratories remains one of the largest challenges for undergraduate teaching
laboratories. Green Chemistry is an important area of chemical research which enables
chemistry previously considered incompatible with teaching laboratories to be integrated
into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. This work presents a system of
experiments which integrates diverse Green Chemistry concepts and state-of-the-art
asymmetric synthetic procedures in the teaching laboratory. In order to help students
contextualize experiments, systems thinking is used to design a conceptual model of a
topic, e.g. asymmetric catalysis, which is subsequently transformed into a flexible
system of experiments which guides students through multiple approaches to catalysis,
while introducing them to multi-step processes. By designing and tailoring reactions
specifically to this model, we are able to develop procedures at the forefront of modern
Green Chemistry research and introduce students to a wide range of concepts,
instrumental methods, and practical techniques. The flexibility of these multi-step
procedures enables the minimization of the traditional tradeoff between the scope and
depth of material covered. This model of curriculum design allows instructors to easily
adapt the curriculum to their needs, and gives students the ability to tailor it to their
interests.
CHED 19
Integrating basic concepts of organic chemistry into the second semester
introductory honors laboratory
Samuella B. Sigmann, [email protected]. Chemistry, Appalachian State
University, Boone, North Carolina, United States
At Appalachian State University many of the students who enter the Honors College will
pursue degrees requiring Introductory Chemistry. At Appalachian, the second semester
laboratory section for the honors students has offered a platform where organic
chemistry concepts can be introduced to this group of students. This is particularly
relevant since many of these students, while not chemistry majors, will go on to take
organic chemistry as required course work. In this paper, the modification of two
experiments (Molecular Weight by Vapor and Freezing Point Depression) to include
organic nomenclature and an introduction to functional groups will be discussed.
CHED 20
Starting with structure, bonding and spectroscopy: Introductory chemistry at
Haverford College
Robert C. Scarrow1, [email protected], Louise K. Charkoudian2, Karin S.
Akerfeldt3. (1) Chemistry, Haverford Colllege, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States
(2) Chemistry, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States
Six years ago, Haverford College launched a new two-year introductory sequence of
Chemistry courses. The sequence starts with a course describing structure and bonding
of both inorganic and organic compounds. This course is followed by semester courses
on chemical dynamics (from a statistical mechanics approach), biological organic
chemistry, and organic synthesis. In both the lecture and lab of the first semester
course, students learn to use physical techniques (NMR, IR, GC-MS) to determine
organic structure, and students also perform electronic structure calculations and
visualizations available using WebMO to increase their understanding of the role of
electronic structure in bonding. Thus, all students discover significant new chemistry in
this course, regardless of whether they took AP Chemistry in high school. The
advantages and challenges of our restructured curriculum will be discussed.
CHED 21
Integrating everything: Structure, reactivity and quantitation curriculum at
CSB/SJU
Edward J. McIntee, [email protected], Annette F. Raigoza,
[email protected], Chris P. Schaller, Kate J. Graham. Chemistry, College of Saint
Benedict / Saint John's University, St. Joseph, Minnesota, United States
The Chemistry Department at the College of Saint Benedict / Saint John’s University
has designed and implemented an innovative 4-year curriculum based on themes of
structure, reactivity and quantitation. Traditional domains have been blended together to
produce new introductory and foundation courses that serve chemistry, biochemistry
and non-majors. These approaches have made a pronounced change in the first two
years of our chemistry curriculum, including an introduction to structure, two semesters
of reactivity, and a semester on quantitative aspects of chemistry. The goals of this
approach include providing a better illustration of how chemistry is practiced in the
twenty-first century as well as reinforcing basic concepts by demonstrating how they are
applied across the fields of chemistry. Accompanying our curricular change, the
department has moved to pedagogical approaches that reflect best practices from the
literature. This presentation will provide performance and retention data as well as a
perspective on the challenges involved in implementing a new curriculum.
CHED 22
Chemistry without adjectives: Teaching chemistry as a single, coherent science
John P. Bullock, [email protected], Janet B. Foley. Bennington College,
Bennington, Vermont, United States
Considerable attention has been focused on the efficacy of traditional chemistry
curricula, yet in the past two or three decades the structure of the chemistry major at
most institutions has changed only marginally. Ten years ago, we implemented a twoyear sequence that integrates the major branches of chemistry, with intention of
emphasizing their mutually reinforcing aspects. Our primary focus is on the chemistry of
organic compounds, but we include many aspects of physical, inorganic, analytical and
biochemistry to provide students with a more complete presentation that places the
organic material in a broad and engaging context. Our goal is to clearly illustrate the
practical and theoretical dimensions of chemistry as a working science, that is, as it is
actually practiced, with little attention to the often arbitrary boundaries that separate its
subdisciplines. This talk will describe our current curriculum model and what we see as
its strengths as well as its challenges.
CHED 23
Organic chemistry-general chemistry-biochemistry: A pedagogic bridge circuit
Monica Ilies, [email protected]. Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
Many students dread taking organic chemistry or biochemistry classes simply based on
a priori judgments, which are usually rooted in bad experiences that other students had.
"I hate organic chemistry!" sounds like the common fight-or-flight brain response when
confronted with an inevitable threat. The core curriculum often imposes organic
chemistry on these students. They end up struggling in such classes, which reinforces
their initial bias. Actually, such students just become increasingly frustrated with not
being able to connect the dots in the organic content. They feel there are always some
missing links they will never find. Hence, memorization becomes their last resort. This
presentation will describe an instructional method that uses basic knowledge of general
chemistry (atomic structure, acid-base theory, polarity of bonds and molecules, VSEPR
theory, intermolecular forces and other non-covalent attractive interactions, reaction
coordinate, etc.) to introduce more difficult concepts in organic chemistry (C
hybridization, bonding vs. antibonding molecular orbitals, nucleophiles vs. electrophiles,
inductive vs. resonance effects, stereoselectivity, general steps of reaction
mechanisms, etc.) and in biochemistry (basic notions of enzyme kinetics, introductory
notions of drug design, etc.). This pedagogic technique targeted an Organic Chemistry
III class. Students were juniors and seniors majoring in biological sciences, chemistry,
health sciences, material sciences or biomedical engineering. Many of them were premed students. Students were constantly challenged to revise and use prior general
chemistry knowledge to learn new organic content, solve problems and elaborate on
daily life applications. Clicker questions and pop quizzes motivated students to keep the
study pace constant throughout the term. The muddiest point technique was used for
constant feedback. Overall, the integration of general chemistry with organic chemistry
and basic notions of biochemistry had a positive impact on student performance and
student evaluation.
CHED 24
To get students to think like scientists – get them to read scientists
Janet B. Foley, [email protected], John P. Bullock. Bennington College,
Bennington, Vermont, United States
We have been experimenting with various approaches to our chemistry curriculum over
the past ten years. The challenge is to not only present ideas but have students
understand and be able to apply those ideas to new situations. Right now our
curriculum integrates general and organic chemistry from the first class. This allows us
to present the “big ideas” of chemistry – solubility, structure, energy, etc – early on in
our chemistry course sequence. One way we do this in class is to assign and discuss
relevant articles from the literature that relate to topics in the curriculum. For example, in
preparation for a discussion what kinds of questions can science can investigate, we
have students read an article about the effects of estrogens on minnow populations in
an experimental lake. Students write their critique of the study, interpret data presented
in graphs, look at methods, and discuss their ideas with other students. We have found
that this approach, not only captures the students’ interest, but also challenges them to
connect ideas in a way that textbooks do not. I will present other examples of articles
that we use and how we use them in our Chemistry 1-3 curriculum
CHED 25
Innovative technologies for chemistry instruction
Terence Laughlin, [email protected]. Chemistry, Blue Mountain School District,
New Ringgold, Pennsylvania, United States
STEM, or science, technology, engineering and math, is an acronym that is commonly
used when referring to fields of scientific innovation, education, economics and
sustainability. It is used even more in referring to key areas of K-12 education. In a
country where only 16 percent of high school seniors are proficient in mathematics,
ranking the United States 25th in mathematics and 17th in science among industrialized
nations, it is no surprise that STEM education has been elevated as a national priority.
So just how do STEM educators go about tackling this problem? Are there innovative
tools that can be integrated into classroom instruction that engage students and
increase student understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics?
More specifically, this presentation will address how a chemistry teacher can begin to
integrate both technology and STEM concepts into their classroom.
CHED 26
Climate science in context; providing teachers with tools to elevate climate
science literacy
Gregory P. Foy1, [email protected], Leigh Foy2. (1) York College of Pennsylvania, York,
Pennsylvania, United States (2) Science Department, York Suburban High School,
York, Pennsylvania, United States
Inadequate climate science literacy in the United States is recognized by many as a
leading issue in battling climate change. In a recent article “Climate confusion among
U.S. teachers” in Science (Plutzer, et. al. 02/12/2016 p,664), the authors highlight a lack
of understanding of the science as the main obstacle to effective teaching of climate
science. While many teachers attempt to deliver climate science content in their
classroom, their lack of knowledge and resources often results in delivery of
misinformation. High school science teachers need to expand their climate science
knowledge base and confidence in the subject matter and then need to find a seamless
way to incorporate climate science in the traditional high school science curriculum. We
are developing workshops that will help to build the climate science knowledge base for
teachers, provide resources for classroom investigations, and provide climate science
activities that will help to build contextual understanding of scientific concepts already
taught in public schools. In this presentation, we provide a model of the workshop with
the goal of providing a classroom ready activity that high school chemistry teachers can
take back to their classroom and deliver with confidence.
CHED 27
ChemClubs — fun, food and outreach
Karen M. Kaleuati, [email protected]. American Chemical Society, Washington,
District of Columbia, United States
The ACS ChemClub has a little bit of everything: education, fun, lab activities, outreach,
grants, and more. Students who participate in the program are able to explore in
chemistry through various activities and topics. The ACS ChemClub program is FREE
to join and offers numerous opportunities, such as grants and contests, and
resources—both online and in print—each year. Participants will be able to try out some
fun food-based activities that are easy to incorporate into your classroom.
CHED 28
Why data collection?
Thomas M. Loschiavo, [email protected]. PASCO scientific, Roseville,
California, United States
Collecting and analyzing the data has always been an integral part of chemistry labs. By
moving beyond traditional experiments, the process of data collection and analysis can
be used to address not only content standards, but also science and engineering
practices. The analysis of collected data can also help facilitate the connection of the
macroscopic, symbolic and sub-microscopic levels of representation. Finally, by putting
data collection and analysis tools into the hands of students, we are opening up new
avenues for student-led inquiry.
Join me for this session to see how the process of data collection can foster science
and engineering practices, connect levels of representation, and lead to meaningful
student inquiry.
CHED 29
Creating a culture of safety in the science classroom
Regis Goode1, [email protected], Jennifer Bishoff2. (1) Ridge View High School,
Columbia, South Carolina, United States (2) Southern Garrett High School, Mt. Lake
Park, Maryland, United States
Generating general safety understandings for the laboratory setting is the responsibility
of the teacher. It is imperative to create a culture of safety in the science classroom from
day one. To be able to do that teachers need to understand the various aspects of
safety. During this presentation the participants will examine important aspects of a safe
science laboratory and will learn how to create a culture of safety in their science
classroom. They will be provided with a pre-laboratory activity that they can adapt for
their students to help create a culture of safety.
CHED 30
Edible material science/chemistry with kitchen chemistry
Sherri C. Rukes, [email protected]. Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois,
United States
Break the rules for once; allow food in the classroom! No need to struggle to interest
your students when they get to eat these lessons. Using common ingredients that are
found in the kitchen, learn how to teach concepts in materials science and chemistry
with these activities. Concepts such as crystal formation, stoichiometry, solution
chemistry, acid base chemistry, redox chemistry, mechanical properties as well as
physical properties can be taught by simple everyday recipes that students will love to
create. See how making fudge, cookies, candy glass and other foods can be used in the
classroom. Discover a variety of hands-on science activities that you can do in the
classroom tomorrow!
CHED 31
INOR: Synthesis and characterization of SNS pincer ligand precursors and zinc(II)
complexes
John R. Miecznikowski1, Tyler Ostrowski1, [email protected],
Margaret Siu2, Kilee Bayne1, Nicholas A. Bernier3. (1) Fairfield University, Fairfield,
Connecticut, United States (2) Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Fairfield
University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Recently, we have developed and synthesized a series of tridentate pincer ligands,
each possessing two sulfur- and one nitrogen-donor functionalities (SNS), based on bisimidazole or bis-triazole precursors. The tridentate SNS ligands incorporate thionesubstituted imidazole or triazole functionalities. We have prepared somewhat rigid
ligand systems through the use of 2,6-dibromopyridine as a ligand precursor. In
addition, we have prepared more flexible ligand systems by employing the starting
material 2,6-(dibromomethyl)pyridine to introduce a methylene linker into the pincer
ligand. We have metallated these ligand precursors to form zinc(II) complexes
containing these tridentate ligands. We are now interested in preparing ligand
precursors based on 1,2,4 triazoles instead of 1,3,4 triazoles, which were previously
prepared in the Miecznikowski Laboratory (Figure below). The goal is to metallate the
novel ligand precursors with zinc(II) and copper(II) salts. A detailed description of the
syntheses, and characterization (NMR Spectroscopy and ESI-Mass Spectrometry) of
the SNS zinc(II) complexes and ligand precursors will be presented.
SNS Pincer Ligand Precursors based on 1,3,4 and 1,2,4 Triazoles
CHED 32
INOR: Synthesis and characterization of cobalt(II) model complexes for liver
alcohol dehydrogenase
John R. Miecznikowski, Sheila Bonitatibus, [email protected].
Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Recently, we have developed and synthesized a series of tridentate pincer ligands,
each possessing two sulfur- and one nitrogen-donor functionalities (SNS), based on bisimidazole or bis-triazole precursors. The tridentate SNS ligands incorporate thionesubstituted imidazole or triazole functionalities. We have prepared somewhat rigid
ligand systems through the use of 2,6-dibromopyridine as a ligand precursor. In
addition, we have prepared more flexible ligand systems by employing the starting
material 2,6-(dibromomethyl)pyridine to introduce a methylene linker into the pincer
ligand. We have metallated these ligand precursors to form zinc(II) complexes
containing these tridentate ligands. We are now interested in preparing cobalt(II)
complexes that contain these ligand precursors. The cobalt(II) complexes will be cobalt
model complexes for liver alcohol dehydrogenase. A detailed description of the
syntheses, and characterization (NMR Spectroscopy and ESI-Mass Spectrometry) of
the SNS cobalt(II) complexes and ligand precursors will be presented.
CHED 33
Understanding lanthanide-ligand interactions and the trans influence: A study
using the CSD
Guilherme Borges2, [email protected], Shyam Vyas1, John Brennan3. (1)
Center for Integrative Proteomics Research,, Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre,
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (2) Rutgers University, Holmdel, New Jersey,
United States (3) Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway,
New Jersey, United States
The trans influence is a widely understood phenomena that is frequently seen in the
covalent metal-ligand interactions of transition metal complexes. Recent publications
have indicated the presence of the trans effect in lanthanide complexes1, where the
lanthanide-ligand bond length is influenced by properties of the ligand trans to the bond
being analyzed. The Cambridge Structural Database (CSD)2,3 was used to identify and
compare similar lanthanide-ligand interactions to determine how different ligand
properties ultimately affect the interactions between the metal center and the donor
atom of the ligand. A variety of different examples of the trans influence have been
analyzed, proving that the effect is a fundamental property of lanthanides, much in the
way it is for transition metals. The concept of matched molecular pairing was also
implemented to further analyze how ligand properties influence the interactions between
the donor atom of the ligand and the lanthanide center. It has been shown that inductive
effects and chelation play a significant role in the lanthanide-ligand bond length.
CHED 34
Reactivity of Monosubstituted Palladium-Calixarene Complexes
Madison De Hoyos, [email protected], Bernat A. Martinez-Ortega.
Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Physics, Tarleton State University,
Stephenville, Texas, United States
Calixarenes are macrocyclic oligomers composed of four or more phenols bridged with
methylene groups made by the reaction of para-phenol derivative and formaldehyde in
basic conditions. Calixarene chemistry has been extensively studied due to its unique
characteristics: complexing abilities, conformational flexibilities, structure and reactivity.
The ability of calixarene to have different conformational flexibilities and the presence of
hydroxyl groups makes an excellent ligand, capable of support more than one transition
metal depending on the ring size. Metallo-calixarene chemistry is moderately studied
and reported in literature. These metallo-calixarene complexes includes block s and p
elements and some d elements (Ti, Cr, Mo, V, Nb, Ta, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Rh, Pt, Cu, Zn).
However, few examples describing the selective addition of two metals has been
reported. In our research group we were able to develop a synthetic method to
selectively produce the first example of a monosubstituted palladium-calixarene
complex. In our ongoing research goal we are trying to selectively add a second
transition metal to the lower rim. We believe, that hetero or homo-bimetallic calixarene
complexes can have potential as a novel multifunctional catalysts in which the two
metals react in a cooperative manner. In this presentation we will discuss our findings
over palladium containing-calixarene chemistry.
CHED 35
Synthesis and characterization of dioxo-molybdenum(VI) calix[5]arene complexes
Caleb Murphy, [email protected], Bernat A. Martinez-Ortega. Department
of Chemistry, Geoscience, and Physics, Tarleton State University, Cleburne, Texas,
United States
Calixarenes can be used as a poly oxo-surface support for active transition metals to
produce a novel catalytic transition metal containing-calixarene complex (TMCx). The
advantage of using such TMCx is that the resulting compound can be studied in solution
either to obtain a full characterization of the complex or to follow the transformation of
the substrate into a final product by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Calixarenes are macrocyclic
molecules composed of methylene-bridged phenol rings containing R groups on the
upper rim and the hydroxy groups on the lower rim. It is these hydroxy groups that
provide the necessary platform for the transition metal to be supported. Few transition
metal containing calix[5]arene complexes have been reported in literature. Due to this
finding, we are exploring the reactivity of the calixarene to selectively produce TMCx. In
our early studies on transition metal containing calixarene chemistry, we found that the
calixareme chemical reactivity could be affected by the type of transition metal to be
used, pKa effect, calixarene conformation and the stability of the resulting TMCx. In this
presentation we will discuss the discoveries of our recent studies of using dioxomolybdenum(VI) moiety containing complex towards the reactivity of calix[5]arene
ligand.
CHED 36
ANLY: GC-MS analysis of unprecedented whiskey flavors created by a novel
aging process
Christopher Wright, [email protected], Regan Silvestri. Lorain County Community
College, Elyria, Ohio, United States
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) can be readily utilized to generate
an analytical profile of flavor compounds in whiskey. This method has successfully been
applied to bourbon whiskies produced by a novel accelerated aging process which
employs pressure, as opposed to conventional time, to mature the whiskey. New
experimental flavors of whiskey have been generated which are completely original,
having been made possible only by this innovative technology of accelerated pressure
aging. These unprecedented bourbon whiskey flavors include cherry, apple, hickory,
maple and honey locust. The distinct flavor compounds in these uniquely flavored
bourbon whiskies have been identified and profiled using routine straight injection GCMS. Accordingly, it has been observed that cherry bourbon, as compared to traditional
oak flavored bourbon, has more ethyl octanoate, -a compound known to impart a sweet
fruity flavor. Furthermore, it has also been observed that cherry bourbon has less
phenethyl alcohol than traditional oak bourbon, -a compound known to impart a floral
and bready flavor.
CHED 37
ANLY: Novel nucleophilic substitution-based turn-on fluorescent probes for
hydrogen sulfide detection and biological application
Yuesong Hu1,2, [email protected], Liangwei Zhang1. (1) State Key Laboratory of
Applied Organic Chemistry and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,
Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China (2) Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Since H2S plays a significant role in human health and disease, currently many methods
such as colorimetry, gas chromatography, electrochemical analysis and fluorescent
probes are used to monitor H2S in different conditions. Herein, we designed a novel
naphthalimide-based turn-on fluorescent probe to detect H2S based on the azide
reduction and nucleophilic reaction. As the sulfoxide group is a strong electronwithdrawing group, the naphthalimide was connected to it-followed by a chain linking
the azide to quench the fluorescence. When this new compound touches H2S, the azide
will first be reduced to the amine, then the N atom in the amine can attack the carbon
next to the sulfoxide group and replace the position of the sulfoxide. As a result, the
fluorescence is enhanced largely due to the electron-donating effect of the amine. To
obtain this kind of compound, different kinds of reagents, including Cys,
aminothiophenol, aminoethanethiol, etc, were used to react with naphalimide. The
electron sensitive group in the top of the naphalimide was also changed to improve
sensitivity of NH-nucleophilic substitution reaction. These probes were highly sensitive
towards H2S and could be used to image H2S in living cells.
Mechanism
CHED 38
Assessing general chemistry students' ability to translate between multiple
representations
Xiting Lin, [email protected], Ji Son, James A. Rudd. California State University,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
Translating between scientific representations is crucial to demonstrating expert
understanding of science concepts; however, such translations are difficult for science
novices (e.g., students). In chemistry, for example, students can balance chemical
equations without understanding the molecules or reactions that they represent. In the
chemistry triplet model of chemistry education, translations can occur between
macroscale, nanoscale, and symbolic representations. Previous studies have shown
that translating between the three representations in the chemistry triplet increases
expert-like thinking. In our research, we investigated asymmetries in students’ ability to
translate between representations in the chemistry triplet. In one study, undergraduate
students enrolled in a general chemistry course were asked translation questions in a
3x2, representation (macroscale, nanoscale, and symbolic) x direction (e.g., nano-tomacro vs. macro-to-nano), ANOVA within-subjects design. Students struggled with
translations involving nanoscale representations (e.g., circles representing atoms)
relative to those involving symbols (e.g., equations) and macroscale phenomena (e.g.,
reactions and substances at the human scale). In a subsequent study, we investigated
chemistry students’ understanding of the nanoscale by asking them to interpret
nanoscale phenomena described with words and represented with pictures.
Undergraduate students enrolled in a first general chemistry course were asked
translation questions in a 2x2x2, representation x direction x modality (word vs. picture),
ANOVA within-subjects design. Students performed significantly better when the
nanoscale was described in words than when depicted with pictures. Developing and
studying approaches to teaching and assessing chemistry understanding of the atoms
and molecules in the nanoscale may be essential for promoting a meaningful
understanding of chemistry.
CHED 39
Bonding with Bithlo: Enhancing the Quality of K-12 Science Education in an
Underprivileged Community
Lauren Gandy3,4, [email protected], Yuen Yee Li Sip1, Bailey L. Mourant1,
Stephen M. Kuebler2. (1) Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central
Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States (2) Chemistry Dept, University of Central
Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States (3) Chemistry - Forensic Science, University of
Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States (4) Analytical Chemistry, National
Center for Forensic Science, Orlando, Florida, United States
Bithlo, Florida is an unincorporated community of roughly 8,500 people on the outskirts
of Orlando. Earning less than half of the national average income, an estimated 16.1%
of Bithlo residents live in poverty, 11% are unemployed, and only 23.1% of the
community is college educated. Bonding with Bithlo is a new program funded by the
ACS New Activities Grant through which the ACS Student Chapter at the University of
Central Florida (ACS@UCF) hosts hands-on science classes at Orange County
Academy (OCA) in Bithlo, Florida. The primary goal of this project is to teach students
about the fundamental importance of the STEM fields through engaging experiments
and real-world applications, as well as the value of pursuing a higher education. OCA
science classes are often taught en masse to middle school and high school level
students simultaneously. ACS@UCF has created interactive experiments individualized
to grade level that illustrate and reinforce scientific principles for students ranging from
3rd grade through 12th grade. Our talk explains the creation of the project and
subsequent execution of outreach visits, including the successes and difficulties that
arose throughout our journey.
Bonding with Bithlo students celebrating a successful visit with the ACS@UCF volunteers.
CHED 40
In silico experimentation across green chemistry
Subhasish Chatterjee, [email protected]. Chemistry MMA .MR1024, The City
College of New York, CUNY, New York, New York, United States
Renewable resources and novel design approaches are key factors for implementing
fundamental green chemistry principles in a classroom setting. Computer simulations
provide an attractive approach to weigh up a broad range of chemical science research
with real-world applications. Open-source software and potent personal computing
devices also open up convenient avenues for new research paradigms and learning
opportunities. Notably, hands-on examples involve basic computer simulation
methodologies such as Monte Carlo, Brownian dynamics, and Molecular dynamics in
predicting the physicochemical properties of environmentally important and biologically
relevant systems. This current work illustrates the structural organization of renewable
amphipathic biomaterials, as well as DNA-based nanomaterials for biochemical sensing
and biomedical applications.
CHED 41
Investigation of putative bacterial laccases in a biochemistry laboratory course
Robert E. Collins, [email protected]. Physical Sciences, Eastern Connecticut
State University, Hamden, Connecticut, United States
This year, I piloted a laboratory module in the Biochemistry II laboratory course at
Eastern Connecticut State University, a small, public liberal arts university. This project
includes structural and sequence analysis, design of expression constructs, protein
expression and enzymatic characterization. Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) are multi-copper
oxidases with diverse substrates. High-redox fungal laccases are capable of
depolymerizing lignin and cleaving rings of aromatic compounds. Laccases are sought
after in biotechnological applications including biofuel production, enzymatic wastewater
treatment, pulp bleaching for paper, and enzymatic biofuel cells. Despite the range of
potential applications, there are few laccases that are expressed at high levels in E. coli,
thwarting facile production of laccases. Recombinant expression is essential for design
or directed evolution of laccases tailored to specific applications. Until recently, it was
thought laccases were limited to eukaryotes (plants, fungi and insects), but there have
been reports of bacterial laccases with modest redox potential. Bacterial enzymes,
which lack the complex glycosylation of fungal enzymes and fold without the complex
chaperones of the eukaryotic secretory pathway, should be more amenable to
recombinant expression in E. coli. To explore this possibility, students searched
bacterial and archaeal genomes for homologs of fungal laccases. They identified
proteins with 25-30% identity to fungal search sequences. Using sequence motifs they
had identified in fungal sequences and had confirmed in laccase crystal structures, the
students confirmed all copper binding sites were present. From a list of candidate
laccases, three genes were prioritized based on bacterial properties: thermophilic,
halotolerant, and a bacteria that antagonizes the growth of a laccase producing fungus.
The three candidate laccases are from different phyla (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria,
Firmicutes). The students designed and ordered constructs for expression of tagged
proteins. They transformed the expression vectors into E. coli, and then expressed,
purified and characterized putative bacterial laccases. In keeping with the theme
“Chemistry of the People, by the People, for the People” I will reflect on the engagement
of students in a project with potential industrial applications and consider how to best
expand such efforts in a small liberal arts setting.
CHED 42
Instructional laboratory chemical waste minimization through miniscale
experiments: Development of a planning and implementation model for University
of San Agustin Chemistry Department using lessons learned from New Jersey
City University
Aylen Badilla Wargniez1, [email protected], Robert G. Aslanian1, Aileen V.
Vergara2, Aneline P. Tolones2. (1) Chemistry Department, New Jersey City University,
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States (2) Chemistry Department, University of San
Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines
Use of miniscale experiments in the first two years of teaching chemistry laboratory
courses has been gaining popularity in the United States in response to the stringent
federal and state safety and environmental regulations. However, in the Philippines,
where safety policies and chemical waste treatment infrastructure are lacking, use of
miniscale experiments in instructional chemical laboratories can be a practical and
sustainable solution. This presentation highlights the development of a planning and
implementation model of miniscale experiments for the Chemistry Department in
University of San Agustin located in central Philippines, using New Jersey City
University’s experiences and lessons learned from teaching the miniscale experiments
for over ten years. This presentation also emphasizes the importance of international
collaboration in addressing the needs and gaps in delivering improved chemical
education programs in developing countries.
CHED 43
Teaching green chemistry and 3Rs: Resources, responsibility, and recycling
Ann E. Shinnar, [email protected]. Chemistry Dept, Lander College for
Men/Touro College, Kew Gardens Hills, New York, United States
In order to familiarize college students with principles of green chemistry, we have
introduced an annual lecture and laboratory session into our general chemistry
curriculum. Our lecture is scheduled in the spring semester close to Earth Day and
focuses on 3Rs. Since 1970, the 3Rs have referred to “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” For
instructional purposes, however, we have implemented a variation of the 3Rs:
resources, responsibility, and recycling. Key lecture topics focus on materials widely
used in our daily lives: aluminum, glass, plastic polymers, and batteries. Lecture content
also reviews classic chemical principles such as redox chemistry in Hall-Heroult process
for manufacturing aluminum and physical properties of glasses composed mainly of
SiO2. Coverage of polymers includes an overview of step-growth versus chain-growth
polymers, plastic recycling symbols 1-7 established by the Society of the Plastics
Industry Inc. (SPI), and identification of different plastic resins via their signature IR
spectra. Following lecture, students enter the chemistry lab where they categorize >30
household items including a variety of plastic food containers, reusable plastic bags,
metal cans, and batteries. We also test packing peanuts of Styrofoam versus starch by
contrasting their solubility with acetone versus water. The combined lecture and
laboratory sessions provide an opportunity to incorporate principles of green chemistry
in a manner that complements our standard college science curriculum. Students show
overall enthusiasm for our 3Rs integrated experience.
CHED 44
Development and implementation of greener chemistry laboratory modules with a
focus on current academic and industrial research
John de la Parra, [email protected], Thomas R. Gilbert, Vaso Lykourinou.
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts,
United States
We have undertaken the redevelopment of our undergraduate laboratory courses to
focus on two major themes: greener methodologies and a tie to ongoing, real world
research. In the modern research environment, these are vitally important pedagogical
goals for training a future generation of responsible scientists. This work represents the
first semester of modules aimed at engaging the college freshman chemistry student.
Each module consists of 4 laboratory sessions and culminates in group presentations,
sharing of data, and discussion. In our pilot module we focused on the creation of
biofuels from algae. This project represented an ideal synthesis of the principles of
green chemistry as well as incorporating current research on our campus. We then
moved to the development of an extraction and analysis of pharmaceutical compounds
from a medicinal plant using greener methodologies. Again, this tied directly to research
being conducted by our faculty. Additionally, with the help of student-led teams, we
have developed a module that uses the green catalyst, Fe-TAML, to demonstrate the
dynamics of reaction kinetics. Lastly, we will present work on a novel atomic absorption
module that demonstrates fundamental chemical principles while also incorporating
forensic lab testing procedures.
CHED 45
Green chemistry and sustainability at the high school level
Zachary T. Lachance2, [email protected], Hamish S. Christie1, Jeanne E.
Pemberton2. (1) Univ of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States (2) Dept of Chemistry,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
The ideas of “Green” chemistry and sustainability are important to all areas of chemistry
and introducing these ideas at the earliest levels of chemistry education should be an
important goal. To this end, a summer course about green chemistry and sustainability
is being developed for in-service high school chemistry teachers. The course will
provide teachers with an understanding and knowledge of green chemistry and
sustainability and also with materials (modules and experiments) that can be used in
high school classrooms. This course, and the affiliated modules, will communicate
central chemical ideas and principles using interesting and relevant examples of green
and sustainable chemistry.
At the center of this project are the “modules”. These have been developed as vehicles
to teach chemical concepts, by investigating the fundamentals of chemistry that are
important in green chemistry ideas and examples. Each module is accompanied with a
“teacher’s guide” that provides useful information about how the module might be
integrated into an existing curriculum. All modules are also supported with an
“activities/experiment” document, which contains a relevant lab experiment and other inclass activities, and a “supplemental information” document that provides additional
information and also more detail about potentially difficult topics. The series of modules
have been developed with a level of flexibility that allows them to be used either
individually or as a connected group.
CHED 46
Sustainable design science café
Randy A. Weintraub1,3, [email protected], Barbara Ameer2. (1) Science, Math
and Technology, Rowan College at Burlington County, Pemberton, New Jersey, United
States (2) Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Princeton Jct, New
Jersey, United States (3) Residue, Metabolism & Environmental Fate, JRF America,
Audubon, Pennsylvania, United States
One of goals of ACS Princeton Local Section is excellence in education outreach.
Drawing together the knowledge and experience of individuals from three different
sectors of society, we created a Science Café to communicate principles and actions of
environmental sustainability. A prominent university’s director of design and
construction, a federal government agency’s project leader research engineer, and a
principal at a leading global architectural design firm, all focused their presentations on
the importance and advances in sustainable design.
Teachers, students, general public and area ACS local section members took part in
this event that raised awareness and concern about the stewardship of environmental
sustainability. The brief presentations: Frick Chemistry Laboratory—Still Green After
Five Years, Permeable Pavement, and Sustainability Works at the Princeton Library
and Beyond, inspired younger attendees to consider career directions in sustainability in
general and, material science, environmental chemistry and recycling natural resources,
specifically. This outreach activity was complementary to Princeton University’s
leadership among academic institutions in the country in sustainable design,
sustainability research projects at regulatory agencies, and socially responsible
sustainability design approaches in the private sector, to include greater communication
with the populus in the local region.
The nearly 75 participants were able to reflect upon their attitudes and judgments with
regard how they contribute to ensure long-term environmental sustainability. They are
likely to think more deeply about environmental sustainability as they make choices in
purchases and living styles, and vote on public policy referendums issues and elect
candidates to office.
CHED 47
Linking concepts to actions in the context of the general chemistry laboratory
George R. Long, [email protected], Marcus Hewitt. Chemistry Department, Indiana Univ.
of PA, Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States
The General Chemistry laboratory plays an integral role in the education of most
students in STEM or STEM related majors. Ultimately, the overarching goal of the
laboratory is for students to learn to use conceptual knowledge to inform their actions in
the real world. The laboratory provides an important behavioral environment, where a
series of psychomotor tasks provide a context for the concepts used to predict or
explain the observed results. In fact, the specific learning environment will instantiate
the target concept and serve as a part of the learner’s schema. Social context and
rationale is provided through a specific capstone activity. Some examples of our
capstone activities include mass and volume measurements, and solution making
applied to medical IV fluids, density measurements are applied to efficacy of radiator
fluids and titration is applied to analysis of food products, and environmental samples.
This study focuses on student perceptions and mental models developed in the
laboratory context, their link to the psychomotor activities, and students ability to
successfully complete the capstone activity. We are interested in the connection
between the specific psychomotor activities used to teach specific chemical concepts,
and the learner’s ability to apply those concepts in a wider social context.
CHED 48
Exploring the relevance of chemical identity in biochemistry contexts
Courtney Ngai, [email protected], Hannah Sevian. Chemistry Department,
University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Biochemistry has been long recognized as an interdisciplinary field, and often draws on
chemistry concepts to help explain biochemical phenomena. Various policy documents
(e.g. A New Biology for the 21st Century, NRC, 2009) have called for reform in
undergraduate biology and biochemistry education, which can include reinforcing
general chemistry concepts that are relevant in biochemistry. Chemical identity is one
such general concept in chemistry, and involves identification and differentiation of
substances (Sevian & Talanquer, 2014). Since chemical identity is a foundational
concept in chemistry, we hypothesize that chemical identity thinking is also relevant for
understanding and applying biochemistry concepts, and potentially critical to
development of expertise in biochemistry.
This study first surveyed experts in biochemistry to identify biochemistry contexts where
chemical identity concepts are considered relevant. The survey asked participants to
describe their own work, whether they thought chemical identity thinking was relevant to
their work, and to provide an example of a problem in which they consider chemical
identity thinking to be relevant. These responses were analyzed to find the types of
biochemistry problems that repeatedly emerged as relevant to chemical identity
thinking, and then used to design contexts for use in creative exercises. Creative
exercises are an open-ended assessment tool that has been used in chemistry (Ye &
Lewis, 2014) and biochemistry courses (Warfa & Odowa, 2015) to analyze the linkages
between foundational chemistry concepts and upper-level courses. The creative
exercises developed in this study were implemented in an undergraduate biochemistry
class (N=30) to determine what chemical identity concepts students considered to be
relevant. Analysis of these data revealed the linkages students made between
biochemistry contexts and chemical identity thinking, and were compared to the links
made by the surveyed disciplinary experts.
CHED 49
Chemistry teachers' learning in context of scientific texts via conceptual
modelling
Rea Lavi1, Dov Dori3,2, Yehudit Dori1, [email protected]. (1) Faculty of Education in
Science & Technology, Technion, Haifa, Israel (2) MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
United States (3) Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management, Technion, Haifa,
Israel
Learning in context of scientific texts poses a challenge to many chemistry teachers. To
cope with this task, we exposed about 30 pre- and in-service chemistry teachers taking
part in a graduate chemical education course which applies Object-Process
Methodology (OPM) for conceptual modelling. While concept maps allow for visual
organisation of knowledge, OPM offers extended capabilities, as it combines graphical
and textual representations, using a compact set of modelling elements. The research
objective was to examine the effect of conceptual modelling on teachers' understanding
of two adapted, context-based scientific texts. One text related to gecko’s surface
sticking ability and the other to proliferation of cyanobacteria. Teachers read the text in
two class sessions, one month apart from each other. Working in teams, the teachers'
task was to identify key concepts and use them to construct an OPM model. The figure
below shows an example of a model of the gecko phenomenon and its possible
application that one team created. Teachers reported that using OPM for conceptual
modelling improved their understanding of the scientific text and fostered their systems
thinking by better organizing their knowledge. We found that OPM can serve as a
vehicle for expressing and communicating key concepts, their context, and relations
among them. We discuss our findings and implications for chemical education.
A conceptual model of the gecko phenomenon
CHED 50
Good practical science
John Holman1,2, [email protected]. (1) Department of Chemistry, York University,
York, United Kingdom (2) President Elect, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, United
Kingdom
Experimentation is a vital context for science. For most teachers, science without
experiments would be like teaching literature without books. Yet practical, laboratorybased learning is under pressure in systems which emphasise testing and examination,
and from limitations of time and funding.
In this presentation I will describe an international comparative project that I am carrying
out for the UK’s Gatsby Foundation, looking at practical lab work in school science in six
countries: the Netherlands, USA (Massachusetts), Singapore, Australia (Victoria),
Finland and Germany. How does practical science take place in countries of the world
with the highest performance in science?
I will describe the emerging messages that signpost good lab-based science teaching
by international standards, with particular emphasis on chemistry.
Although the study is not complete at the time of writing this abstract, I am already
struck by the deep conviction of the teachers that we meet of the importance of practical
laboratory science. Their conviction helps to reinforce the conjecture that, as the virtual
world becomes more accessible and realistic, authentic experience in the real world
becomes more, rather than less, important for learning.
CHED 51
Inquiry-based learning in authentic outdoor contexts
Tali Tal, [email protected]. Education in Science and Technology, Technion, Kfar
Vradim, Israel
Inquiry-based learning is advocated in all scientific disciplines. It is viewed as studentcentered, thought-provoking method to engage students in doing science and in
learning how science is being done. Nonetheless, inquiry learning faces many
challenges which are the result of ambiguity regarding inquiry learning, limited
understanding by teachers, over emphasis on procedures and on the hands-on rather
than on the minds-on components and insufficient time for meaningful learning in an era
of international testing and commitment to accountability. To address the challenge of
insufficient understanding of what inquiry learning is, and to broaden the teachers' views
of the multiple ways inquiry learning can take place, we offered in-service teachers a
real-context outdoor inquiry-based learning experience. It consisted of three
investigations in different contexts, fields and genres: an ecological, sociological and
archeological ones focusing on the natural world, the social and the material ones. We
expected that teachers will develop more complex view of inquiry learning that will
include epistemic aspects and deeper understanding of inquiry as a generative method
for knowledge construction and for metacognitive thinking. Following the teachers work
in the website we designed where they posted artifacts and reflections and through
interviews and observations, we found substantial change in their views of inquirybased learning. They identified similarities in the three fields in asking meaningful
questions, seeking ways to address them, collecting and analyzing data and
communicating results. They all addressed the authentic contexts of the investigations
and recognized the contribution of the real context to their own learning and to their
students' learning after they apply what they learned. As science teachers, many
acknowledged, for the first time, that archeological and sociological research is
"scientific" too. They pointed to the outdoor environment as engaging and motivating to
learn and to the affective outcomes this environment provides to learners.
CHED 52
Museum Smell Bar experiences connect chemistry to the familiar and to the
relevant in visitors’ lives
MJ Morse, [email protected]. Current Science & Technology, Museum of Science,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
In a museum, without offering the reward of grades or degrees, exhibits and other
learning experiences compete for the extremely limited time and attention of visitors
with the aspiration of inspiring an individual’s intrinsic motivation, rather than transferring
knowledge per se. Visitors arrive with varying backgrounds and education, with varying
levels of familiarity with the English language, with varying physical and cognitive
abilities. And unlike a classroom, a museum setting is a physically active, noisy
environment with people coming and going at will. Our initial premise was that the
prospect of smell might attract visitors. The chemistry itself was constrained by the
necessity that any chemicals we used not require a hood, or be extremely long-lived or
be irritating or allergenic. Odorant chemicals needed to be distinctive, detectibly
different from one another and illustrate specific molecular properties. We designed
each Smell Bar with three components: an entry point or ‘cognitive ramp,’ a chemistry
experience, and a direct connection to visitors’ lives. Furthermore, we required that the
concept had a current research component. The chemistry experiences were
bookended by the familiar, the relevant, and the cutting edge research. The choice of
smell as a vehicle proved to be fortuitous and visitors appear to be irresistibly drawn to
smells and the activity of smelling. Smell served as a powerful hook in talking about
chemistry. Surveys and evaluation interviews indicated some success in chemistry
understanding.
CHED 53
Developing higher-order thinking skills through reading web-based texts in the
context of green chemistry
Yael Shwartz1, [email protected], Eldad Marom1, Yehudit Dori2. (1)
Sicence teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (2) Science &
Technology teaching, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Traditional chemistry teaching focuses on teaching conceptual knowledge and key
concepts to explicate standard problems, while context is viewed as secondary or
supplementary to the concepts (Tytler 2007). Research reveals that students are able to
solve problems using concepts learned, but merely in situations in which they were
taught. This indicates low-level transfer ability of students' learning (Gilbert, 2006).
Context-based curriculum is recommended as a mean to address the above mentioned
challenges.
Our study focuses on one of the three main questions leading this symposium - How is
context-based learning useful to students in helping them develop cognitive skills
necessary for using particular knowledge, when meeting a new context? The
intervention consists on five web-based texts followed by tasks, in the context of green
chemistry. These texts served as a framework for fostering the development of selected
higher-order thinking skills- comparing and argumentation among 11th grade chemistry
students. Each skill was assessed by in two levels of complexity: basic and advanced,
and in two domains: scientific (chemistry) and socio-scientific. The context of green
chemistry intrinsically evokes the use of these thinking skills and domains. For example
the skill of comparing is required in order to compare green processes in respect to
earlier (not quite “green”) conventional chemical practice. Green Chemistry was also
found as a suitable context for application of knowledge that was already taught in class
in a traditional manner. Assessment items, embedded in the web-based texts, involve
syllabus related tasks as well as thinking skills tasks and were analyzed qualitatively
and quantitatively. Finding indicates significant improvement in the following categories:
basic comparing, socio-scientific argumentation and scientific argumentation skills. We
also examined transfer of knowledge and skill in a manner that will be presented in the
symposium.
CHED 54
Semester-long authentic research experience in snow chemistry in the general
chemistry laboratory
Nathaniel May3, [email protected], Stephen McNamara3, Siyuan Wang3, Julianne
Vernon2, John P. Wolfe4, Deborah Goldberg2, Kerri A. Pratt1,5. (2) Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United
States (3) Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,
United States (5) Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
A novel general chemistry laboratory course was developed to create an authentic
research experience incorporating snow chemistry through the entire course. During the
pilot offering in Fall 2015, students practiced general chemistry concepts through
laboratory experiments in the context of snow chemistry. This course aimed to increase
student interest and engagement by connecting laboratory experiments to real world
problems such as the effects of road salt application on snowpack composition. In
addition to traditional experiments, the students individually performed ion
chromatography analysis of snow samples collected across multiple locations in the
Alaskan Arctic to explore original research questions. The students individually
presented their results through a public poster session and in a research manuscript.
This course represents a demonstration of successful integration of active research into
an entry-level course. Since STEM retention is a goal of this new research-based
course, survey-based evaluation of the course will be discussed.
CHED 55
NSF programs in the Division of Undergraduate Education
Thomas B. Higgins, [email protected], Dawn Rickey. Division of Undergraduate
Education, National Science Foundation , Arlington, Virginia, United States
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has several programs that support
undergraduate education. This poster will highlight the four major programs in the
Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE). DUE program officers will be on hand to
answer questions.
The four DUE programs are Advanced Technological Education (ATE), a workforce
education program that helps students develop skills and earn credentials to get jobs in
their communities; Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM), a scholarship program for
academically talented and financially needy students earning STEM degrees; Improving
Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE), a program that improves student learning and
prepares the scientific leaders of tomorrow; and Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarships
(Noyce), a scholarship program for STEM majors who want to become K12 teachers.
CHED 56
Naming new elements
Paul J. Karol2, [email protected], Graham F. Peaslee1,
[email protected], Robert A. Yokley3, [email protected]. (1) Department
of Chemistry, Hope College, Holland, Michigan, United States (2) Chemistry, Carnegie
Mellon University, Palo Alto, California, United States (3) Analytical Chemistry
Consulting Service, Belews Creek, North Carolina, United States
How are new elements named? The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
(IUPAC) is responsible for soliciting and approving discoverers’ proposals for new
names. Historically, elements have been named after geographical places, scientists, or
source minerals, etc. Elements 114 (Flerovium) and 116 (Livermorium) were added in
2011 and were named after the laboratories which discovered them (Flerov Laboratory
in Russia and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the U.S.A).
Discovery claims of elements 113, 115, 117 and 118, completing the 7 th row of the
Periodic Table, were recently accepted. A Russian-American team from Dubna and
Livermore (as well as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee) will name
elements 115, 117 and 118. Element 113’s discovery is by the Japan’s RIKEN
laboratory.
The process and history for naming new elements will be described together with the
duties and responsibilities of the ACS Committee on Nomenclature, Terminology, and
Symbols (NTS).
CHED 57
Working together to enhance diversity in the chemical sciences: The alliance for
diversity in science and engineering cultivates the UC Graduate Consortium for
Cultural Diversity in Chemistry to maximize inclusion and outreach in Cincinnati
DeVonna M. Gatlin3, [email protected], Crystal Valdez2, Steven A. Lopez1.
(1) Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts,
United States (2) Chemistry , Stanford University , Stanford, California, United States
(3) Chemistry , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, California, United States
The lack of diversity in STEM fields is a long-standing problem the scientific community
faces. Despite the efforts of many organizations, including the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health, STEM fields still suffer from a
lack of inclusivity. Many universities have acted upon these disconcerting trends and
launched initiatives within their departments.
In 2015, ADSE President Steven Lopez and Vice-President Crystal Valdez completed
their Ph.D. degrees and formed the non-profit organization called The Alliance for
Diversity in Science and Engineering (ADSE). The ADSE board supports, organizes,
and oversees local, graduate student-run organizations that reach out to students and
scientists of all ages and backgrounds. We connect scientists across the nation,
showcase nontraditional career paths and underrepresented minority experiences in
STEM, and educate students about opportunities in the sciences. The University of
Cincinnati chapter is an outstanding example of our national network of graduatestudent led chapters.
UC Graduate Consortium for Cultural Diversity in Chemistry (CCDC) was co-founded by
DeVonna M. Gatlin. The board of CCDC implement ADSE’s mission for diversity and
inclusion and focuses on graduate student professional development. CCDC
programing encourages graduate students to become role models for younger
scientists, especially those unaware of the benefits of a graduate degree in STEM. To
date CCDC has introduced The Diversity Lecture Series, hosting guest speakers Dr.
Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay (UCLA) and Dr. Joseph S. Francisco (U. of NebraskaLincoln). CCDC has also partnered with the black youth mentoring group ‘Hearts and
Minds’. These outreach events provide hands-on chemistry demonstrations for
elementary schools in the Cincinnati area. CCDC is also developing a high school
STEM scholar’s academy and professional development forums for their members.
They seek to establish merit-based travel awards to help graduate students attend ACS
national meetings.
CHED 58
Ethics in chemical research: An interactive discussion about questions, conflicts,
and training
Patricia A. Mabrouk2,3, [email protected], Steven L. Tait1,3, [email protected]. (1)
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States (2) 115RI, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (3) ACS Committee on Ethics,
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Ethical decision making is essential at all stages of the chemical research enterprise
from project inception to lab work to reporting to production. This presentation seeks to
stimulate discussion and consideration of ethical dilemmas and ethical training needs
across the membership of the Society. At this interactive presentation, the ACS
Committee on Ethics will engage attendees in discussion about ethical questions and
concerns that they encounter in their work as well as needs and opportunities to
strengthen ethical awareness, education, programming, and communication. We will
also update attendees on new and emergent ACS activities and programming related to
ethics in chemistry.
CHED 59
Undergraduate research: a case study of one lab at Meredith College
Alexandra B. Ormond, [email protected]. Chemistry, Physics and
Geoscience, Meredith College, Holly Springs, North Carolina, United States
Meredith College (MC) is a primarily undergraduate institution, however, our
undergraduate students actively participate in research, and our B.S. in chemistry
degree requires one semester of research. During the semester, students take research
courses for credit towards their major and for a grade. It is often easier for students to
complete research over the summer, and through our Undergraduate Research
Program, students can be funded for an eight-week summer project. Summer research
projects at MC have had our undergraduates working with high school students in a
mentorship environment. Students have also completed their honors thesis projects and
worked on intensive literature reviews. When students take research for a grade, two
tiers of research are available: Introduction to Research and Research. Introduction to
Research often yields projects on literature reviews of topics of interest and is available
for students who have not completed organic chemistry. The Research course is for
students who have completed organic chemistry or have had some prior research
experience and focuses on wet chemistry work. This presentation will discuss the
different research projects held in one laboratory at MC since 2014 and their outcomes.
CHED 60
Using edible experiments to teach chemical principals
Patricia D. Christie1, [email protected], Markrete Krikorian2. (1) Experimental Study
Group, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (2) MIT, Dept. of Chem.,
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Students are much more likely to engage in a topic if they see relevance to their own
lives. At the Experimental Study Group (ESG) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), we encourage learning through hands on, interactive, small group learning. We
usually are teaching the science General Institute Requirements (GIR) to
undergraduates (mostly freshmen), but there is the opportunity to explore applications
through seminars that anyone at MIT can take. We have been able to apply Chemistry
to the topic of Sports (Chemistry of Sports, ES.010) and Kitchen Science (Kitchen
Chemistry, ES.011) over the last 16 years. This talk will talk about the design,
implementation and improvement of these seminars with emphasis on the Kitchen
chemistry that was started in 2000. The kitchen chemistry course was redesigned this
past Spring 2016 when Markrete Krikorian, a fifth year graduate student in chemistry
wanted to help teach the course. Generally these edible experiments are designed to be
completely within a 2-hour meeting. There is an experiment (recipe) done by the
students, academic readings through the course textbook and research papers, and
homework for each of the weekly meetings. There is also an opportunity for the student
to peer teach an experiment to their friends near the end of the term. A short research
paper on a topic of their choosing is also required to pass the seminar course. This has
been a very successful seminar on campus with waiting lists every term it is offered.
Markrete also organized a symposium open to the entire MIT community on selected
topics including Thermodynamics of Searing, Coffee preparation, Ice cream and
production of Beer through fermentation
CHED 61
Introducing planetary boundaries to chemistry curriculum
Alexey Leontyev1, [email protected], Renee P. Beeton1, Natalia P. Tarasova2.
(1) Adams State University, Alamosa, Colorado, United States (2) Mendeleyev
University of Chemical Technology, Moscow, Russian Federation
Planetary boundaries, a concept recently introduced by Johan Rockström and
colleagues, define the safe operating space for humanity with respect to the Earth and
are associated with the planet’s systems and processes. Being aware of planetary
boundaries and the danger of crossing thresholds brings relevance to chemistry
concepts and promotes responsible stewardship of the Earth. We developed a lesson to
introduce the idea of planetary boundaries and the underlying chemistry concepts to
students in a general chemistry class. The lesson integrates strategies that facilitate
conceptual change and cooperative learning. We chose concept mapping to facilitate
learning about planetary boundaries and help students see interconnections between
chemistry concepts and different planetary boundaries, as well as interactions of
planetary boundaries. We used several methods to assess cognitive, affective, and
behavioral outcomes. Full details will be presented at the meeting.
CHED 62
Burg Teaching Fellowship at USC: An opportunity for graduate students to coteach a class under the mentorship of the course instructor
Piyush Deokar, [email protected]. Chemistry 1661, University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, California, United States
One major responsibility as a chemistry graduate student is to teach undergraduate labs
and/or discussion sessions. The chemistry department at the University of Southern
California (USC), Los Angeles, CA. presented a unique opportunity for its graduate
students as ‘Burn Teaching Fellowship’. The fellowship is awarded to one graduate
student each semester who is interested in pursuing undergraduate level teaching as a
fulltime career. I was awarded with the fellowship for the Spring 2016 semester for
‘Introduction to Organic Chemistry’ (Chem 322A) class. As a part of it I was assigned a
mentor, Dr. Thomas Bertolini, who is also the course instructor for that class. Some of
the key responsibilities included lecturing 25% of the course, setting 20% of each exam
and holding discussion sessions. It was a great experience for me who wanted to get
acquainted with the responsibilities of a full time course instructor.
CHED 63
3D printing activities in the chemistry curriculum made possible through
collaboration with a centralized campus-supported innovation (maker) lab
Susan M. Ryan, William T. Grubbs, [email protected]. Stetson Univ, Deland,
Florida, United States
3D printing has emerged in higher education as a reliable and affordable learning
technology that empowers users to quickly transform ideas into physical prototypes.
Ready access to 3D printing promotes creativity and innovation among students and
faculty alike. Within the chemical education community, 3D printing has been utilized by
instructors to create realistic models of crystalline and molecular structures that afford
students an opportunity to grapple with and better understand important aspects of
stereochemistry. 3D printed models often allow student to better visualize geometric
subtleties in a structure that may not be apparent when rendered using traditional
modeling kits. Chemical educators are beginning to incorporate hands-on 3D printing
activities as part of the classroom curriculum. As an example, physical chemistry
students at Stetson University have recently used computational chemistry software to
create optimized molecular structures that were subsequently 3D printed. Activities of
this type often make difficult to learn concepts more accessible and can greatly enhance
student enthusiasm and motivation for learning abstract material. A more widespread
adoption of 3D printing curricular activities across higher enrollment chemistry courses
requires a sizable up-front investment in multiple printers that is typically not affordable
at the department level. Stetson University has been able to overcome this hurdle
through the creation and maintenance of a 3D printing innovation lab, housed in the
library, which is available to all academic disciplines. Advantages of a campussupported 3D printing lab include extended-hours access to multiple printers, the
availability of technical support staff, and no worries about printer maintenance. Details
about the chemistry and library supported innovation lab collaboration will be discussed.
Examples of curricular 3D printing activities carried out by students will be presented.
CHED 64
Lipgloss, jewelry and chemistry: Keeping middle school girls excited about
science
Stephanie M. Taylor, [email protected]. Science and Mathematics Education,
University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States
Explore the fun and activities at a chemistry camp for girls. Sponsored by the DFW
Local Section, designed by faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, a true
community was created for an inaugural group of middle school girls. We will investigate
activities that succeeded, and explain the future work behind ones that did not. With
theme days such as "All About Elements," "Molecule Madness," and "Kitchen
Chemistry," twenty girls got their hands into science over the summer. Art was
incorporated whenever possible, resulting in at least one project to take home each day,
to encourage students to discuss chemistry with their parents. Parents were given
conversation prompts to ask specifically what happened in a day's lesson. With this dual
encouragement, qualitative assessments were made of how engaged the participants
were throughout the week.
CHED 65
Relation between placement test scores and student outcomes in the
introductory chemistry sequence
Jason Gavenonis, [email protected]. Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, United States
Introductory chemistry has acquired a reputation--whether deserved or not--as a "weedout" course, with as many as a quarter of students not continuing to the second
semester. As part of our department's regular assessment cycle, we sought to
determine whether pre-enrollment placement testing in math and chemistry were
effective predictors of success in first-year chemistry courses. As has been extensively
observed elsewhere previously, math placement testing showed a positive correlation
with student success. This correlation is stronger than with our chemistry placement
test, which is used primarily to place students in the one-semester accelerated general
chemistry class. The strongest correlation with student success, however, was found
with both placement tests combined. This presentation will discuss the design and
findings of this analysis and the resultant modification of department placement policy.
CHED 66
Implementation of general chemistry curriculum for police officers
Pong K. Yuen2,1, [email protected], Cheng Man Diana Lau2. (1) University of
Macau, Macau, Macao (2) Macau Chemical Society, Macau, Macao
Chemistry is a central science and general chemistry course acts as the foundation
subject for all students. The effectivenss of chemistry education is critical to the
advancement of scientific literacy of mankind. ESFSM is a public university in Macau
established for developing personnel in the security forces. Macau's tertiary chemistry
curriculum is rarely discussed and researched. This paper introduces the mechanism of
designing and implementing general chemistry curriculum. It studies the characteristics,
the objectives, the contents and the learning outcomes for police officers.
CHED 67
CADD Academy - Corporate insight into ad-hoc training opportunities within a
chemistry organization
Lewis Whitehead, [email protected]. GDC, Novartis, Swampscott,
Massachusetts, United States
Within a large global pharmaceutical company, a wide variety of chemistry software
applications may appear to be an embarrasment of riches. However, for a small group
of computational chemists, training provided for chemistry software applications can be
a signficant drain on productivity, even if the engagement pay-off with medicinal
chemistry teams is increased signficantly. By leveraging visits by software vendors to
our site in Cambridge, MA, we have initiated a quarterly initiative aimed at bridging the
training gap for medicinal and computational chemists of all levels of expertise to
access globally available software applications.
CHED 68
Implementation of an undergraduate chemistry education certification program
Emily L. Atieh2, [email protected], Darrin M. York1. (1) Rutgers
University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (2) Chemistry and Chemical Biology,
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United
States
Peer instruction has seen major growth in higher education over the past decade. Large
gateway courses in particular use peer instruction to maximize their greatest resources their own students. In our Rutgers General Chemistry courses, we host the Teaching
Internship program – a for-credit class that provides interns with basic pedagogical
training and ample opportunities to apply what they have learned to their own learning
sessions with students. Interns not only hold traditional learning sessions, such as office
hours and workshops, but they also utilize our latest online instructional technology in
order to extend their reach and broaden their skills. They are asked to continuously
reflect on their experiences and revise their methods, thus working towards their own
personal development. This past year, we launched a new certificate program in
chemistry education, which begins with a formal pedagogical training course as a prerequisite to the teaching internship, and concludes by having students serve as solo
teaching assistants for our largest undergraduate chemistry lab course. Typically, the
focus of our studies in chemistry education is to monitor the students who are at the
receiving end of our peer instructors; the goal of this study, however, is to monitor the
gains of the interns themselves in regard to academic standing, teaching methods, and
attitudes towards learning.
CHED 69
Exploring learning strategies in a large lecture general chemistry course
Tara S. Carpenter, [email protected]. Dept Chemistry, UMBC, Baltimore, Maryland,
United States
Numerous studies have shown that active learning, even in a large lecture course, is
more beneficial to student learning than a traditional lecture. Despite the increasing use
of active learning, many students still may struggle to pass the course. Research on the
teaching of metacognitive learning strategies to students suggests that it can improve
their overall performance and increase class averages, even if the first exam doesn’t go
well. In this work, a first semester general chemistry course taught in an out-ofsequence semester was investigated to determine the effect of teaching metacognitive
learning strategies to students in a flipped class of 320 students. A comparison was also
made between students who were taking the course for the first time and those who
were repeating the course. The mixed-method investigation utilized surveys on student
learning strategies. Results of the survey were compared to exam averages based on
student response. Small focus groups (4 – 6 students) were utilized to deepen the
understanding of student attitudes and their approaches towards learning. The results of
the investigation will be presented.
CHED 70
Establishing a foundation of acid-base concepts in general chemistry using an
interactive online module
Kelly Gilmore, [email protected], Tara D. Todd. Chemistry, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
During General Chemistry 2, the concepts of equilibrium and acids and bases are topics
that are covered sequentially in the course. Although these topics utilize the same
underlying principles, students often struggle to grasp the connection between the two
topics. A common theme among these topics seems to be that students may be able to
come to the right answer for a problem, but cannot explain why that answer is correct.
This lack of understanding presents itself in later chemistry courses, when students are
asked to apply the acid base concepts learned in general chemistry. In this project, we
developed an interactive online module that lets students review the fundamental
concepts of acid base chemistry as they relate to equilibrium. Students were exposed to
small amounts of video lecture material outside of class and then were given the
opportunity to self-assess their own understanding. Both formative assessment
questions as well as an interactive simulation were utilized in this module. The formative
assessment questions were used to help students assess their own understanding,
while the interactive portion of the module was used to aid in student engagement.
Students’ scores on clicker questions in class were compared to those from a previous
year to determine the efficacy of the module in aiding student comprehension. Students
were also given a post module survey to assess their attitudes about the helpfulness of
the module.
CHED 71
Development of an inorganic chemistry lab at a pui
Andrew G. Eklund, [email protected]. Alfred Univ, Alfred, New York, United States
Inert atmosphere techniques, inorganic syntheses, materials syntheses, and
characterization and monitoring of organometallic reactions are critical aspects of an
upper level inorganic laboratory curriculum, even when equipment and spatial
considerations are limited. In this course, upper level chemistry students perform airsensitive syntheses of chromium (II) acetate, copper (I) chloride, and nickelocene using
inert atmosphere equipment such as the Schlenk line, the glove bag, and the glove box.
Students analyze the kinetics of ring-closing olefin metathesis of 1,7 octadiene using
gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and synthesize advanced materials ranging
from dimethylsilicone to thermatropic liquid crystals.
CHED 72
Lab sequence and lab-based projects in a course on fundamentals of organic
chemistry and biochemistry for undergraduate biomedical engineering major
Sara Alibeik, [email protected]. Department of Sciences, Wentworth Institute of
Technology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
This work describes the lab sequence and lab-based projects designed and developed
for a foundation course in organic chemistry and biochemistry at Wentworth Institute of
Technology in the past three years. The course was specifically geared towards junior
biomedical engineering students who had taken one semester of chemistry and one
semester of biology prior to taking this course. The lab sequence was developed to
introduce the key techniques in organic chemistry and biochemistry relevant to
biomedical engineering field (15% of final grade). In organic chemistry part of the labs,
techniques such as gas chromatography, organic synthesis, polymer synthesis and
polarimetry were presented. In the biochemistry part of the labs, selected applications of
biochemistry techniques in medical field such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) and enzyme catalysis were addressed. For the lab-based project portion of the
course, students worked in groups of 3 or 4 on different topics (15% of final grade). The
project topics offered were related to cancer diagnostics, cholesterol gene detection,
protein purification and PCR-based fingerprinting. The project labs were conducted in
the last three weeks of the course. Students presented their findings to the class in an
oral or a poster presentation format. Project evaluation involved four components: a
review paper submitted prior to the labs, execution of experiments, final presentation
and peer evaluations. At the end of the semester, students were asked to submit
statements of self-reflection on their learning experience in the labs and the project.
These statements and individual feedback from students suggested that students’
learning experience was enhanced through the use of project based labs,
instrumentation labs, and labs related to real world context.
CHED 73
Physical organic at a primarily undergraduate institution
Jason F. Fuller2, [email protected], Mary E. Railing1. (1) Wheeling Jesuit University,
Wheeling, West Virginia, United States (2) Chemistry, Wheeling Jesuit University,
Wheeling, West Virginia, United States
Offering and maintaining advanced/special topics chemistry courses at small, primarily
undergraduate institutions (PUI) presents a unique set of intellectual and logistical
challenges. PUI chemistry departments often have a limited number of majors resulting
in the upper level core chemistry curriculum being offered on an alternating yearly
schedule, meaning that some third and fourth year students will not have the
prerequisite core courses. Additionally staffing, i.e. workload distribution, for advanced
courses can be a challenge for PUI chemistry departments. For the spring 2016
semester the Chemistry Department at Wheeling Jesuit University offered Physical
Organic Chemistry as an advanced topics course. This course was team taught by the
resident physical and organic chemist. The course met for two 50 minute lecture periods
and one 3 hour lab period weekly. This poster will present the course design and
outcomes as well as those challenges both expected and unexpected.
CHED 74
Phone a Friend: Relieving stress while maintaining desirable difficulties in an
organic chemistry classroom
Kerry A. Pickin1, [email protected], Christian M. Paumi2. (1) Chemistry, Centre
College, Lexington, Kentucky, United States (2) Chemistry, Eastern Kentucky
University, Richmond, Kentucky, United States
In the organic chemistry classroom, encouraging students to solve intentionally difficult
problems in front of the class with little to no preparation offers students the opportunity
to struggle with the material and deepen learning; however, it often produces high levels
of anxiety and stress that can suppress learning and stifle the learning community within
a classroom. By offering students the opportunity to “phone a friend” and complete the
task collaboratively, students gain a sense of relief and camaraderie while the instructor
maintains the level of desirable difficulties designed to enhance learning. The
application of this process of incorporating both desirable difficulties and collaboratively
learning is challenging but provides student with a comfortable, enriched learning
environment that promotes both student engagement and deep learning.
CHED 75
Lab demonstration of the kinetics for the hydrogenation of 1-octene
Dana C. Haagenson, [email protected]. University of WisconsinMarshfield/Wood County, Arpin, Wisconsin, United States
A series of 1-octene hydrogenations catalyzed by Pd/C are performed by the instructor.
The results are presented to the class and discussed. The experiments and discussion
will be presented.
CHED 76
Microwave assisted synthesis and characterization of isatin-derivatives to yield
substituted quinolone-4-carboxylic acids
Fidelis Manyanga, Mustafa Yatin, [email protected]. Chemistry and Physics,
Salem State University, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Previous studies suggest that halogen or alkyl group containing Isatin, (1H-indole-2,3dione), and its derivatives can be used for the synthesis of a large variety of substituted
quinolone-4-carboxylic acids. These heterocyclic medicinal agents, display a broad
spectrum of biological properties, such as antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and other
inhibitory activities. Microwave irradiation is considered as an alternate greener source
of heating. This improves the efficiency of the reactions and reduces the reaction time.
In this study, a simple microwave assisted Pfizinger reaction of 5-Chloroisatin, (5-
Chloro-1H-indole-2,3-dione), with potassium hydroxide and specific ketones are
investigated. In this continuing project, the isolated products are washed, purified in
silica gel column, recrystallized, and characterized by TLC, 1H-NMR, FT-IR, and UV-Vis
spectrophotometry. The green aspects of reactions are evaluated in terms of
conventional green chemistry metrics such as atom economy, effective mass yield, and
e-factor. Future studies include the use of the substituted quinolone-4-carboxylic acids
as starting materials for the synthesis of a broad range of heterocyclic compounds and
as substrates for drug synthesis. Molecular docking approaches for drug discovery will
be used to model the interaction between isatin derivatives and various
proteins/enzymes at the atomic level. Our preliminary studies indicate that this
integrative experimental method is versatile, safe, economical and capable of being
complemental to routine experiments of an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory
equipped with basic set-up.
CHED 77
There is homotopy in addition to enantio- and diastereotopy
Donald D. Clarke, [email protected]. Cemistry, Fordham Univ, Bronx, New York,
United States
Succinate dehydrogenase [SD][EC1.3.99.1], a key enzyme in the Krebs tricarboxylic
acid cycle, catalyzes conversion of succinate [butanedioate] to fumarate [Ebutenedioate] and is competitively inhibited by malonate [propanedioate]. This reaction
is stereospecific. However SD cannot distinguish the carboxylate groups of its
substrates which presents a puzzle for students. These are homotopic, while the Hs of
the methylene groups are enantiopic and distinguishable by the enzyme. Malonate is
bound to the same active site as succinate, thus it is bound in an eclipsed form.
Fumarate cannot adopt this form therefore there is a strong driving force to release it
from the active site of this enzyme. Accordingly, succinic anhydride [SA] is a useful
model for explaining the stereochemistry of this reaction. SA shows a single resonance
at 3.02 ppm in its 1H NMR spectrum and two in its 1H decoupled 13C spectrum. The 1H
coupled 13C spectrum allows observation of the coupling constants of the geminal and
vicinal protons. The J values can be measured with greater resolution and sensitivity in
the 13C satellites of the 1H spectrum. If SA reacts with ethanol or other nucleophile the
symmetry is broken; the carbonyl as well as the methylene groups give individual 13C
and 1H signals.
CHED 78
Illustrating medicinal chemistry through an interactive demo: The Drug Discovery
Game
Brian F. McGuinness1, [email protected], James R. Merritt2. (1) Adjunct
Professor of Chemistry, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey, United States
(2) NJ Center for Science, Technology & Mathematics, Kean University, Union, New
Jersey, United States
An engaging, interactive demonstration of the methods used in modern medicinal
chemistry has been developed. Students (playing the role of medicinal chemists) are
given seed capital money and challenged to invent a small molecule pharmaceutical
starting from a Velcro-equipped scaffold and Velcro-equipped molecular fragments. The
teacher (playing the role of a biologist assaying compounds) provides logical feedback
after each student’s guess that guides the student toward the solution. The Drug
Discovery Game, intriguing at both college and high school levels, launches discussions
of such topics as the methods of modern drug invention, the cost of pharmaceuticals,
organic synthesis, molecular structure and design, and structure-activity relationships.
CHED 79
Greener extraction and analysis of medicinal plant compounds: A teaching
module for undergraduates
John de la Parra1, [email protected], Caroline Webb2, Suraya Foster1, Julian
Stanley1, Brandon Dale3, Carolyn W. Lee-Parsons2,1, Vaso Lykourinou1. (1) Chemistry
and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
(2) Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United
States (3) Chemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Our group has developed a 4-part undergraduate chemistry laboratory module that
exposes students to a greener method for the extraction and analysis of pharmaceutical
compounds from a medicinal plant. The Madagascar Periwinkle is well known for its
production of valuable pharmaceutical alkaloids and can be obtained from most
commercial greenhouses. We have optimized an instructional protocol for extracting
alkaloids from mature leaves that successfully replaces dichloromethane with
cyclopentyl methyl ether, a greener solvent. As a pedagogical exercise in the principles
of green chemistry, students perform extractions with both solvents for comparison.
Using Dragendorff’s reagent, we introduce the concept of the qualitative assay. Each
fraction of the extraction procedure, as well as appropriate controls, are tested for the
presence of alkaloids. Thin layer chromatography is performed with various greener
solvents to optimize resolution of major alkaloids components, as well as to illustrate
fundamental principles of chromatography to the student. Finally, a method is described
for performing supercritical fluid chromatography as a greener technique than traditional
HPLC to separate and quantitate the alkaloids present in the extract.
CHED 80
Development of extraction methods for active compounds in botanical species
Lexis Schue1, [email protected], Rachel Miller1, Edmir O. Wade2. (1) University
of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Indiana, United States (2) Dept of Chemistry, University
of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Indiana, United States
Often referred to as “traditional medicine”, herbal remedies are used worldwide for
various ailments. These herbal remedies often seem eccentric to many in the western
world who rely heavily on pharmaceuticals. However, many of the pharmaceuticals
used today were extracted from some of the most fundamental herbal therapies. From
aspirin, which was derived from willow bark, to fungus-derived lipid-lowering agents, a
large percentage of the western world’s pharmaceuticals began as herbal remedies.
The research being conducted for this project will focus on refining techniques to extract
the chemicals from these herbal therapies. Separation techniques will be used to
produce an organic and aqueous layer. Techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance, Mass Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy, and High Performance Liquid
Chromatography will be utilized to examine the organic layer. These methods will then
be analyzed to determine which is best-suited for extracting the active ingredients from
the herbal remedy. After the method is refined, herbal remedies from different parts of
the world will be studied in a future project.
CHED 81
Organic farming and analytical chemistry: A research partnership for chemistry
students
Sarah K. St Angelo1, [email protected], Jennifer Halpin2,3, Rebecca E. Connor1,
Amy E. Witter1. (1) Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States
(2) College Farm, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States (3) Food
Studies Certificate Program, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States
As an outgrowth of Dickinson College's Accelerated General Chemistry course project
investigating antioxidants in food, a semester-long partnership has been established
between a food-based chemistry course and the Dickinson College Farm. In this 200level, lab only course, students partnered with Dickinson College’s organic farm to
perform research meant to give the Farm additional information regarding produce, soil
and field management, and food storage and preservation. “Analysis of Antioxidants
and Phytochemicals in Foods” has drawn students from all class years, from undeclared
students, to majors in chemistry/biochemistry & molecular biology, biology, and
environmental science. The students learned laboratory analytical skills, including
HPLC, titration, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and colorimetric analysis, which
helped them develop their own research questions related to the College Farm. In an
intentional feedback mechanism, the students’ research proposals and final reports
were shared with the farmers so, if they choose, they could use the findings in their own
decision-making regarding future activities on the College Farm.
CHED 82
Withdrawn
CHED 83
Effectiveness of active learning in an undergraduate analytical chemistry course
Joseph A. Heppert2, [email protected], Mary E. Erickson3, David D. Weis1. (1)
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States (2) Office of Research and
Graduate Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States (3)
Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States
There is a critical need for educators to find ways to increase learning and promote
retention of students in STEM fields, including chemistry. One of the most promising
pedagogical techniques in recent years is the use of active learning, i.e. “flipped” or
“hybrid” courses. This study presents both quantitative and qualitative data from a
hybrid undergraduate analytical chemistry course at the University of Kansas. In this
course students met for one hour, three days a week, which included working in small
groups on active learning assignments. In addition, students were given weekly reading
assignments from the course textbook and online homework sets using Sapling® to be
completed outside of class. Students were given the option to either fully participate in
the active learning portions of the course or to have their course grade based solely on
exam grades. A two-tailed t test assuming unequal variance revealed a statistical
difference between the average exam grades for students who chose to fully participate
(N=42, M=89.689, s=8.515) and students who chose to only fully participate in the exam
portion of the course (N=10, M=76.515, s=12.894), t(50) = 3.075, p=0.011, α= 0.05.
Results from a survey given at the end of the course will also be presented to compare
student demographics such as age, gender, major, as well as attitude towards an active
learning environment in this course.
CHED 84
Mass spectrometry of E-Cigarette liquids by headspace analysis: Introduction to
mass spectrometry techniques
Eric Knappenberger, [email protected], Corey N. Stedwell, J. D.
DeBord. 1st Detect Corporation, Webster, Texas, United States
We have designed an instrumental analysis laboratory experiment in which students
identify and quantify volatile flavorings of E-Cigarette liquids by headspace sampling
and mass spectrometry. This experiment introduces the student to the processes of
identification and quantitation of unknown compounds, as well as Tandem MS data
interpretation. The choice of e-cigarette liquids as a matrix brings modern relevance and
student interest to the experiment. The method developed for this experiment utilizes
small sample sizes and an MMS-1000 (1st Detect, Houston, TX) Mass Spectrometer. In
addition to teaching the fundamentals of MS, this experiment is a safe, simple, easy,
and inexpensive demonstration of a real world MS application.
CHED 85
Integrating infrared and UV/VIS spectroscopy to model enzyme inhibition in the
instrumental analysis laboratory
Anna M. Fedor, [email protected], Thomas Scott. Chemistry, Misericordia
University, Dallas, Pennsylvania, United States
This instrumental analysis lab uses infrared and UV/VIS spectroscopy to study the
interactions of antioxidant-active green tea polyphenols with digestive enzymes. When
in solution green tea polyphenols have been shown to decrease enzyme activity.
Student pairs will propose an experiment using given lists of digestive enzymes and
para-substituted phenol derivatives. The inhibition of these enzymes will be monitored
qualitatively using infrared spectroscopy focused on the O-H and N-H stretching regions
at varying inhibitor concentrations. As the concentration is increased, the intermolecular
interactions will be observed as changes in peak locations in the infrared spectrum.
Quantitative measurements will be carried out using UV/VIS spectroscopy by recording
the absorbance with changing concentrations after identifying the λmax of the enzyme.
As the inhibitor concentration increases the absorbance values will decrease
significantly. Integrating different types of spectroscopy to study a popular biochemistry
research topic will demonstrate the relevance and benefits of a comprehensive use of
instrumentation.
CHED 86
Peptide mass fingerprinting of egg white proteins
Lisa T. Alty1, [email protected], Frederick J. Lariviere2. (1) Washington Lee Univ,
Lexington, Virginia, United States (2) Washington and Lee University, Lexington,
Virginia, United States
Use of advanced mass spectrometry techniques in the undergraduate setting has
burgeoned in the last decade. However relatively few undergraduate experiments
examine the proteomics tools of protein digestion, peptide accurate mass determination,
and database searching, also known as peptide mass fingerprinting. In this experiment
biochemistry students digest a protein mixture from egg white using the enzyme trypsin;
liquid chromatography electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESITOF-MS) separates the resulting peptides and determines their accurate masses.
Instrument software is used to match these peptides to the sequences of known egg
white proteins, obtained from an online source. Students then use online protein
database search software to match the peptides to the protein and score the results.
CHED 87
Fluorimetry and biolayer interferometry to evaluate protein expression in an
undergraduate biochemistry laboratory
Rebecca E. Connor, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Dickinson
College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States
Expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli is an integral part of modern biochemistry.
These experiments are challenging in the short time frames of undergraduate
biochemistry laboratories. A laboratory exercise is described in which expression of a
red fluorescent protein, mCherry-His, is monitored over two hours of expression using
fluorimetry and biolayer optical interferometry. This lab is interesting to students
because of the use of a fluorescent protein and the ability to see the cells turn pink as
expression proceeds. The addition of a six-histidine tag to the mCherry gene enables
the use of a Ni-NTA biosensor to detect binding of the expressed protein, giving the
students two different measurements of protein expression. An efficient lysis procedure
using a commercial reagent is relatively rapid and enables maturation of the mCherry
chromaphore.
CHED 88
High throughput discovery: A multidisciplinary approach to translational
research & education
Simon Berritt1, [email protected], David Schultz3, Jeffrey Field2. (1) Chemistry,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Department of
Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics , University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (3) Perelman School of Medicine, University
of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Several newly developed massively parallel technologies enable the simultaneous
analysis of many biological pathways in an academic setting including cancer.
Elucidating cancer pathways is an important task carried out by large scale international
efforts, however some rare cancers have not been analyzed in depth. Via funding from
the Children’s Tumor Foundation, we developed and offered a translational high
throughput screening course allowing undergraduates, graduates & research staff to
learn and contribute to these important endeavors.
Focusing on Malignant peripheral nerve sheet tumors (MPNST) and Schwannomas
(neurofibromatosis 1 & 2), the course was split into two phases. Phase 1 included
advanced training on high-throughput systems (Chemistry & Biology), synthesis of a
simple PAK kinase inhibitor, and lectures on current topics surrounding MPNST &
Schwannomas. Phase two allowed the students to carry out independent research
projects either within Chemistry or Biology relevant to neurofibromatosis. Highthroughput Chemistry allowed students to rapidly synthesize a small library, which was
screened against suitable cell lines. Students were also required to grow cell lines for in
vitro testing. The data from this course will be used for publication and development of a
public database for rare tumors. We expect the course to be a hypothesis engine that
generates ideas for further research in NF1 and NF2 and also a resource to test new
compounds, cell lines and screening paradigms for other disease states in a
pedagogical setting.
CHED 89
History of chemistry of the people, by the people, and for the people
Carmen J. Giunta, [email protected]. Le Moyne Coll, Syracuse, New York, United
States
History of chemistry is the repository of chemists' stories. If chemistry is a vast
enterprise to which current researchers contribute, then history of chemistry is that
enterprise's archive. Historians of chemistry--including individuals trained as chemists,
as historians, and sometimes as both--are its archivists, custodians of the work of
chemists past. History of chemistry sheds light on chemistry of the past, and that light
can inform and even inspire chemistry in the present and future. Past examples of
chemistry of the people, by the people, and for the people will be outlined. I'll take
chemistry of the people to mean chemistry applied to human biology, for example
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin's elucidation of the structures of biologically important
molecules. History of chemistry by the people, I'll take to be history written by chemists
in the form of biography or memoir, and I'll focus on work by the prolific writer Carl
Djerassi. Chemistry for the people is chemistry applied to societal needs; the career of
Fritz Haber includes both nitrogen fixation and chemical weapons, both arguably
responding to social or governmental imperatives.
CHED 90
ACS Division of Small Chemical Businesses SCHB is an essential resource for
the entrepreneur
Joseph E. Sabol, [email protected]. Chemical Consultant, Marquette,
Michigan, United States
If you want to start and run a business in the chemical sector, consider joining the ACS
Division of Small Chemical Businesses (SCHB). SCHB’s mission remains “to aid in the
formation, development, and growth of small chemical businesses.” SCHB provides
relevant programming with resources for and/or featuring start-ups, small, and growing
businesses at ACS national, regional, and local section meetings. SCHB members can
take advantage of deeply discounted expo booth space at ACS national meetings, be
listed in SCHB’s member and business resource directory (www.acs-schb.org),
contribute to the semi-annual newsletter, hold office and shape the direction of the
division, participate in social media on the ACS Network, Twitter, Facebook, and
LinkedIn. SCHB provides member breakfast, lunch, and social/reception at ACS
national meetings, scholarships for ACS Leadership courses, and partnership with
SOCMA to provide a discounted SOCMA membership. Connect with SCHB in 2016 in
Philadelphia and enhance your tool-kit to grow your chemical business.
CHED 91
Chemistry of rubber, it’s more than what meets the road
Leo C. Goss, [email protected]. Rhein Chemie, Chardon, Ohio, United
States
Rubber Chemistry in some circles has been described more of an Art than a Science. It
is true that the very beginning of Rubber Chemistry has its roots akin to Alchemy.
Alchemists as has been stipulated made attempts to convert base metals to gold or find
that universal elixir. Early Rubber Chemists like Charles Goodyear and Thomas
Hancock forged similar paths in that they took base saps and tried to convert their
inventions into gold.
This presentation will attempt to address the fundamental aspects of Rubber Chemistry
and the impact on society. Rubber Chemicals can be classified into basic categories.
These basic categories are Activators, Accelerators, Vulcanizers (curing agents),
Retarders, and Antidegradients. It is the interaction of these Chemicals that provide
many of the properties desired by consumers in their products.
CHED 92
Fluorine chemistry of, by, and for the people of the world
Steven H. Strauss, [email protected]. Chemistry, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Linus Pauling once said that "Fluorine... is in a class by itself." It is the most reactive
element, yet makes some of the most inert materials, many of which we use to enrich
our lives. The F-F bond is the weakest homoatomic bond, yet bonds between an F atom
and an atom of most other elements are the strongest single bonds to those elements. It
is the 13th most abundant element in the Earth's crust, yet was only the 47th to be
recognized as an element and only the 62nd to be isolated in elemental form. Its unique
properties impart unusual and useful chemical and physical properties to many of the
compounds and materials it forms. This lecture will include a brief summary of the
history of fluorine chemistry followed by a discussion of the myriad ways that fluorine
chemistry benefits the people of the world, from safely, comfortably, and economically
feeding, sheltering, and clothing us, to maintaining our health, to providing clean and
abundant energy, to helping provide a clean, stable, and sustainable environment for
the generations to come.
CHED 93
Electronic materials of the people, by the people, and for the people
Qinghuang Lin, [email protected]. MS 6-250, IBM T J Watson Rsrch Ctr, Yorktown
Heights, New York, United States
Modern microelectronic chips are made of three types of electronic materials: electrical
conductors, semiconductors and insulators. They are the brain of the Digital Age and
the engine of the Knowledge Economy. Sophisticated chips power everything from
super computers to mobile devices. They also control modern automobiles, medical
devices, and communication networks. The ubiquitous chips have fundamentally altered
the way people work, communicate, do business, and receive healthcare, education
and entertainment. In this talk, I will give a brief introduction of the semiconductor
technology and the microelectronic industry. I will discuss select major discoveries or
inventions in electronic materials that have made it possible for the ever smaller, faster
and cheaper chips for over 50 years. These discoveries or inventions, many made by
chemists, have changed the world and improved people’s lives on the Earth.
CHED 94
Chemical reactions and human actions: Teaching and learning as if they are
inextricably linked
Peter G. Mahaffy1,2, [email protected]. (1) Chemistry, The King's University,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (2) King's Centre for Visualization in Science, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada
The purpose of this multidisciplinary symposium is to highlight the many ways in which
chemistry touches human lives: Chemistry is a science of the people, by the people,
and for the people. Formal and informal chemistry education should play a central role
in strategies to communicate to both scientists and citizens those connections. But do
we teach chemistry so that the inextricable links between human actions and chemical
reactions are highly visible and evident to students? Do we place priority in
demonstrating those linkages through learning objectives, course outlines, and
assessments? If students reflect on their experiences in courses such as the gate
keeper general chemistry course, would the way in which chemistry touches their lives
and addresses global challenges be one of the top five things they’d highlight? To make
these connections more visible and concrete requires both a vision to do so and
strategic planning by chemistry educators to overcome the barriers of inertia that may
block implementation of that vision. In this talk we will unpack some dimensions of the
human activities of learning chemistry, doing chemistry, and benefitting from chemistry
that we might highlight more effectively in formal educational contexts for chemistry to
become more visible as a science of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Provocative suggestions for next steps will be presented.
CHED 95
From drugs to dyes and back: Understanding innovation in the chemical sciences
through the history of the Perkin Medal
Jody A. Roberts, [email protected]. Chemical Heritage Foundation,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
When at the age of 18 William Henry Perkin isolated what would become the first
synthetic aniline dye, he incidentally set into motion a nearly an approach to chemical
research and commerce that still endures today. His personal achievements – in
science and in industry – were celebrated at the 50th anniversary of the discovery of
mauveine in 1906 by the Society of the Chemical Industry – America. Since then, each
year, SCI America awards a lifetime achievement award to an individual who has
demonstrated innovation in chemistry applied to outstanding commercial results.
Awardees include some of the most prominent names of the chemical world in across
the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including (in addition to those joining this panel)
Leo Baekeland, Charles Chandler, Herbert Dow, Glenn Seaborg, Carl Djerassi, Ralph
Landau, Stephanie Kwolek, Gordon Moore, and Robert Gore. What do we learn about
changes to the process and products of innovation by exploring the history of this
award? What do we learn about where the chemical sciences may be heading? How
can we use the experiences of these individuals to better appreciate the specific
contexts and contingencies of the innovation process to help us design a more
sustainable path forward with and through the chemical sciences? These questions will
be the focus of this talk.
CHED 96
CPP-115: A novel GABA aminotransferase inactivator and potential new
treatment for epilepsy, addiction, and hepatocellular carcinoma
Richard B. Silverman, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry,
Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for
Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Center for Developmental Therapeutics,
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States
An imbalance in the levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
and the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate can lead to convulsions. Inhibition of γaminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT), the enzyme responsible for the
degradation of GABA, increases the GABA levels, which has been shown to produce an
anticonvulsant effect. A sharp rise in dopamine release is associated with a variety of
addictive behaviors. This dopamine release can be attenuated by an increase in GABA;
therefore, inactivation of GABA-AT also has an effect on addictive behavior. Inactivation
of a related enzyme, ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) in hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC) has been shown to slow the growth of this cancer. In this lecture the design and
mechanism of some of our GABA-AT inactivators will be discussed and how these
compounds led to the design and discovery of CPP-115, a potent inactivator of GABAAT, which has been found to have excellent pharmacokinetic and pharmacological
properties for the potential treatment of epilepsy and addiction. CPP-115 also
inactivates OAT and has been shown to slow the growth of HCC. A closely related
analogue of CPP-115 was identified that does not inactivate GABA-AT but is a potent
inactivator of OAT. Enzyme inactivation mechanism studies will be discussed, as well
as in vitro and in vivo efficacy and pharmacokinetic results, toxicology studies, and early
clinical trial results.
CHED 97
Towards sustainable optoelectronic materials for advanced technologies
Elsa Reichmanis, [email protected]. Georgia Institute of Technology,
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Our educational infrastructure can help promote a global, multidisciplinary culture of
sustainability. Examples include i) university wide initiatives, ii) externally funded
educational activities, iii) industrial-academic research partnerships, and iv) research in
materials chemistries for advanced technologies. Together, these examples
demonstrate how academic institutions can enhance their research, education, and
service missions through leadership and decision making inspired by the principles of
sustainability. This presentation will explore how a focus on sustainability can impact the
design and development of all-printed, flexible electronic devices. Such devices present
potential low cost alternatives for devices in a range of industries such as health care,
security, and energy. We will examine how bio-derived materials might facilitate the
development of advanced optoelectronic materials and devices.
CHED 98
What would Sir William Perkin think today?
Cynthia A. Maryanoff, [email protected]. Baruch S Blumberg Institute, Holicong,
Pennsylvania, United States
Sir William Perkin’s discovery of mauveine in 1856 was the beginning of chemical
industry. Now, 160 years later what would he think of the pharmaceutical industry? This
is an exciting time: medicines impact the quality of life. Delivery of new drugs to patients
relies on chemists to eliminate hazardous solvents, reagents and reaction conditions, to
provide a synthesis process that can be scaled safely. Examples will be discussed.
CHED 99
Use of exam reflections to assess student examination performance in organic
chemistry courses
Andrew G. Karatjas, [email protected]. Science Department, Johnson and
Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Exam reflections were used to assess examination performance in recent organic
chemistry and general and organic chemistry (first semester in a two semester GOB
sequence) classes. Self-assessment of study habits and reasons for getting questions
wrong were explored to look at factors that influence examination performance. These
include student study time, student assessment of sufficient study habits, type of
activities used by students, and reasons for missing examination questions.
CHED 100
Grade perceptions in a chemistry program (from non-majors courses through
graduate students) - Examination postdictions and the Kruger-Dunning effect
Jeffrey A. Webb2, [email protected], Andrew G. Karatjas1,
[email protected]. (1) Science Department, Johnson and Wales University,
Providence, Rhode Island, United States (2) Chemistry , Southern Connecticut State
University , New Haven, Connecticut, United States
While work has been done in other fields (primarily psychology) investigating self
perception of knowledge, limited work in this area has been done in chemistry. We
previously reported the presence of the Kruger-Dunning effect at all levels of a
chemistry program by looking at student predictions of examination performance. This
research continues the study by looking at student postdictions (students make a
prediction of their examination grade after completing the examination) of examination
performance. Self-reported data in chemistry courses at all levels (from Spring 2013
through Spring 2014) was explored to examine if there is a change in student ability to
predict examination performance after completion of an examination. This study also
seeks to examine whether there is a difference between the levels of chemistry courses,
the types of chemistry courses, and the types of students in the courses (i.e. courses for
non-science majors, courses for science majors, courses for chemistry majors, etc...).
CHED 101
Role of student major in grade perception in chemistry courses
Andrew G. Karatjas2, [email protected], Jeffrey A. Webb1,
[email protected]. (1) Chemistry , Southern Connecticut State University , New
Haven, Connecticut, United States (2) Science Department, Johnson and Wales
University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
As part of our ongoing analysis of grade perceptions in a chemistry program,
exploration into the role that a student’s academic background has on their ability to
perceive their own performance in the setting of a science course was explored. The
student background was examined by looking at student's majors for those taking
undergraduate chemistry courses at all levels over a one and one half year period. This
included courses for non-science majors, health science majors, and chemistry courses
for science majors. Self-reported data was collected for examinations and analyzed to
see if background played a role in the student's self-assessment as it related to the
Kruger-Dunning effect.
CHED 102
Pikme: Promoting student participation with an app
Smitesh Bakrania, [email protected]. Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey,
United States
We invite students to participate in class with, “Does anyone have any questions?” We
probe their understanding by asking a specific question during lectures. All in the name
of improving student engagement by participation. However, it is common for a limited
few to participate and those who do likely skew instructor’s confidence in their teaching
abilities. This bias exists because the students who raise their hands are likely the same
students who understand the concept in question. To avoid false generalization and
actively promote participation, Pikme (an iPhone app) was used to randomly sample the
class for conceptual understanding. Pikme was designed to present the instructor with
an image-based class list that they can use to pick a students at random. The instructor
simply shakes the phone to pick a student to ask a verbal question. Upon responding to
the question, the instructor can evaluate the students’ response. The selection algorithm
ensures every student in the class has had an opportunity to respond and thus ensuring
full participation from the class. While the strategy of randomized selection is not new,
there are several additional benefits of using this app. These include the ability to
monitor participation, track response quality, and mark absences. The app can also be
used to aid active learning exercises by generating randomized pairs or groups. With
downloads approaching 20,000 to date, Pikme has been used in several classes by
instructors from a wide range of fields, countries, and education levels since its first
release in 2010. This talk highlights the key features of Pikme and how it can be used to
enhance the learning environment. Most importantly, we discuss strategies to create a
friendly atmosphere for students who at times can be intimidated by the prospect of
being picked at random. Beyond sharing good practices and instructor perspectives,
outcomes of a broad survey of students who had experience with Pikme in their classes
will be discussed. The student feedback indicates an overwhelming support for Pikme’s
use as long as common-sense approaches are embraced. In fact, the students observe
an overall improvement in class participation as a potential outcome of integrating
Pikme with lectures. These results highlight how traditional lectures can be augmented
by technology to yield highly engaging learning environments without the need to
overhaul an already functional instructional style.
CHED 103
Designing LEGO activities to help students learn general chemistry topics
Junyang Xian, [email protected]. Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
Many chemistry concepts are difficult for first-year college students. Studies have
shown that providing students hands on activities can make them more engaged in
class and improve their learning. One technique that has been used to engage students
is the use of LEGOs to teach chemistry, such as teaching the students the structure of
nano and polymer materials by using LEGO as models. In this study, an activity was
developed in which LEGOs were used to model a chemical reaction as a way to help
students learn about pseudo-order reaction kinetics. The assembling of LEGOs
represented the formation of products; the disassembling of LEGOs represented
converting the products back into reactants. The activity was tested in a general
chemistry class for chemistry majors during two different years. Clicker questions were
posed before and after the activity to determine if there was any change in student
understanding of the content as a result of the activity. Student performance on some of
the clicker questions improved after the activity, with more students choosing the correct
answers and fewer students choosing incorrect answers. A second LEGO activity has
been developed to help students understand Le Chatelier’s principle. Results will be
presented from the use of this second activity in a general chemistry course (for
chemistry majors) and in an everyday chemistry course (open to students from all
majors).
CHED 104
Using ‘clickers’ to encode and decode knowledge of bonding, conformation,
configuration, (i.e., structure) in organic chemistry. Using ‘clickers’ to encode and
decode knowledge of bonding, conformation, configuration, (i.e., structure) in
organic chemistry
Steven M. Graham, [email protected]. St Johns Univ, Jamaica, New York, United
States
As tools for assessing student knowledge in the classroom, personal response systems
(‘clickers’) are becoming increasingly popular. Clickers represent one of the simplest
ways to judge the outcome of an active-learning exercise said exercise, especially in a
large classroom. One (reasonable) criticism of clickers is that when used to ask
multiple-choice type questions (e.g. ‘which of the following are a pair of enantiomers?’)
they provide little insight into whether the correct answer was chosen through
memorization, luck, or a thorough conceptual understanding of the material. Clickers
have been used to assess two problematic issues in the teaching of organic chemistry,
namely a student’s ability to draw mechanism arrows (Ruder and Straumanis, J. Chem.
Educ. 2009, 86, 1392-1396) and to design a successful synthesis (ibid; Flynn, J. Chem.
Educ. 2011, 88, 1496–1500). But mechanisms and synthesis typically are introduced
later in organic chemistry; before them comes structure. This talk will outline a way to
use clickers so as to dissect a student’s grasp of bonding, conformation, configuration –
structure – in organic chemistry. Using the numeric response option of clickers, it will be
shown how one can represent a structure digitally, with incorrect answers identifying
misunderstandings and misconceptions of structural concepts. This approach is
adaptable to a variety of structural concepts; this talk will focus primarily on whether
students can interpret condensed structural formulas, identify enantiomers and
diastereomers, and convert Fischer projection to chair conformations. This changes
completely the nature of the questions that can be asked, turning simple identification
questions into robust probes of student understanding ideal for an active-learning
environment.
CHED 105
Using digital technology to create student centered collaborative spaces for
explaining real-world contexts using organic chemistry
Manashi Chatterjee, [email protected], Solomon Feuerwerker . Chemistry
and Biochemistry Department, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, New York, United
States
Instructors always try to integrate relevant real-world contexts to engage their students
and promote better understanding of organic chemistry concepts. Since organic
chemistry is such a fast paced course not all interesting applications can be discussed
in class, especially due to time constraints. Narrations of real-world contexts during
lecture often only have entertainment value since these topics are not always assessed
during exams. It is believed that students enjoy these real life connections and it makes
learning meaningful. Textbooks and the Internet (www) provide plethora of examples on
application of organic chemistry in real world. Clicker polls conducted during lecture
have revealed that less than 50 % of students actually read the medicinally relevant and
practically speaking examples in their textbooks in a meaningful way.
To stimulate deeper level of interest in these real world topics, including science writing,
providing good feedback, peer-assessment and peer-discussions, the use of two digital
tools (Wikis and Word press) will be presented. The use of these tools to promote
contextually learning of organic chemistry in Organic Chemistry lecture course will be
discussed. The goals of the project tie in with the Program Level Learning Outcomes:
knowledge based and student centered skill based competencies that our Chem.
Majors and Minors are required to have when they graduate.
Student work in groups and each team has a designated team leader. Each team picks
one topic to research; either from the medicinally relevant and practically speaking
sections of their organic chemistry textbook or any other news worthy relevant
application that interested them. Team Leader posts group work (literature search,
writing, videos, case-study) on Wikis or Blogs sites. The collaborative space allows
peers from other teams to comment and provide feedback.
Examples of student work will be shared. Challenges, best practices and learning
curves in use of digital technology in teaching will be discussed. Wikis and Word press
blogs will be compared to understand which is better suited for this project. Clicker poll
data will be used to show if learning done in cooperative groups using digital platforms
produces the more retention. Student attitude towards learning using this method will
also be reported.
CHED 106
Incorporation of mobile technology into first-year chemistry courses at
Merrimack College
Joanna D. Blanchard, [email protected], Anthony L. Fernandez,
[email protected], Brian Provencher, Stephen M. Theberge, Brenda
Zwickau. Merrimack Colg, North Andover, Massachusetts, United States
Before the start of the Fall 2015 semester, all first-year students at Merrimack College
were provided iPads as part of the Mobile Merrimack initiative. This program has the
aim of transforming the Merrimack student experience through the integration of
technology in teaching and learning and increased access to interactive and wireless
services. In order to take advantage of this new mobile technology, the Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry decided to integrate iPads as much as possible into the
first-year chemistry courses. Students use their iPads as classroom response devices,
as video authoring tools, and as the interface for a newly adopted laboratory probeware
system. Some of the benefits of the iPads are that they allow for instant feedback in
lecture and the immediate visualization of data in the laboratory. The successes and
challenges of integrating and utilizing this mobile technology will be discussed.
CHED 107
Application of pupillometry in chemistry education research
Josibel Garcia1, [email protected], Melissa Weinrich1, Hannah Sevian2. (1)
University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (2)
Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts,
United States
A great proportion of students encounter difficulties in learning chemistry. This may be
because the tasks involved in acquiring new chemistry knowledge and applying that
knowledge to solving problems presents insurmountable cognitive load, which is the
amount of mental effort used in working memory. The human eye offers an opportunity
to observe and study the involuntary reflexes and pupillary responses that result from
the brain processing information and emotion. This window into the subconscious can
aid in interpreting the mental burden required to process and retrieve information in the
brain. Measurement of pupillary responses may permit us to examine how information
can be acquired and applied more effectively by students when learning chemistry.
Pupillometry studies in psychology have shown that pupillary responses may indicate
brain processing and mental activity, including cognitive load. Based on item statistics,
items anticipated to require basic vs. complex mental processes were selected from the
Chemical Concept Inventory (CCI), which is a tool to assess students’ conceptual
understanding in general chemistry. Using an eye tracker, pupillometry was applied to
measure mental activity in participants (N=25) just before they began a first-semester
general chemistry course. In addition to this measurement, we replicated Klingner’s
(2010) pupillometry study with simple mental tasks (memorization and vigilance) to
validate pupillometry metrology. Pupillary responses were analyzed to uncover patterns
in the cognitive load required to complete the chemistry tasks. In particular, the
correlation between pupil diameters and problem complexity was examined. Since
working memory and mental function have limited capacities, the larger objective of the
project was to use pupillometry to optimize learning with the least cognitive burden
during chemistry lessons, so that students can assimilate chemistry material in the
classroom efficiently and effectively. Implications for the usage of pupillometry as a
measurement method in chemistry education research will also be discussed.
CHED 108
Gaze transition entropy: Assigning a measure of randomness to distinguish
participants' levels of understanding of chemistry word problems
Philip Nahlik1, [email protected], Patrick L. Daubenmire2. (1) Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chesterfield, Missouri, United States (2) Dept
of Chemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Recent eye-tracking studies have included analyses of gaze transitions between areas
of interest (AOIs). This project sought to summarize gaze transition data by assigning a
measure of randomness with a modified Shannon's entropy calculation through the use
of OGAMA and Excel software for individual student and instructor participants who
solved chemistry word problems. The entropy measures were graphed versus scores
on a Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) survey to analyze if the
randomness of gaze patterns could be used to predict levels of understanding and
logical thinking in student participants. The analyses so far did not yield a definitive test
to distinguish levels of logical thinking or understanding. However, suggestions will be
given to improve future data analysis methods involving the equal or unequal placement
of AOIs, entropic or stationary distribution measures, and the physical layout of the
stimulus slide. Interpretation of these measurements in terms of theories of expertise
and student problem-solving strategies will be briefly discussed.
CHED 109
Investigating preservice chemistry teachers’ references for macroscopic,
symbolic and submicroscopic levels representing for chemical equilibrium via
eye tracking
Sule Korkmaz Yavuz, [email protected], Sevil Akaygun. Secondary School
Science and Mathematics Education, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
Three levels of representation; macroscopic, submicroscopic and symbolic and the
transformations among them are important for understanding chemistry. Visualizations
that integrate representational levels have been used to promote conceptualizing the
chemical phenomena. However, if the learners could get full benefit from the visuals
that they are looking at is still a question to be investigated.
The present study aims to investigate how the preservice chemistry teachers integrate
and explain three representational levels for the concept of chemical equilibrium. In this
respect, the preservice chemistry teachers’ eye movements were examined while they
were watching a dynamic visualization and answering screen questions about chemical
equilibrium. The visualization used in this study is a VisChem
(http://www.vischem.com.au) visualization, which presents the process of chemical
equilibrium at three representational levels simultaneously.
Voluntarily participating preservice chemistry teachers were divided into two groups
considering a departmental course in which they specifically learn how to represent the
basic chemistry concepts like states of matter, physical and chemical composition and
solubility at three representational levels. The eye movements of the preservice
teachers who took this specific course were compared with those who did not take.
Data were collected quantitatively through eye tracker as well as qualitatively through
think aloud protocols because the eye tracker data could demonstrate where the
participants focus on, rather than why. For this reason, preservice chemistry teachers’
eye movements showing how they transfer between different representational levels
while answering the questions were recorded. In addition, they also explained verbally
what they thought and how they reached their answers while watching the visualization.
So the eye tracking data were enriched by the reasoning of focus.
For the data analysis, the fixation time on each representational level was compared to
reveal which representational level the preservice chemistry teachers stare at mostly.
Furthermore, the integration of representational levels was analyzed regarding the
participants’ scanpaths that they constructed to reach an answer for screen questions.
The patterns of scanpaths were compared. The similarities and differences between the
fixation time and scanpath of the two groups of preservice chemistry teachers will be
discussed.
CHED 110
Authorship and publication ethics in undergraduate research partnerships
Aneri C. Pattani, [email protected], Patricia A. Mabrouk,
[email protected]. Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Nine research-active STEM faculty-undergraduate research student teams from a
research university were interviewed to explore faculty and student understanding and
experiences related to responsible authorship and publication practices, as this is a core
topic in the federally mandated responsible conduct of research (RCR) curriculum. The
interviews revealed that none of the students had received formal training in responsible
authorship and publication practices. Many had received no informal training and
consequently had questions about authorship and authorship practices. The students’
confusion is reflective of the uncertainty on authorship standards among the faculty
members, who held many different views. Delegation of authorship decisions to
graduate students appeared to be a common practice. Though faculty espoused
definitions of authorship based on contributions (intellectual and material) and writing,
many appeared to be concerned about time and effort when it came to deciding student
authorship. We propose one possible vehicle for RCR training might leverage graduate
students as peer mentors to the undergraduate students.
CHED 111
Transforming the organic lab experience: development and implementation of an
organic lab module curriculum at a two-year institution
Jason P. Anderson, [email protected], Brian L. Edelbach,
[email protected]. Chemistry, Monroe Community College, Rochester, New
York, United States
This work discusses the ongoing development and implementation of inquiry-based
microscale organic chemistry lab modules at a community college that were originally
conceived at a partnering four-year institution. A description of changing from a
traditional expository organic chemistry lab curriculum to delivering these novel organic
lab modules will be discussed. One of our primary goals in this project was to
demonstrate transportability across institutions, which required adapting the macroscale
lab modules to fit our microscale lab curriculum. Several exemplar modules will be
discussed to illustrate our experiences during this project; specifically focusing on
student improvement in traditional organic lab topics and techniques.
CHED 112
Professional skills: The latent learning outcome of a project based lab
Nikita L. Burrows, [email protected], Suazette R. Mooring. Chemistry,
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Literature over the past fifteen years has observed an intensified growth in the
discussion of inventive pedagogies for the chemistry laboratory. Project Based or
inquiry based labs has become one such innovation of recent discussion in the
academic world. The primary objectives of these labs are often embedded in the
cognitive and psychomotor domains with little attention to the affective domain. Studies
have also explored how these objectives resonate with students; however, employers
have expressed the need to train students beyond these objectives. Thus, we explored
a project-based, Organic Chemistry lab that focuses on helping students build
transferable skills. These transferable skills are skills that students can use beyond the
context of chemistry. Eighteen participants were interviewed in a semi-structured
interview format to collect their perspectives on the Organic Chemistry Lab. Each
interview was subjected to open coding and the constant comparison method. The
codes were was collapsed into common themes. To that extent, we present the findings
of student perspectives on this lab and the alignment of their perspectives with the labs
implicit and explicit objectives. We will particularly focus on the transferable skills that
students discussed in their interviews.
CHED 113
Stepwise approach to writing in the organic chemistry course sequence and
beyond
Jay W. Wackerly, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Central College,
Pella, Iowa, United States
This presentation outlines my efforts towards transitioning second-year, organic
chemistry students from writing short, informal lab assignments to writing disciplinary
specific journal style lab reports and plan to test the efficacy of this approach. The
primary emphasis of this approach focuses on building students' rhetorical skills in
scientific and technical writing based on established pedagogical precedent. This
approach will then be analyzed in the context of ideal writing outcomes for ACS certified
chemistry majors. Finally, a generalized rubric for a capstone paper or senior thesis will
be presented along with an outline of a research model to collect data on the
effectiveness of this approach.
CHED 114
Integrating innovative polymer chemistry research into the introductory general
chemistry two course sequence–fostering STEM interest and retention
Ophelia Wadsworth, [email protected]. Chemistry, Fisk University, Nashville,
Tennessee, United States
A National Science Foundation grant was awarded to Fisk University for the expressed
purpose of integrating polymer chemistry research into the General Chemistry lab
experiment curriculum. The aim was to 1) foster student interest in pursuing chemistry
or other STEM disciplines; 2) increase deeper student learning due to this piqued
interest; and thus 3) lead to on-time graduation of these STEM majors who pursue
STEM careers or post-graduate training in relevant fields. Ten students participated in
the initial Chem 113P course in Fall 2015 while the remaining thirty-nine students
enrolled in the regular Chem 113 course. All students were taught equivalent laboratory
concepts; the only exception is that polymers were integrated in the lab experiments for
Chem 113P students. The course lecture differed in that the ten participants were
exposed to actual polymer chemistry instruction during one out of three weekly
sessions. Laboratory and course lecture performance were assessed via quizzes,
homework assignments, oral presentations, tests and exams. The average grades for
laboratory experiments and course lecture for Chem 113P students were lower than
those for their counterparts in Chem 113. These results may have been determined by
the following variables: 1) sample size disparity; 2) course structure; 3) lack of adequate
study habits; and 4) understanding of advanced course material. Additionally, it is
necessary to assess other students’ performances through more sample sizes in
subsequent semesters. It is estimated that an evaluation period of two years would be
adequate to assess the success of this endeavor.
CHED 115
Fuels chemistry for the people - Energy & Fuels Division (ENFL)
Andre L. Boehman, [email protected]. Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Humans need to make their activities more sustainable to reduce environmental
impacts from pollution and from greenhouse gas emissions. Climate is demonstrably
changing, as seen in the migration of plant and animal species toward the poles of the
Earth, by recession of glaciers and icepacks around the world, and rising global average
temperatures. The targets for 2050 greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent) are
shown in Figure 1, and give a clear indication of the magnitude of the climate challenge.
To meet this challenge, we need to become more efficient, use greener chemical
processes, utilize greener fuels and use fossil energy resources more wisely, and
develop and utilize lower carbon intensity forms of energy. To these ends, scientists and
engineers who study energy and fuels are developing a wide array of new technologies
and expanding the boundaries of our understanding. An example involving catalysis is
the capture of CO2 and its conversion back into fuel, thereby reducing the emissions of
additional fossil carbon, which can be accomplished by using the energy from the sun.
These new fuels are referred to as Solar Fuels.
Due to the pressing problems of energy and climate, members of the Energy and Fuels
Division (ENFL) division of the ACS are world leaders in research on advanced energy
conversion systems and fuel processing, formulation and production. Specific recurring
topics include:
* Nanomaterials, catalysts and other materials for advanced energy and fuels processes
and systems
* Developing and applying computational tools for design of energy processes and fuels
* Waste to energy conversion
* Novel materials and technologies for gas separation, storage and utilization
* Conversion, processing and utilization of biomass to fuels and energy
* Solar energy conversion and utilization
Figure 1. US CO2 Emissions in 2005 and the target for US CO2 emissions in 2050.
(Pavlak, A., American Scientist, 2009)
CHED 116
Energy for the people
Paul R. Robinson, [email protected]. Currently Unemployed, Katy, Texas,
United States
Without energy, nothing moves or changes direction. In today’s world, when people
discuss energy, they tend to think of fossil fuels. Rightly so! In 2014, 86.3% of the
energy consumed came from fossil fuels and about 1/3 came from petroleum. We call
them fossil fuels because they were formed millions of years ago from the remains of
ancient microorganisms. Petroleum has certain advantages. It is liquid at ambient
conditions, so it is easy to transport. It has high energy density. It contains thousands,
perhaps millions, of organic molecules. Consequently, it serves as the organic source of
tens of thousands of chemicals and consumer goods – polymers and plastics, fibers
and paints, drugs and cosmetics, baby oil and pesticides, milk cartons and grocery bags
– not to mention lubricants, solvents, rubber, asphalt, and fertilizers. Petroleum now
plays a central role in economics and politics, and our unabated thirst for fossil fuels
impacts the quality of our air, our water, and the earth itself.
Due to the tremendous value of petroleum, industry, government, and academia devote
significant resources to petroleum-related research. Members of the American Chemical
Society Energy and Fuels Division (ENFL) are world leaders in such research. Specific
recurring topics include:
● Developing analytical instruments and techniques for characterizing petroleum, coal,
and their products
● Developing catalysts to lower the cost and improve the efficiency of removing
contaminants and converting heavy petroleum fractions into higher-value products
● Transforming coal and natural gas into synthetic petroleum via Fischer-Tropsch
process and other technology
● Generating petrochemical precursors
● Converting renewable cellulose and plant oils into petroleum alternatives
● Abating atmospheric CO2
● Accomplishing the above-listed activities while protecting workers and the
environment
Figure 1: World energy consumption by type (prepared with data from the BP Statistical Review
of World Energy: 2015)
CHED 117
Nuclear chemistry's role in the 21st century
Graham F. Peaslee, [email protected]. Chemistry Dept, Hope College, Holland,
Michigan, United States
The ACS Division of Nuclear Chemistry recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Born
shortly after the very public advent of the nuclear age in modern society it experienced
tremendous growth during the initial decades. But this growth was unsustainable, as a
combination of events including the end of the cold war, power plant accidents and
competition from other areas of chemistry led to a reduction in interest in this field as it
matured. However, in the past decade the NUCL division of the ACS is one of the few
that has experienced real membership growth and there is a palpable excitement in the
next generation of nuclear chemists around recent advances in both fundamental
nuclear chemistry and its applications across a broad range of related fields in energy,
environment, materials and defense. A brief summary of some of these exciting new
research avenues in nuclear chemistry will be presented, together with a discussion of
nuclear chemistry's impact on society (of the People, by the People, and for the
People).
CHED 118
Chemistry of the people, by the people, for the people: AGRO perspective
Kevin L. Armbrust, [email protected]. Department of Environmental Sciences,
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
The division of Agrochemicals has its genesis from the agricultural industry’s need to
provide an abundant food supply for future generations while meeting the increased
demands for safer products to both humans as well as environmental systems. The
AGRO division was founded in 1969 at the onset of era of Rachel Carlson’s Silent
Spring, with the recognition that chemicals developed from or for agriculture must be
done in a more sustainable manner. This could only be accomplished through
collaborative efforts between chemists, biologists, toxicologists and social scientists
working across industry, academia and government. Divisional programing includes
regular or “standing” symposia on agrochemical environmental fate and metabolism,
environmental analysis, regulation, ecosystem and human risk assessment, discovery
synthesis and application technologies. AGRO creates a forum for trans disciplinary and
sector intercourse, setting the stage for interdisciplinary collaborations. The membership
rosters boast members from major pesticide and fertilizer manufactures, government
scientists from agencies responsible for regulating these industries, and academic
scientists conducting work within these fields and is cross-disciplinary with the divisions
of Environmental Chemistry (ENVR) and Agricultural and Food Chemistry (AGFD). In
recent years the scope of the division has expanded to include the biofuels and
renewable energy sectors especially as it relates to the use of agricultural feed-stocks
as well as molecular biology (biotechnology) approaches to future agricultural chemical
development. AGRO has positively impacted regulatory policy development as well as
the regulated industry and will continue to evolve as the needs of society and
technology change over time.
CHED 119
Improving the environment by committee
Christopher W. Avery, [email protected]. National Council for Science
and the Environment, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
The Committee on Environmental Improvement (CEI) operates at the nexus of science,
public policy, and communication with the general public. CEI works to balance the
needs of ACS with the reality of the world outside of ACS, and is charged with finding
and walking the path connecting the two. The environmental thinkers and leaders that
make up CEI have created a unique and particularly effective place for scientists to
influence both policymakers and the public discourse. Achieving this requires a unique
set of skills that most scientists are simply not trained in. This talk will focus on the work
CEI has done to influence the world of environmental policy, with a special focus on
climate and energy, as well as the unique individuals serving their fellow chemists,
society, and the Society.<!--EndFragment-->
CHED 120
Keeping it safe for everyone - the Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Frankie K. Wood-Black, [email protected]. Ag., Science and Engineering,
Northern Oklahoma College, Ponca City, Oklahoma, United States
No one ever believes when they head out the door in the morning to go to work or
school that you will not return due to an accident. Yet, it is possible. The Division of
Chemical Health and Safety is focused on making sure that you do make it home and
that other than being tired from the day’s labors there are no residual health effects.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility. The Division of Chemical Health and Safety is
working to provide individuals, students, educators, researchers, developers,
manufacturers, and users; information about how to safely work with, develop, produce,
use and dispose of materials that may pose various risks. Come and hear how CHAS
can help you with your daily tasks.
CHED 121
Discovery and development of LIPITOR® — Would anyone make this molecule
today?
Bruce D. Roth, [email protected]. TBA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor LIPITOR® (atorvastatin calcium), the largest selling
drug in the history of the pharmaceutical industry, was designed and synthesized in
1985 at a time when medicinal chemistry was dominated by QSAR analyses and
emerging structure-based drug design. This was prior to the dramatic change in the
practice of medicinal chemistry caused by the publication of Lipinski’s Rule of 5, which
caused the industry to focus on property-based drug design as a way of controlling
ADMET properties. Despite this, one of the key aspects of the selection of LIPITOR ® as
a development candidate involved development of the relationship between lipophilicity
and differential drug distribution to liver and peripheral tissues. This talk will explore the
development of the understanding of the tissue selectivity of atorvastatin and other
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in relationship to physicochemical drug properties and
place this in the context of the current practice of medicinal chemistry.
CHED 122
Inventing compounds that have novel modes of action against cancer
Ronald Breslow, [email protected]. Columbia University, New York, New York,
United States
We built on the surprising finding by Charlotte Friend that some cancers cells turned
into normal cells when treated with DMSO, at high molar concentration. By chemical
reasoning we eventually invented a compound that did this and was about a million
times more potent, SAHA, and showed how it worked. It has been approved and is in
human use in the U.S., in Canada, and in Japan. It is still in active use in chemotherapy.
Building on this approach, we have now made new compounds that are more selective
than SAHA and are promising in cancerous mouse studies performed by my
collaborator Dr. Paul Marks. The new biology our compounds elicit has stimulated high
activity by many other medicinal chemists.
CHED 123
Green chemistry innovations through the lens of thermodynamics
John C. Warner, [email protected]. Warner Babcock Institute for
Green Chemistry, Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States
Nature creates materials of such exquisite structural complexity and diversity that
humans may never be able to mimic them. Nature’s elegance is even more astounding
when one considers the fact that most chemistry in the biological world is carried out at
ambient temperature and pressure using water, for the most part, as its reaction
medium. For society to become truly sustainable, the way we manufacture, use and
repurpose materials must change dramatically. This presentation will describe John
Warner’s entropic considerations of materials design and illustrate their application
through recent R&D examples from the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry.
Examples from pharmaceuticals, personal care, construction materials and textiles will
be included.
CHED 124
Teach engineering principles on the cheap with concrete
Debbie Goodwin2, Sherri C. Rukes1, [email protected], Andrew Nydam3. (1)
Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois, United States (2) Chillicothe high school,
Chillicothe, Missouri, United States (3) Science, Olympia High School, Seattle,
Washington, United States
Learn how concrete and other building materials can be used to teach/learn STEM
concepts and practices. We will utilize inexpensive, everyday materials to show relevant
and engaging ways to involve students in STEM projects/labs.
The concrete project involves a series of labs that scaffold into a team competition to
design and produce the best concrete puck or beam. Students use inquiry to determine
the best ratio of cement and water to make mortar. They design and make cement
pucks and beams both with and without the use of reinforcements. The students get to
choose the type and placement of the reinforcement materials. A cost factor is assigned
to each type of reinforcement so the students are trying to design both an economical
and a high strength performing concrete. The students must collaborate and agree on
the testing parameters and what constitutes success and failure.
Building codes are a great tool for integrating the Common Core into STEM classes.
Meter sticks can be used to make simple I-beams to bring engineering into math and
physics classes. These and additional activities show the relevancy of science, math
and engineering to students' lives and potential STEM careers.
CHED 125
Composites and their uses
Sherri C. Rukes1, [email protected], Caryn Jackson2, Andrew Nydam3. (1)
Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois, United States (2) Science, Tolles High
School, Columbus, Ohio, United States (3) Science, Olympia High School, Olympia,
Washington, United States
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) present both a challenge and
anopportunity in terms of integrating material science into the high school chemistry
classroom. On the one hand, the standards do not specifically identify composites in the
core ideas for chemistry, raising the possibility that they could be left out of a high
school chemistry curriculum. On the other hand, the standards emphasize cross-cutting
concepts - concepts that bridge the life, physical, and earth/space sciences, as well as
engineering, technology and applications of science. Composites also span this bridge,
and many material science-based labs or demonstrations are well-suited for inquiry and
assessment. For example, comparing the changes in properties caused by different
attractions between polymer chains is an idea way to explore, reinforce, or even assess
the concept of intermolecular forces. While the changes in physical properties due to
the introduction of hydrogen bonds or covalent crosslinks can be measured, they are
also obvious enough to be compared without measurements. Other main concepts can
be explored and explained using polymers and other material science topics and many
existing material science-based lessons can be adapted to fit an NGSS curriculum. The
level of exploration and explanation can be adjusted for the course level, using a more
conceptual approach for the basic classes, with more detailed inquiry available for the
pre-AP chemistry classes. Developing additional materila science lab resources and
linking existing high school polymer and other solid state of matter labs to specific
NGSS performance expectations will promote the long-term integration of material
science and composites into high school classrooms.
CHED 126
Cars: A fun and relevant way to teach chemistry
Sherri C. Rukes1, [email protected], Andrew Nydam2, Debbie Goodwin3. (1)
Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois, United States (2) Olympia High School,
Olympia, Washington, United States (3) Science, Chilocothe High School, Chillicothe,
Missouri, United States
Labs and demonstrations will be shared that relate automobiles to the scientific and
engineering practices in the new Framework for K-12 Science Education. Content will
focus on physical science core ideas as well as applications of science to the everyday
world. Correlations to the Common Core standards will be included.
Many students have great interest in the automobile but little interest in school or
science. We will show how to utilize that interest to engage students in investigating
scientific principals.
Labs and demonstrations will be shared that are inexpensive, relevant and practical. For
example, a series of labs using antifreeze will cover colligative properties, specific
gravity (density), specific heat capacity, graphing, brand comparisons, data
interpretation, etc. Other labs and demonstrations will include the topics of thermal
expansion, phase changes and Charles’ Law. A demonstration illustrating the effect that
polymer chain length has on freezing point will be part of a discussion debating the pros
and cons of gasoline vs. diesel for fuel.
CHED 127
BioPlastic: Going from synthetic to natural polymers
Sherri C. Rukes, [email protected]. Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois,
United States
As society has evolved, the use of plastics has evolved with it. Plastics have been a
fundamental material for many of the devices and day to day items that we use. There
are many types of plastics around and those various types are plastics are needed for
the many different uses that society depends on. With the push to become greener,
bioplastics are emerging more and more. This talk will discuss the various components
to what makes a bioplastic, how they are made, the difference between compostable
and biodegradable, the various types of bioplastics, properties of these plastics, as well
as, learn how to make various types of bioplastics. The idea of making bioplastics as an
engineering design / inquiry lab will be discussed, as well as, how to actually test the
material to see the various properties and show the connection to the crosscutting
concepts in the NGSS.ETS1: Engineering Design ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an
Engineering Problem ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions ETS1.C: Optimizing the
Design Solution ETS2: Links Among Engineering, Technology, Science, and Society
ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology ETS2.B: Influence
of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World
CHED 128
Polymer food chemistry: Have fun with polymer chemistry by making mountain
dew’viar
Sherri C. Rukes, [email protected]. Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois,
United States
Even wonder how some chefs make those exciting little beads for their meals, drinks
and creative deserts? It is all about chemistry. Learn how polymer chemistry and those
creative foods are related by learning concepts of various types of crosslinking and
other polymer chemistry properties. The session will look at some of the myths that
people have about cooking from why vegetables turn brown and soft when overcooked
to the exciting new methods of cooking of molecular gastronomy. The talk will focus on
the making of Mountain DewVair and see how a fun activity such as Gaviscon Snakes,
Mountain Dewvair and others connect food science to the basic chemistry classroom.
This activity can be done as a demonstration and lead into a discussion in the
classroom to an open ended discovery that could foster an engineering design activity.
Other topics of polymer food chemistry will also talk about as extensions. This will get
the students excited and see how cooking and baking are related to the chemistry that
they learn in the classroom.
CHED 129
Chemistry of toys
Sherri C. Rukes1, [email protected], Edmund J. Escudero2. (1) Libertyville High
School, Libertyville, Illinois, United States (2) Summit Country Day Schl, Cincinnati,
Ohio, United States
Nationwide, there is a push for more inquiry in the classroom. Toys and polymers are
ubiquitous in everyday life. However, the chemistry that underlies these materials is not
always presented in a high school chemistry classes. Sometimes this in part reflects the
mistaken belief that the concepts that underlie polymer chemistry are too complicated or
too advanced for introductory classes. While polymer chemistry principles and concepts
can be complicated, they like complicated concepts in organic, inorganic, or physical
chemistry, can still be part of any introductory class. The use of toys and polymers are a
easy way to teach many chemistry concepts and have many different applications to
them. In fact many of the polymers and toys were made / discovered because of space
flight or mistake. Indeed, polymers and demonstrations using polymers /toys can
sometimes be more useful as examples. For example, polymers as macromolecules
often have behavior that can be ascribed to entropy effects or using a drinking bird
demo to talk about energy transfer and states of matter.
Polymers and toys could be used as demonstrations, but at the same token could be
use as starting points for more inquiry labs and discussions. Teachers need to think
about using the everyday items and grocery store items to put more inquiry into the
classroom. This lesson allowed different levels of student research to be incorporated
into the high school classroom, challenging all students within their development.
CHED 130
E-learning in chemistry education: Self-regulated learning in a virtual classroom
Rachel Rosanne Eidelman, [email protected], Yael Shwartz. Science Teaching,
weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
The virtual Chemistry classroom is a learning environment for students that are willing
to study Chemistry, but have no opportunity to do so at school. The program launched
in 2015, and currently, there are 24 active students in the 11 th grade and approximately
100 students in the 10th grade.
This study investigates and characterizes the virtual learning environment, students'
learning profiles and self-regulated learning processes, and tries to establish a
connection between these variables.
It is claimed that certain skills such as self-regulated learning skills (SRL) help cope with
learning and learning progression. Comparing students' SRL skills and strategies whilst
studying Chemistry in two different learning environments (face to face classroom and
virtual classroom), may result in answering the main questions: what are the needed
skills and strategies in order to be successful in the virtual Chemistry environment, and
can one predict which student will do well studying in a virtual learning environment
based on their SRL profile? Can these skills be developed in a virtual environment using
aids, and what aids can contribute to acquisition of SRL skills?
Initial results indicate that there are small differences in some SRL categories between
control and intervention groups. Significant differences were found in intervention
students chat activity over time, and in their ability to answer questions of different
levels (categorized by the revised Bloom's Taxonomy). These findings were used to
build a student profile and advance understanding of the correlation between course
characteristics and the SRL of students in the program. The students are to be followed
over a period of 3 years, and the link between SRL and their ability to answer higher
level questions in Chemistry according to Bloom's Taxonomy will be investigated.
Key words: Chemistry education; E-learning; Virtual learning environments; Selfregulated Learning; High-Order thinking skills; 21st Century skills.
CHED 131
Exploring the interplay of learning environment, group/individual characteristics,
and conceptual learning across multiple contexts in a general chemistry
classroom
Jaime Emberger1, [email protected], Renee S. Cole2. (1) Chemistry,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States (2) Department of Chemistry,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Although prior research demonstrates multifaceted benefits of small group work, fewer
studies explore how the characteristics of the environment and students influence these
benefits. Accordingly, this research explores from a sociocultural perspective how a
highly collaborative environment influences students’ learning of chemistry by looking at
the interplay of learning context (e.g. lecture, discussion), group, and individual
characteristics. We conducted our study in a non-major, first year chemistry course
comparing across three contexts: lecture, discussion, and open-ended test questions.
Group conversations from two lecture groups and each individuals’ respective
discussion group were video-recorded over the semester. Observation transcripts were
analyzed and compared with written test responses using multiple analytical discourse
frameworks. These frameworks looked at concepts used, discourse moves, and logical
processes and helped describe student participation and individual students’ conceptual
development across the different contexts. Interviews were further used to probe
student perspectives and understand the influence of the features of each context on
their learning and participation. Preliminary findings will be presented.
CHED 132
Does POGIL promote teamwork and problem-solving skills?
Preston W. Stratford2, [email protected], Sara Lemmon2, Damaris Zarco2, Matthew
A. Horn1, Heather W. Ashworth2. (1) Dept. of Chemistry, Utah Valley University, Orem,
Utah, United States (2) Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, United States
Active learning pedagogies generally, and Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning
(POGIL) pedagogy specifically, claim to develop process skills while also developing
content skills. The relationships between POGIL implementation in a classroom and the
development of the process skills of teamwork and problem solving were investigated in
a first-semester general chemistry class and general biology class in Fall 2015. We
measured the development of teamwork skills using the Comprehensive Assessment
Teamwork Measure of Effectiveness (CATME). We found that students find two
different attributes desirable in a teammate: “content knowledge” and “contributing to
the group.” The only attribute that correlated with final grade in the class was
“contributing to the group.” Problem solving skills were measured with the Lawson
Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning. Among other results we were able to see gains
in problem solving skills from the Lawson that also correlated with final grade.
CHED 133
Investigating chemistry and STEM academic peer leaders' professional
development related to content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and
communication and leadership skills
Mary Emenike1, [email protected], Sari Katzen1, Nipa Patel1, Yan Sun2,
Stacey Blackwell1. (1) Learning Centers, Rutgers University, Highland Park, New
Jersey, United States (2) Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, New
Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
The Rutgers’ Preparation in STEM Leadership (PSL) Program (funded through NSF
DUE IUSE #1432394) provides an opportunity for academic peer leaders (tutors,
supplemental instruction leaders, study group leaders, learning assistants, etc.) to
participate in advanced training. Through this training, peer leaders develop their
communication, leadership, and group facilitation skills. PSL participants also have the
opportunity to earn scholarships and partner with faculty conducting educational
research.
Increasing persistence and retention in STEM fields is essential for building a highly
qualified STEM workforce. We believe that the complementary development of content
knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and leadership and communication skills at the
college level will contribute to a better equipped STEM workforce because these
participants will be prepared for leadership positions that involve mentoring, teaching,
and training others. This project at Rutgers University supports the development of a
rigorous and structured peer leader training program in STEM disciplines and evaluates
the learning gains and skill development of participants.
This project also enables the formal collection of data (through concept maps, concept
inventories, leadership and communication surveys, writing samples, and observation
reports) to investigate these peer leaders' development of content knowledge,
pedagogical knowledge, and leadership and communication skills after participating in
such positions over the course of one semester, one academic year, or longer periods
of time. The evaluation of the PSL Program is intended to help identify specific criteria
essential for successful peer leader training and professional development, which can
serve as standards for programs within and beyond Rutgers University.
This presentation will include an overview of the PSL Program requirements, participant
demographics from our first cohort, data from nearly 100 academic peer leaders who
have provided informed consent to participate in the research study and who have
responded to some assessments, and lessons learned. We will specifically discuss the
development of chemistry content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and
communication and leadership skills for academic peer leaders in chemistry courses,
and situate these findings within the broader population of academic peer leaders in
STEM disciplines.
CHED 134
Evaluating the role of visualization tool such as simulation towards students’
conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium
Bharath Kumar, [email protected]. STEM Education, University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
The purpose of this study is to answer the driving question, “evaluating the role of
visualization tool such as simulations towards conceptual understanding of chemical
equilibrium at the particulate level”. Students find chemistry concepts abstract,
especially at the microscopic level. Chemical equilibrium is one such topic. While
research studies have explored effectiveness of low tech instructional strategies such
as analogies, jigsaw, co-operative learning, and using modeling blocks, fewer studies
have explored the use of visualization tool such as simulations in the context of dynamic
chemical equilibrium. Research studies have identified key reasons behind
misconceptions such as lack of systematic understanding of foundational chemistry
concepts, failure to recognize the system is dynamic, solving numerical problems on
chemical equilibrium in an algorithmic fashion, erroneous application Le Chatelier’s
principle (LCP) etc. Kress et al (2001) suggested that external representation in the
form of visualization is more than a tool for learning, because it enables learners to
make meanings or express their ideas which cannot be readily done so through a verbal
representation alone. Schnotz integrated model of audio and visual comprehension is
used as the conceptual framework to guide the work. Mixed method analysis was
carried towards data collection. The qualitative portion of the study is aimed towards
understanding the change in student’s mental model before and after the intervention. A
quantitative instrument was developed based on common areas of misconceptions
identified by research studies. A single group pre (quantitative/qualitative) – intervention
- post (quantitative/qualitative) test was conducted with (N=15) undergraduate students
who were enrolled in a second semester college chemistry class. Qualitative interviews
pre and post revealed students’ mental model or thought process towards chemical
equilibrium. Simulations used in the study were developed using the SCRATCH
software platform. When comparing pre and post-test scores for (N=15), the average
pre and post test scores were 38.2% and 69.1% respectively, yielding a % difference of
+30.1. While this % difference is positive, is was also found to be statistically significant.
When a correlation was performed, the pre-test and post-test were significantly
correlated at the 0.05 level.
CHED 135
Understanding college students' exam process in a general chemistry course
Angela M. Willson1, [email protected], Megan G. Kowalske2,1. (1) Science
Education, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States (2)
Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
The main way most college chemistry courses assess what a student has learned is
through a summative exam. After introductory science courses, such as general
chemistry, many students cite poor teaching and disappointing grades in these courses
as a reason for dropping out of STEM programs. There has been a lack of qualitative
research on students’ experiences of the complete process of taking an exam from start
to finish, or the exam process, which includes preparing for an exam, taking an exam,
receiving feedback, and responding to feedback after the exam has been graded.
Our goal in this exploratory study was to understand the phenomenon of students’ exam
process using phenomenographic methods to answer the research questions: How do
students think about and approach (1) Preparing for an exam? (2) Taking an exam? (3)
Responding to results and feedback after an exam? Data was collected through two
interview groups. One group was interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol
both before and after an exam and the other was interviewed only after the exam using
the same protocol. Qualitative interviews were analyzed using emergent coding to
describe students’ experiences of the exam process in their general chemistry course.
Interesting themes from this research include students’ perceptions of their confidence,
how self-efficacy is a part of students’ exam process, and how students use translation
during the exam process to interpret both materials and exam questions.
CHED 136
Educating the new work force demographic in chemistry
Iona Black1,2, [email protected]. (1) OMCA, IM/Yale Medical School, New Haven,
Connecticut, United States (2) Chemistry, JMU, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
A question that might ask is “Are there differences in classroom responses and
performances of undocumented, and documented immigrant students in the chemistry
classroom on both the undergraduate and graduate arena?” Although the DACA
program allows participation in the educational system, to what extent are the students
participating in 2-year, 4-year, and graduate programs? Are there additional concerns
for the chemical knowledge usage and job acquisition? What is the potential effect of
the Naturalization through Military Service program having on the education of this
population? All of the above questions can affect how undocumented and documented
immigrant students are viewed not only regarding acceptance in the post graduate
educational system but also in the completion of their education in the chemistry arena.
The preliminary observations at a representative 2-year, 4-year, and Ph.D. granting
institution will be presented.
CHED 137
Validation of a triplex PCR high resolution melt assay for detecting three common
food-borne pathogens and comparison to a commercial water test kit
Thomas H. Boise , [email protected], Kelly M. Elkins. Chemistry, Towson
University, Towson, Maryland, United States
We describe the specificity and sensitivity of a PCR high resolution melt (HRM)
multiplex assay using LCGreen Plus for the detection of Salmonella enterica, Shigella
flexneri, and Escherichia coli. A dilution series of each strain grown in LB broth was
prepared, DNA was extracted from each and the samples were tested using the PCR
HRM assay, which was found to have high specificity and sensitivity for each bacteria
strain. The results of the assay were compared to an inexpensive commercial water test
kit that was also tested with each dilution. The water test kit lacked specificity and
sensitivity as compared to the PCR HRM multiplex assay. The assay was also
successful in detecting bacteria inoculated in apple cider. Testing the assay with various
other bacterial strains is being performed to further examine specificity of the assay.
CHED 138
Using ion mobility spectrometry for detection of trace pesticides
Lauren E. Moskowitz, [email protected], Grace Anne Martin, Liren Yu,
Parijat Sharma, Leonard Demoranville. Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, United
States
The presence of pesticide residues is consistently among the top reasons for safety
violations related to imported fresh produce. We seek to demonstrate the potential of
ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) to be a more efficient means of screening produce
surfaces compared to the current method, chromatographic separation coupled with
mass spectrometry. Using chromatographic separation coupled with mass spectrometry
is time consuming, resulting in minimal produce testing. IMS analysis in the field can
occur in seconds, providing an initial screening that can more effectively direct
laboratory efforts. Our research group has studied IMS response to various pesticides
using thermal desorption coupled with dicholoromethane and ammonia dopants. The
pesticides tested were the most common on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s list of import violations. The appropriate dopant and optimal desorber
temperatures are reported. Additionally, limits of detection, limits of linearity and
reduced mobility are reported for each pesticide.
CHED 139
Determination of gallic acid present in juice and tea beverages using high
performance liquid chromatography
Margaret de los Santos, [email protected], Julie Leong,
[email protected], Soraya Svoronos, Paris D. Svoronos. Chemistry,
Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New York, United States
Oxidative processes in our bodies produce free radicals, which may cause harm to our
otherwise good health. Antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which are present in
beverages inhibit the oxidation of biomolecules. The Gallic Acid Equivalence Method
measures the total amount of antioxidants in the wine industry. Gallic acid, which is
used as the standard for the measurement of the total antioxidant content, was found to
quench free radicals by getting itself oxidized, thereby reducing cell damage. A
procedure for the measurement of the total concentration of gallic acid present in
various beverages was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography
(HLPC). A standard gallic acid calibration curve was first prepared and further used to
measure the amount of gallic acid present in commercially available tea and juice
beverages. All samples were also allowed to be air oxidized for a week to semiquantitatively measure the decomposition of the gallic acid originally present during that
time frame. A comparison between various brands of beverages will be presented in
addition to highlighting the differences between the drinks.
CHED 140
Determination of the total amount of antioxidants in beverages via the FolinCiocalteu method
Julie Leong, [email protected], Margaret de los Santos,
[email protected], Soraya Svoronos, Paris D. Svoronos. Chemistry, Queensborough
Community College, Bayside, New York, United States
The total phenolic content present in fruit, tea and coffee beverages was determined via
the Folin-Ciocalteu method in a way similar to the one used by the wine industry. This
procedure uses the Folin’s phenol reagent that oxidizes the polyphenols in the
beverages into the corresponding polyquinones. The reduced phosphomolybdate/
phosphotungstate reagent produces a blue color that allows the microscale visible
spectrophotometric determination of polyphenolic antioxidants originally present in the
beverage. The results were expressed as gallic acid equivalents and the measurements
were made using the Beer-Lambert’s Law. This method was extended to several
commercially available beverages as well as tea bags and instant coffee samples. A
semiquantitative measurement of the antioxidants’ decomposition after seven days was
also determined giving an estimate of the percentage of air oxidized decomposition of
the polyphenols.
CHED 141
Effect of pH on the spectroscopic properties of several hydroxycinnamic acid
derivatives
Morgan Franke, [email protected], Paris Hanson, [email protected], ElmerRico E. Mojica. Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Pace University, New York, New
York, United States
Hydroxycinnamic acids are a class of aromatic acids and hydroxy derivatives of
cinnamic acid. These compounds account for about one third of the phenolic
compounds in our diet. Hydroxycinnamic acids are of great interest because they are
potent antioxidants. This study observed the effect of pH on the spectroscopic
properties (absorbance and fluorescence) of caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid and
sinapic acid. Computational calculations on absorbance were also carried out and
compared with the experimental results. The absorbance and fluorescence spectra blue
shifted from pH 3 to pH 7 and then red shifted from pH 7 onwards. Emission intensity
was also observed to increase with increasing pH in ferulic acid and sinapic acid.
However, caffeic acid, only increased in emission intensity up to pH 10. The emission
intensity of coumaric acid decreased from pH 3 to pH 7 and increased and remained the
same at higher pH. Theoretical calculations agree with experimental results in
absorbance where in there is a blue shift from pH 3 to pH 7 and then a red shift from pH
7 onwards.
CHED 142
Comparative analyses of phenol content and antioxidant properties of Philippine
tea samples
Jahaira Zapata, [email protected], Morgan Franke, [email protected], ElmerRico E. Mojica. Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Pace University, New York, New
York, United States
The phenol content and antioxidant properties of the water extracts of seven
commercial fruit and medicinal plant based teas from the Philippines were evaluated
and compared to one another. The total phenolic content, determined by the FolinCiocalteu method varied from 23.2 mg/g (bitter melon) to 91.49 mg/g (pito-pito dried
herbal tea) mg of gallic acid equivalent/g dry tea. The antioxidant properties were
evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay system, which showed
80% to 100% inhibition or reduction of the DPPH. The 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay was also performed and showed the
same results as that of DPPH assay. A general trend in terms of antioxidant activities
and total phenol content can be observed, as pito-pito dried herbal tea showed 100%
inhibition of both DPPH and ABTS.
CHED 143
Use of molecularly imprinted polymer to improve the analysis of naproxen in
environmental water samples
Elijah Jones, [email protected], Rayona Wise, Elmer-Rico E. Mojica. Chemistry
and Physical Sciences, Pace University, New York, New York, United States
Pharmaceuticals are continually released into the environment. Because of their
physical and chemical properties, they can accumulate in sediments, sludge, and soils,
inducing adverse effects in terrestrial organisms. However, due to the very limited
methods permitting the detection of these low-level concentration compounds in such
complex matrices, their concentrations in environmental samples remain largely
unknown. Among these pharmaceuticals are NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs, a class of drugs that provides antipyretic (fever reducing), analgesic (pain-killing)
and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, naproxen, an over the counter NSAIDs, has
been used as the target analyte in the development of sampling pretreatment method
using commercially available molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). The naproxen in
environmental water samples was extracted using MIP and then analyzed using high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using the same source of samples, the
use of MIP improved the analysis as higher amount of naproxen was found in
comparison to the analysis made use of Oasis HLB, which is presently used in the
analysis of naproxen. A shorter extraction time was also observed.
CHED 144
Binding interaction of nanoceramics (metal oxides) with human serum albumin
Tyler Nolan, [email protected], Elmer-Rico E. Mojica. Chemistry and Physical
Sciences, Pace University, New York, New York, United States
Nanomaterials are defined as materials with at least one external dimension in the size
range from ~1 to 100 nanometers. The properties of nanomaterials make them versatile
materials in various fields of science, ranging from material science, energy, to
medicine. This study was conducted because the knowledge on the interactions of
nanomaterials with different biomolecules is limited. The interaction of nanoceramics
(aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, titanium oxide and zinc oxide) with human serum
albumin (HSA)—the most abundant protein constituent of blood plasma— was
investigated by various spectroscopic methods (absorbance, fluorescence and circular
dichroism). Results showed aluminum oxide significantly changes in terms of reduced
absorbance, emission, and CD profile in comparison to the other nanoceramics.
Absorbance reduction in samples with silicon oxide was also observed. The
nanoceramics also reduced the emission intensity in the samples of HSA. Interestingly,
a peak was observed at around 420 nm for zinc oxide and 410 nm for aluminum oxide
and silicon oxide as the amount of nanomaterials being added increased.
CHED 145
Analysis of marijuana contamination on currency
Megan E. Malvoisin, [email protected], Karen S. Wendling. Chemistry and
Physics, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
This research focused on determining marijuana contamination on circulating paper
currency (US $1 bills and US $20 bills). Instead of detecting the primary psychoactive
ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol was studied.
Cannabinol is a psycho-inactive ingredient in the cannabis herb that is also an oxidation
product from THC. Cannabinol-d3 (40 μL of 100 μg/mL) was spiked onto each currency
sample as an internal standard. The cannabinol was extracted from the bills with 5 mL
of acetonitrile. After buffering the solution, a liquid-liquid extraction with 7 mL of
hexane/ethyl acetate (9:1) was performed. The organic layer was evaporated to dryness
under nitrogen. The dried sample was then reconstituted in ethyl acetate with
anthracene-d10 and derivatized with BSTFA-TMCS. The derivatized sample was then
injected into the Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) where the single
quadrupole was operated in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode. Peak areas were
determined for anthracene-d10, cannabinol-d3, and cannabinol. The anthracene-d10
peak area was used to correct for injection inaccuracies as manual injections were
performed. The cannabinol-d3 peak area was used to determine the percent recovery of
cannabinol for each bill analyzed. These percent recoveries ranged from 23.1% to
77.8%. A calibration curve was constructed using cannabinol standard solutions; this
curve was used to convert the currency cannabinol peak areas into concentrations.
Cannabinol was detected on all three of the $1 bills studied and on five of the six $20
bills studied. After correcting for the percent recovery, the average cannabinol detected
on the $1 bills was 115 ng/bill while the average cannabinol detected on the $20 bills
was 68.3 ng/bill. While additional currency samples need to be studied, this result
suggests that lower denominations of currency may have higher concentrations of
marijuana residue due to its relatively low cost compared to other illegal street drugs.
CHED 146
Analysis of hyperforin in St. John's wort capsules
Meghan C. Guagenti, [email protected], Karen S. Wendling. Chemistry and
Physics, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
The goal of this research was to determine the concentration of hyperforin in St. John’s
wort capsules. St. John’s wort is an herbal supplement commonly used as an over-thecounter antidepressant. The active ingredients in the herb include hypericins and
hyperforin. While hypericins are frequently quantified by supplement manufacturers and
the value listed on the product label, hyperforin is not quantified. Because herbal
supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) it is
expected that the concentration of hyperforin will vary widely in different St. John’s wort
supplements. This research focuses on quantifying the hyperforin concentration in five
different herbal supplements. Hyperforin was extracted from the capsule’s herbal
contents by sonicating the herb in methanol. The temperature of the bath was kept
below 28 °C and the extraction was performed in low light conditions to prevent
degradation of the hyperforin. The extract was diluted to 50 mL with methanol and
filtered using a 0.45 μm PTFE filter. Ten microliters of the sample was then injected into
a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) with UV-VIS absorbance detection
(270 nm). The column used was a Phenomenex Luna phenyl-hexyl column (15 cm x 4.6
mm with 3 μm particle size). Isocratic elution was performed with a mobile phase
mixture of 90/10 acetonitrile (with 0.3% phosphoric acid)/water at 0.6 mL/min. The
hyperforin peak areas were converted into concentrations using a calibration curve
constructed from hyperforin standard solutions. Five different St. John’s wort
supplements were studied: the organic supplements from Wilde Herb and EarthWise
Organics and the conventional supplements from Vitamin Shoppe, Solar Ray, and Solar
Ray Guaranteed Potency. Overall, the Vitamin Shoppe brand contained the highest
percentage of hyperforin per capsule (0.3694% by mass), while the organic brands
Wilde Herb and EarthWise Organics contained the lowest concentrations of hyperforin
(0.0215% and 0.0199%, respectively). A price comparison was also made, comparing
the cost per gram of herb with the percent by mass content of hyperforin. The two
organic supplements studied were the most expensive for the least amount of
hyperforin active ingredient while the Vitamin Shoppe brand provided the best overall
value for the most hyperforin.
CHED 147
Self-powered enzymatic biosensor for simultaneous detection of two biomarkers
of Parkinson’s disease
Julia Rutherford, [email protected], Gaige VandeZande, Michelle
Rasmussen. Chemistry, Lebanon Valley College, Willow Street, Pennsylvania, United
States
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder which affects 1% of the
world population over 60 years of age. There is currently no definitive test to detect
Parkinson’s disease in patients, thus it is diagnosed through symptoms and patient
history. The purpose of this study is to fabricate and analyze a self-powered enzymatic
biosensor that has the ability to detect biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease prior to an
onset of symptoms. A specific range of uric acid and glutathione levels in the plasma
are the two biomarkers that indicate the possible presence of the condition. It has been
found that in a patient with Parkinson’s disease, uric acid levels are lower than normal
while glutathione levels are higher.
Biosensors function by registering the amount of electrons donated or consumed
through an electric current, produced by redox reactions that occurs directly on, or near,
the sensor. In order to detect the relative concentrations of the desired substances in
the blood, two biosensors must be developed that are either enzymatically hindered or
exacerbated by the presence of the biomarkers. This study utilized amperometry and
cyclic voltammetry to explore the effectiveness of a laccase cathode and an uricase
anode, which respond to either the presence of glutathione and uric acid, respectively,
resulting in a decrease in current output. The changes in current is related to the relative
concentrations of the substances in the blood, allowing the tested plasma to be
compared to both healthy and diseased blood.
CHED 148
Micro-Raman for direct visualization of water transport in an individual aqueous
droplet
Kalen Sullivan, [email protected], Samuel Braziel,
[email protected], Sunghee Lee. Chemistry, Iona College, New Rochelle, New
York, United States
The study of water permeability can been used to foster a deeper understanding of the
process of homeostasis, which is responsible for the maintenance of stable
physiological conditions in the human body. Raman spectroscopy is a well-established
technique to obtain vibrational information for structural and molecular determination of
the sample and has many advantages including: no need for sample preparation; non-
contact, non-invasive and non-destructive; and relative insensitivity to aqueous media.
Our set-up includes the combination of our highly-configurable microdroplet-based
experimental platform with a high spatial resolution confocal Raman microscope. With
this, we demonstrated that the Raman intensity and area of the crystallizable solute
peak is linearly correlated with the volume of microdroplet, hence allowing us to
determine the concentration at which crystal appears, one of important parameters in
the isothermal crystallization process. Our method may provide a significant
methodological advance in analysis of water transport in an individual aqueous droplet.
CHED 149
First electrochemical, aptamer-based sensor on a carbon surface
Justine Lottermoser, [email protected], Ryan J. White. Chemistry & Biochemistry,
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Astrocyte cells use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to transfer signals. This process is
suggested as a novel therapeutic target in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), one of autism’s
few known genetic causes. Our aim is to develop a carbon fiber electrode aptamerbased sensor capable of single cell and in vivo measurements of ATP to determine the
release mechanism and spatial location of ATP. Aptamers are short nucleotide
sequences that select for target analytes and translate binding into an electrochemical
signal. Carbon fiber is very robust, enabling sensitive measurements while eliminating
background processes like oxygen reduction that plague existing measurements. We
are developing the linkage chemistry to covalently attach the aptamer to the carbon
surface. Specifically, we have electrochemically grafted several compounds (4aminobenzoic acid and ethylenediamine) to the surface of glassy carbon electrodes and
have found that 4-nitrobenzene diazonium is best suited for further development. To
test for successful grafting, we have employed the positively charged
hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride (RuHex) as a redox reporter. Using cyclic
voltammetry, changes in observed peak current caused by electrostatic repulsion of
RuHex with the grafted electrode surface report on the grafting's success. With the
attached diazonium, we are now poised to fabricate our aptamer sensors on carbon
surfaces.
CHED 150
Multiple uses of analytical chemistry for art and archeological research
Nicolette Coluzzi, [email protected], Randolph K. Larsen. Chemistry &
Biochemistry, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, Maryland, United States
Analytical techniques in chemistry are relevant to many other disciplines such as art
history and archaeology. In this project, several experiments were conducted to show
how chemistry can assist in overcoming challenges within other disciplines. X-ray
Fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to perform a trace metal
analysis of paint pigments. Inductively-Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry
was used to analyze archaeological copper samples for trace metals. Differential
Thermal Analysis (DTA) was used to analyze archaeological ceramics in order to
estimate their date of production. The trace metals found in the copper alloy help
archeologists identify their point of origin. Lastly, an open source database can be
created from the XRF and XRD data to assist art professionals, conservation scientists,
conservators in confirming their pigment identification.
CHED 151
Influence of monovalent electrolyte, glucose, and protein concentrations on
sulfate conductivity measurements in urine
Jennifer Garcia, [email protected], Michele S. McAfee, Linda D. Schultz,
[email protected]. Medical Laboratory Sciences, Tarleton State University, Fort
Worth, Texas, United States
Analysis of urine is an essential tool for monitoring liver and kidney function because
urine is an ultrafiltrate. Conductivity measurements yield information about the amounts
of ionic species, primarily salts, present in a fluid such as urine, and these
measurements are easily done using an inexpensive commercial conductivity meter.
Sulfate concentrations can also be measured using this device. However, biological
fluids, such as urine, are complex mixtures which contain a large variety of potentially
interfering substances. Three urine components which could exhibit dramatic
concentration changes in common disease states are monovalent salts, glucose, and
protein. To study their effects on conductivity measurements of sulfate, a series of
artificial urines were prepared containing known concentrations of sodium chloride,
potassium sulfate, glucose, and albumin. Sulfate measurements of these solutions were
done using conductometric titrations.
CHED 152
Optimizing solvent and extraction techniques for quantifying ambient aerosols
Stacey Dougher, [email protected], L. E. Meade, Kathryn E. Kautzman.
Chemistry, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, United States
In this work we investigate the optimum solvent for the extraction of aerosols from
quartz filters, and we compare the techniques of sonication and soxhlet extraction. This
research could impact the way scientists analyze airborne compounds by providing an
ideal experimental procedure for the extraction of these aerosols. Ideal aerosol analysis
is beneficial because researchers may be missing certain classes of aerosols during
their research simply because they are not performing extractions under the ideal
conditions. Solvents were chosen based on their dielectric constants, which
corresponds to the polarity of the solvent. Methanol (ε = 32.7), dichloromethane (ε =
8.93), 50:50 dichloromethane and methanol mix, and hexane (ε = 2.0) are used for the
solvent extraction study. A 50:50 dichloromethane and methanol mix was used for the
extraction method study. Sonication extraction is typically performed during short time
intervals; therefore, sonication extraction times were 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, and a maximum
of 4 h. Soxhlet extraction is usually performed for a much longer interval of time;
however, we must also limit the variability of time. Therefore, the soxhlet extraction was
performed for 1 h, 2 h, 12 h, and 24 h. Following the extraction, a drying process was
performed. This drying process increased the concentration of aerosols in a sample.
Extraction efficiencies for both the solvent studies and the extraction methods are
quantified utilizing Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Then
a statistical analysis was performed to determine if there is indeed a statistically
significant difference in the usage of various solvents during aerosol extraction.
CHED 153
Detection of specific single soft particles binding to E-AB sensors in real time
Nicholas Vaccaro, [email protected], Ryan J. White. Chemistry & Biochemistry,
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors can be utilized to detect a multitude of
different target molecules in a sample. Current methods, however, are limited to
ensemble measurements of a large number of target molecules. Conversely, specific
single molecule sensing at low detection limits represents a highly sensitive method of
detection of analytes in a sample. In this project, I aim to detect Immunoglobulin E (IgE),
a protein that is involved with the immune response in the human body, with specific
single molecule sensitivity. Nonspecific detection of single IgEs by previous
experimental methods involved observing discrete current reductions in real-time at a
gold nanodisk electrode due to IgE blocking part of its electroactive surface area. The
proposed method, however, involves modifying the electrode surface with a DNA
aptamer specific to IgE, in which only IgE collisions and binding will result in similar
current reductions due to the blocking of the electroactive surface. Under these
conditions, the protein should bind to the aptamer instead of colliding with the electrode
surface. Detecting this particular protein with the proposed protocol will show that DNA
aptamers can be utilized for specific electrochemical single particle detection.
CHED 154
Preparation and stability of cis-dicarbonylbis(diorganodithiocarbamato)iron(II)
complexes
Brett Szeligo, [email protected], Jason Fuller, Norman Duffy, James
Coffield. Chemistry, Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, West Virginia, United States
Iron(II) dithiocarbamate complexes are known to be especially stable; however, recent
PNMR of our sample of cis-dicarbonylbis(dibenzyldithiocarbamato)iron(II) revealed, in
addition to the expected peaks for the iron(II) complex, a broad peak in the range of 24
ppm. This peak corresponds to the location of the CH2 peak for the corresponding
paramagnetic Fe(III) complex, thus calling into question the extent of decomposition
over time of the numerous other cis-dicarbonyl-bis(diorganodithiocarbamato)iron(II)
complexes. Currently, various cis-dicarbonylbis(diorganodithiocarbamato)iron(II)
complexes have been synthesized and their stability investigated using
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and PNMR. At ambient temperature, traces of the
corresponding paramagnetic tris(diorganodithiocarbamato)iron(III) have been found for
some derivatives, indicating possible room temperature decomposition of Fe(II) to
Fe(III) or contamination during preparation. Parallel TGA studies have indicated a
variety of paths for thermal decomposition, involving simultaneous or step-wise loss of
carbon monoxide, leading to intermediates of varying thermal and kinetic stability.
These observations will be discussed, along with the implications of the effect of the
organic substituents.
CHED 155
Synthesis and interactions between fmoc protected monomer and DNA via
spectroscopy
Allyson Farrier, [email protected], Paige E. Sheridan, [email protected],
Lauren A. Levine. Physical Sciences, Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pennsylvania,
United States
Tert-butyl {N-[2-(N-9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)aminoethyl]-N-[2-(4-pyridyl)acetyl]amino}acetate (Fmoc-aeg(Py)-Otbu or pyridine monomer) was synthesized by
adding 4-pyridylacetic acid and ethlyene dichloride (EDC) to tert-butyl N-[2-(N-9fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)aminoethyl]glycinate hydrochloride (Fmoc-aeg-OtBu or
backbone) and was further purified using column chromatography. The structure of the
pyridine monomer was confirmed using 1H, 13C and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR) spectroscopy experiments. Fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopy was
utilized to observe the interactions of the monomer and a 24 base pair duplex strand of
DNA. A monomer solution was titrated with DNA in a phosphate buffer solution to
monitor the spectroscopic activity at varying points of saturation. A quenching effect was
observed via fluorescence analysis. Due to this observation, a series of fixed volume
solutions were constructed at varying degrees of saturation in order to eliminate the
effects of dilution from the spectroscopic intensities. The Fmoc-aeg(pyr)-OtBu results
were compared to previous research conducted using the Fmoc-aeg-OtBu molecule as
a reference. The results were expected to be comparable due to the diminutive size of
the pyridine in comparison to the entire molecule. Future studies include the addition of
a tethered platinum terpyridine residue to the pyridine monomer to observe intercalation
effects with more complex assemblies.
CHED 156
Detection of single Rh nanoparticles using an ultramicroelectrode
Christopher Peruzzi, [email protected], Scott N. Thorgaard. Chemistry, Grand
Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, United States
In this investigation, we have detected the collisions of individual Pt and Rh
nanoparticles (NPs) at a Au ultramicroelectrode (UME) using electrocatalytic
amplification. We have synthesized Pt and Rh NPs capped with citrate that were then
characterized using electrochemistry and TEM imaging. Optimization of the Rh NP
synthesis was done to afford stable nanoparticles to observe their collisions at a Au
UME. Nanoparticle collisions were observed using the hydrazine oxidation reaction. The
current transients for single collisions at the Au UME showed dependence on cleaning
of the electrochemical cell and the UME. Further investigations into the simultaneous
detection of either Pt or Rh NPs in a solution depending on the applied potential to the
electrode is a goal of this project.
CHED 157
Super-resolution imaging of fluorophores bound to silica-coated gold nanorods
Aaron McLeod, [email protected], Katherine A. Willets. Chemistry, Temple
University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Gold nanorods are coated in silica shells of different thicknesses, which are
functionalized with fluorophores via a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane linker. We are
studying the utility of these samples for super-resolution imaging, in which the
fluorescent dye molecules are excited using a laser. As individual molecules relax back
to their ground state from an excited triplet state, the intensity and location of each dye
molecule is recorded. These data are used to map out the structure of the silica-coated
gold nanorod and understand coupling between the plasmon resonance of the rod and
the fluorescence.
CHED 158
Interspecies comparison of degradation of a peptide substrate reporter
Allison J. Tierney1, [email protected], Kunwei Yang1, Brooks K. Emerick2,
Michelle L. Kovarik1. (1) Chemistry, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
(2) Mathematics, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Peptide substrate reporters are fluorescently labeled peptides that can be acted upon
by one or more enzymes of interest. Peptide substrates are generally easier to work
with than full-length protein substrates; however, they can be degraded by peptidases.
As a result, peptide reporters must be made resistant to proteolysis in order to study
enzymes in intact cells and lysates. This is typically achieved by optimizing the reporter
in a single cell type or model organism. We are adapting a peptide substrate reporter for
protein kinase B (PKB) that was developed in human cells for use in common model
organisms. We measured peptidase activity toward the peptide VI-B in D. discoideum,
S. cerevisiae, and E. coli using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence
(CE-LIF). We found VI-B to be stable in D. discoideum (t0.5 ≈ 92 min) and S. cerevisiae
(t0.5 ≈ 330 min), but less stable in E. coli (t0.5 ≈ 33 min). Using compartment-based
modeling, we were able to determine quantitatively how the peptide fragments formed
due to peptidase activity. For example, we found VI-B reporter fragments form primarily
from the full-length parent peptide with slower degradation of longer fragments to form
new fragments. This data set suggests VI-B is sufficiently stable for PKB assays in D.
discoideum and S. cerevisiae while also demonstrating the potential utility of
compartment-based models in peptide substrate reporter design.
CHED 159
Tracking PKB activity during Dictyostelium development using a peptide reporter
Kunwei Yang, [email protected], Allison J. Tierney, Michelle L. Kovarik.
Chemistry, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Protein kinase B (PKB) is an enzyme that assists cells to proliferate under stressful
conditions. In human cells, aberrant PKB activity is implicated in many cancers, making
PKB an important target for further research. We are studying PKB in Dictyostelium, a
social amoeba that has highly conserved protein kinase B signaling pathways similar to
those in human cells. In Dictyostelium, PKB is activated when cells are under nutrientpoor conditions. To activate PKB in the laboratory, the cells are starved to initiate the
development cycle and pulsed with a signaling compound, cAMP, as the first
messenger. A fluorescently labelled peptide reporter, VI-B, is a peptidase-resistant
synthetic substrate of PKB that can be utilized to measure the activation of PKB by
capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). Although VI-B was
developed in human cell lines, we are validating it to use in Dictyostelium. Though
background phosphorylation occurs in vegetative control cells, the data suggest that
PKB is activated by cAMP pulsing and the phosphorylation by PKB is specific to
development. Physiological, genetic and pharmaceutical control experiments are in
progress to confirm the specificity of the peptide reporter for PKB.
CHED 160
Determining the total amount of oxygen consumption in effluent via
carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD) and biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD)
Julie Leong1, [email protected], Faye Jacques2, Panayiotis
Meleties3, Paris D. Svoronos1. (1) Chemistry, Queensborough Community College,
Bayside, New York, United States (2) New York City-Division of Environmental
Protection, Wards Island, New York, United States (3) Chemistry, York College,
Jamaica, New York, United States
Water from showers, rain, melted snow, and sidewalk washing travels into a whole new
world through the remarkable systems of pipes in the New York's City sewer system,
DEP (Department of Environmental Protection). The DEP is a wastewater treatment
plants that removes most of the pollutants from wastewater before being released. One
of the most commonly measured constituents of wastewater is the biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD) defined as the amount of dissolved oxygen required for aerobic
microorganisms (found in sewage) to decompose the organic matter in the wastewater.
This value measures the degree of pollutant by identifying the decrease of dissolved
oxygen the bacteria used to survive and consume the waste. If more oxygen is
consumed than produced, DO (dissolved oxygen) will decrease and some aquatic life
forms will weaken, migrate to a different location, or die. This test is used by
government agencies to determine how efficient plants are and how effluent (released
water from treatment plant) will affect receiving water. Carbonaceous biochemical
oxygen demand (CBOD) follows the same procedure as BOD but the nitrifying bacteria
in the sample are inhibited. Nitrifying bacteria consume nitrogenous materials
(compounds with reduced forms of nitrogen) and add to the oxygen demand of the
wastewater. Methods and procedures will be presented along with the importance of
testing BOD/CBOD in the wastewater treatment facility.
CHED 161
Refractive index of malonic acid measured by Zoom-In method
Brian Um, [email protected], Jun H. Shin. Department of Chemistry,
Queensborough Community College, CUNY, Oakland Gardens, New York, United
States
Recently we have developed a method for determining the refractive index of solid
compounds: the zoom-in method. The zoom-in method was based on the observation
that the refractive index of a liquid remains unchanged with the addition of a solid if the
refractive index of the solid is the same as the liquid. To choose two qualified solvents,
a preliminary test was conducted using 3-8 different solvents: one showed an increase
and the other underwent a decrease in the refractive index with the addition of malonic
acid. Solutions of varying concentration (% mass) were prepared with the two solvents
selected, and the refractive index of each prepared solution was measured. The value
was compared to the refractive index of the same solution with malonic aicd dissolved in
it (10% mass) until two values were matched. The matched value was the refractive
index of malonic acid.
The refractive index of malonic acid has been determined by the zoom-in method by
three sets of solvent systems: DMSO/THF, BzOH/THF, and BzOH/n-PrOH. In BzOH
and THF solvent system, the refractive index of malonic acid was found to be the same
as a 41% BzOH solution in THF, having a refractive index of 1.461(1). The same
procedures were repeated with two other solvent systems, and the refractive index was
measured as 1.458(1) and 1.455(1) which were close to the result obtained from
BzOH/THF system. The zoom-in method turned out to be a useful system in measuring
the refractive index of solid compounds.
CHED 162
Determination of the refractive index of benzoic acid measured by Extension
method
Ha Eun Kim, [email protected], Jun H. Shin. Department of Chemistry,
Queensborough Community College, CUNY, Oakland Gardens, New York, United
States
The extension method which was developed based on the observation of a good linear
relationship between the percent mass of solution (solid solute and liquid solvent
mixture) and its refractive index has been used to determine the refractive index of solid
compounds such as fatty acids and ionic compounds. In the system, a plot of refractive
index vs percent mass was obtained in low concentration ranges (0 - 24%), and the line
of the linear plot was then extrapolated to 100% mass (i.e. pure solid) where the
refractive index of the solid was calculated.
The extension method has been further applied to measure the refractive index of
benzoic acid because it showed good solubility in various organic solvents such as
DMSO, ethanol, methanol, and THF. In the experiment, a linear plot was obtained
between the refractive index and % mass of benzoic acid in a solvent, and a first order
linear equation was calculated based on the plot. By applying 100 to the % mass
variable (100% mass means pure solute, the solid compound) in the linear equation, the
refractive index of benzoic acid was indirectly determined for the solvent.
Based on the data measured in DMSO solution of benzoic acid, a linear equation (e.g.
y=0.000690x + 1.476774) was obtained, then a value of 100% was applied to get the
refractive index of benzoic acid, which was 1.546. After two more trials, 1.546(1) was
determined as the refractive index of benzoic acid in DMSO.
CHED 163
Thermodynamic study of esterification using a microwave reactor
Hyeon Yun1, [email protected], Eun Jung Shin2, Jun H. Shin1. (1) Department
of Chemistry, Queensborough Community College, CUNY, Oakland Gardens, New
York, United States (2) Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, New York, United States
Microwave reactor is a new technology and has become an invaluable tool adopted in
many areas of science laboratories due to the convenience including temperature,
pressure and power controls. Application of a microwave reactor was further extended
to the thermodynamic study of esterification reaction with the merit of a convenient
temperature control of a microwave reactor.
The equilibrium constants of the esterification reaction between acetic acid and
isopropanol at the temperatures of 50 - 90°C were determined from the initial and
equilibrium concentrations of acetic acid through the acid-base titration using a 0.5M
NaOH solution. Thereafter, the thermodynamic data (ΔH and ΔS) of the reaction were
calculated from the linear relationship between the equilibrium constants obtained (lnK)
and the equilibrium temperatures (1/T). Similarly, the thermodynamic data of the
esterification reaction between acetic acid and n-propanol were also obtained using a
microwave reactor. The obtained data were compared to the data calculated from the
acetic acid/isopropanol reaction.
This result will extend the usage of microwave reactor to a tool of the thermodynamic
study which can be easily added to an undergraduate laboratory curriculum. Application
of a microwave reactor will make the thermodynamic study easy, simple and faster due
to the convenience of the temperature control of the instrument and its safety features.
CHED 164
Determination of the ionization constant of weak carboxylic acids using
microscale freezing point depression measurements
David Kwun, [email protected], Pedro Irigoyen, Paris D. Svoronos.
Chemistry, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New York, United States
Freezing point depression is a colligative property that is related only to the number of
particles in solution but not to the nature of the solute. For the first time the ionization
constant of a carboxylic acid is determined in a non-traditional titrimetric method. The
values obtained are also the first ones ever recorded at 0oC. The project uses
microscale freezing point depression measurements to calculate this physical property
using the Van’t Hoff factor. The investigation involves the study of several carboxylic
acids(Ka=10-2 – 10-3) . The ionized fraction of the solute is measured through a derived
equation that correlates the freezing point depression temperature. The measured Ka
values of various carboxylic acids were determined at various aqueous concentrations
(1.00M, 0.50M, 0.25M, 0.10M). The experiment is fast, uses extremely low
concentrations of the solute and the results are easily reproducible.
CHED 165
Study of Donnan equilibrium and specific ion effect on osmometry measurements
in urine
Caroline Furrh, [email protected], Randol Vick, Michele S. McAfee.
Medical Lab Science, Tarleton State University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Maintenance of adequate body fluid volume and correct distribution of this fluid between
the body compartments is a critical component of homeostasis. The kidney plays an
essential role in this homeostasis; therefore, urinalysis is an excellent indicator of fluid
balance. The most common method for evaluating urine in the laboratory is osmometry.
However, urine is a very complex biological fluid containing a variety of substances,
such as urea, proteins, salt and glucose. To study their effects and interactions on
osmometry measurements, a series of artificial urines were prepared containing known
concentrations of glucose, albumin, and several different salts (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2,
NH4Cl, MgCl2, MgSO4, Na2SO4, K2SO4 and (NH4)2SO4) and analyzed using this
technique.
CHED 166
Determination of positive results in colorimetric presumptive drug tests by
ultraviolet spectrometry
Ryker Kern, [email protected], Gregory P. Foy. York College of Pennsylvania, Oxford,
New Jersey, United States
Forensic drug identification requires a series of tests to determine if a substance is an
illicit drug. Identification begins with presumptive tests which are used to narrow down
the possibilities. This research is focused on colorimetric tests (presumptive), in which a
reaction occurs between a target functional group and the reagent causing the solution
to change to a known color indicating a positive reaction. The first part of this project is
to determine if there is a reliable correlation between the color intensity and the purity of
the illicit drug. The second part of the project is a creation of a standardized method to
determine the most intense wavelength corresponding to the absorbance. This will
eliminate the debate of color perception, especially in court. Qualitative and quantitative
analysis will be performed using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Field kits can
be created to include inexpensive handheld UV-Vis and colorimetric tests for use as
presumptive field tests.
CHED 167
Manipulating signal hydrophobicity to alter quorum sensing in Streptococcus
pneumoniae
Erin Tiwold, [email protected], Michael A. Bertucci. Chemistry, Moravian
College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States
The bacterial species Streptococcus pneumoniae utilizes a process known as quorum
sensing to communicate with each other and coordinate group gene expression based
on the number of neighboring cells. During quorum sensing, bacteria produce a
signaling molecule that is released outside the organism and at a certain concentration
can initiate group gene expression for host infection. Thus, inhibiting the quorum
sensing mechanism is a unique anti-infection strategy that will not wipe out the bacteria
population but create an environment where the bacteria believe they are present at low
density and will not initiate virulence mechanisms. S.pneumoniae was an ideal bacteria
to study since the signaling molecule (a peptide known as CSP1) has already been
identified. We employed synthetic organic chemistry to make a library of CSP1
derivatives, focusing on modification at a uniquely hydrophobic region of the peptide
that was hypothesized to be critical for receptor binding and initiating gene expression.
Using the purified and identified CSP1 derivatives we will determine experimentally the
anti-quorom sensing and anti-biofilm formation activity of the bacteria by screening in
live S.pneumoniae cultures. These derivatives will not only allow us to study how the
peptide binds to the receptor, but may also serve as inhibitors of the native peptide,
CSP1. This would decrease the efficiency of the bacteria to communicate with one
another and attenuate virulence.
CHED 168
Purification and characterization of two probable lipases implicated in the
virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Daniel Schemenauer, [email protected], Randal Johnson. Chemistry, Butler
University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, infecting
one third of the world’s population. The causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
relies on a plethora of lipid degrading enzymes known as lipases to maintain an
infection in its host. With such a large portion of its genome dedicated to lipid
metabolism, lipases have become a viable target for drug development, especially as
targets for the dormant state of M. tuberculosis. An array (94) of gene products of this
bacterium have been identified as having the α/β hydrolase fold with 24 genes of the Lip
family being characterized as possible lipases/esterases. Many of these Lip family gene
products are however poorly characterized, preventing further inhibitory drug designs.
The aim of this study was to characterize the thermal stability and enzymatic activity of
two enzymes of the Lip gene family (LipM and LipO). Proteins were expressed and
purified using nickel affinity chromatography. Melting point (Tm) measurements were
made using differential scanning flourimetry and enzymatic kinetics were measured
through hydrolysis of a fluorogenic hydrolase substrates. Thermal stability was
determined to be near identical, whereas differential enzymatic activity was observed for
the two probable lipases. Future studies will aim to determine the substrate specificity of
both LipM and LipO.
CHED 169
Identification of M. tuberculosis enzymes expressed under dormant growth
conditions
Brent S. Waibel, [email protected], Randal Johnson. Chemistry, Butler University,
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for the most deaths of any one single
infectious agent in the world. This research investigated the transition of M. tuberculosis
between its active and dormant state and the enzymes required to complete this
transition. The main target of this research was to identify enzymes (lipases and
esterases) used by M. tuberculosis for energy production in the dormant state. This was
accomplished by first inducing dormant conditions to M. smegmatis, a nontoxic relative
of M. tuberculosis. Next, the total enzymes from M. smegmatis were isolated and
separated based on their size and charge using Native-PAGE gel electrophoresis. Once
the enzymes were separated, the esterase and lipase enzymes were isolated by using
a fluorescent sensor that only activated in the presence of these two classes of
enzymes. The relative amounts of these enzymes between normal and dormant growth
conditions were then examined and compared by their relative sensor intensity on the
gel. Finally, the identification of the enzymes that were activated under dormant
conditions was accomplished by cutting the segments out of the gel and analyzing them
by mass spectrometry. This research has long-term implications in the identification of
novel drug targets for dormant M. tuberculosis infections.
CHED 170
Determining the thickness of droplet interface bilayers from capacitance
measurements using a modified electrophysiological amplification technique
Mick E. McGlone, [email protected], Sunghee Lee. Chemistry, Iona
College, New Rochelle, New York, United States
The cell membrane has many properties crucial to the life of the cell, one of which is to
act as a semi-permeable barrier to determine the molecules that can pass through it.
The main way this selectivity is regulated is through the use of trans-membrane
transport proteins. Due to the specificity of these proteins and their sizes and shapes,
the membrane that they span must be of a particular thickness. Membrane thickness is
predominantly determined by the types of lipids that make up the membrane,
particularly the chain length and bond structure of the hydrocarbon chain. In this project,
a highly efficient method for determining the thickness of membranes has been
developed using the Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIB) as a model system for the cell
membrane. This method measures the capacitance of the membrane and thus
determines membrane thickness owing to the inverse relationship between capacitance
and membrane thickness. These studies can be used to highlight the ways in which
membrane thickness can be modulated and thus tune the activity of transport proteins.
CHED 171
Influence of intercalant on the lipid bilayer membrane: Water permeability studies
Gabriella Di Domizio, [email protected], Maria Lopez, Jake Villanova,
Peter Milianta, Jacqueline Denver, Sunghee Lee. Chemistry, Iona College, New
Rochelle, New York, United States
The ability to understand membrane permeation is of critical importance, as the
transport of small molecules across bilayer membranes has significant implications for
cellular physiology and homeostasis. Among molecules transported by passive
permeations, the permeability of water molecules across cellular membranes has been
widely investigated in order to understand how the rate of water flow is controlled as a
function of lipid bilayer composition, structure and property in various cellular
membranes. In this study, using a droplet interface bilayer as a membrane model, we
determined water permeability of the membrane. The DIB is a simple technique for
constructing a stable lipid bilayer at the interface of two water droplets submerged in oil
containing bilayer forming lipid. To achieve better understanding of the properties of
DIB, we have studied the effect of nonpolar oil and other intercalants that can potentially
influence the characteristics of the DIB, in terms of water permeability of the membrane.
Our methods in quantifying physical properties of membranes will provide direct insight
into how their structures impact their functions.
CHED 172
Effects of cis and trans double bonds on lipid membrane properties
Jacqueline Denver, [email protected], Alessandra M. Armetta, Sunghee Lee.
Chemistry, Iona College, New Rochelle, New York, United States
Biological membranes consist of lipids not only of saturated hydrocarbon chains but a
large fraction of hydrocarbon chains having at least one unsaturation which can have
cis and/or trans isomers in their hydrocarbon chain. Lipids containing trans double
bonds closely mimic the properties of saturated fatty acids. Trans lipids have been
shown to appear increasingly in the body with diet due to the processes of
hydrogenation in order to increase shelf life of packaged foods. Increased
concentrations of trans lipids in the biological membrane have shown to contribute to
abnormal physiological developments including coronary artery disease and
arteriosclerosis. The double bond arrangement, either cis or trans, in the hydrocarbon
chain of the lipid can have profound effects on the membrane properties. In this study,
we report our systematic study on the effect of acyl chain double bonds between cis and
trans-forms on energetics of water permeability. We studied unsaturated
monoacylglycerols and phospholipid membranes with a hydrocarbon chain consisting of
16 and 18 carbon atoms. Our findings will add to the current understanding of the
difference in conformational disorder between cis and trans forms of unsaturated
hydrocarbon chain of lipid.
CHED 173
Biomimetic membrane and ion effects: Water permeability and thermal property
Sue Ellen Evangelista, [email protected], Jacqueline C. Martinez,
Melissa E. Morales, Sunghee Lee, [email protected]. Chemistry, Iona College, New
Rochelle, New York, United States
The plasma membrane is a complex amalgam of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates that
work together to perform various tasks such as the provision of structure and regulation
of transport into and out of the cell, particularly water transport. Ions have significant
effects on the properties of these semi-permeable membranes due to their abilities to
bind to the phospholipid bilayer and alter its structure. Therefore, it is expected that the
interaction of ions and lipids in a bilayer should be manifested in the permeability of
species across the bilayer. Using the Droplet Interface Bilayer System (DIBS), we have
investigated the effect of various cations and anions on the water permeability and
thermal properties of lipids membranes. Lipids we used differs in nature and charge of
the headgroup, e.g., monoglycerides having no charge, zwitterionic
phosphatidylcholine, and anionic phosphatidylserine. Additionally, lipids were varied in
tail structure having different degree of unsaturation. Our findings from this study allows
us to probe the extent in which ions interact with the particular lipid component of a
bilayer.
CHED 174
Mitigating condensation by cholesterol with unsaturated lipids: Effect on
permeability
Maria Lopez, [email protected], Gabriella Di Domizio, Sue Ellen Evangelista,
Melissa E. Morales, Sunghee Lee. Chemistry, Iona College, New Rochelle, New York,
United States
Free-standing membranes are used as models for drug delivery devices and artificial
cell membranes. Droplet Interface Bilayer (DIB) can be employed as a convenient freestanding model membrane to explore structural effects on bilayer water permeability.
Cholesterol is present in mammalian cellular membranes as a high fraction of total lipid
(∼20−50 mol %), and plays a crucial role, principally in its organizing effect upon other
lipidic components of the membrane. Model membranes have been widely used to
explore the molecular consequences of the presence of cholesterol in biomembranes.
In this study, we have measured osmotic water permeabilities and activation energy for
water permeation of an associated series of monoglycerides and phospholipids as the
principal component of droplet bilayers in the presence of a varying concentration of
cholesterol. Our finding suggest that the effect of cholesterol on the water permeation
process differs depending on the tailgroup structure in a series of monoglycerides
bilayers.
CHED 175
Immobilization of light-driven P450 biocatalysts as cross-linked enzyme
aggregates
Evelynn Henry, [email protected], Mallory Kato, Lionel E. Cheruzel. Chemistry, San
Jose State University, San Jose, California, United States
A lack of long-term operational stability coupled with difficulty in recovering and re-using
soluble enzymes has often limited their industrial applications. However, immobilization
has been shown to enhance enzyme stability under both storage and operational
conditions, minimizing denaturation by heat or organic solvents. Cross-linked enzyme
aggregate (CLEA) technology offers many advantages over other means of
immobilization, including simplicity and rapid optimization. CLEAs have found wide
applications in immobilizing various enzymes including hydrolases, lipases and a few
oxidoreductases. In terms of synthetic capability and industrial applications, cytochrome
P450 enzymes are of particular interest, as they are capable of performing a variety of
selective oxidation reactions on unactivated C-H bonds. Our laboratory has recently
developed light-driven P450 biocatalysts that display high photocatalytic activity and
initial reaction rates in the hydroxylation of a wide range of substrates. In pursuit of our
interest in utilizing P450 BM3 for biotechnological applications, we have investigated the
cross-linking of P450 BM3 enzymes. We have thus explored several cross-linking
conditions using a colorimetric assay for the CLEA optimization process. We will
present our latest findings regarding the optimization of the CLEAs and their activity for
several rounds of reactions upon light activation.
CHED 176
Establishing preliminary relationships between peptide structure and quorum
sensing activity in Bacillus cereus
Jessica K. Lynch, [email protected], Michael A. Bertucci. Chemistry, Moravian
College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States
Bacterial quorum sensing is a chemical communication process that plays a role in
biofilm growth and bacterial virulence. Understanding this process has practical
applications in creating new therapeutics that silence this communication circuit, and
can hopefully help in solving some of the problems pertaining to the resistance of
bacteria to current antibiotics. Our project will modify the autoinducer that signals biofilm
growth in Bacillus cereus, mild opporunistic pathogen. This autoinducer is a peptide
sequence of seven amino acids that binds to a receptor in the bacterial cell. In our
study, we have synthesized seven different peptides via alanine scanning to see which
amino acids are most important in receptor binding and initiation of the quorum sensing
mechanism. Ultimately, we would like to test the peptides we synthesized in a bacterial
assay to see if they successfully inhibit quorum sensing and biofilm production.
CHED 177
Inhibition of cancer cell viability using lysyl oxidase inhibitors
Kathryn A. Johnston, [email protected], Karlo M. Lopez. Chemistry and
Biochemistry, California State University, Bakersfield, Bakersfield, California, United
States
Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper-dependent amine oxidase that has been implicated in
playing a paradoxial role in cancer. Expression of the LOX gene was found to inhibit the
transforming activity of the H-ras oncogene in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Ras proteins are
involved in transmitting signals within cells and are the most common oncogene in
human cancers. It was hypothesized that the activity of LOX can be controlled through
the use of mechanism-based inhibitors in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Selective
inhibitors for lysyl oxidase were synthesized and assayed for cell viability using breast
cancer cells. The inhibitors synthesized were the meta and para derivatives of 4nitrobenzyl β-APN, the para derivative of 4-bromobenzyl β-APN, and the dibenzyl
derivative of β-APN. A three-day viability assay following the treatment of cancer cells
with these derivatives revealed that cells treated with the meta derivative of 4nitrobenzyl β-APN, the para derivative of 4-bromobenzyl β-APN, and the dibenzyl
derivative of β-APN had a significant decrease in cell viability when concentrations
greater than 500 μM were used. The para derivative of 4-nitrobenzyl β-APN, however,
had little effect on the viability on the cells. These results indicate that the meta
derivative of 4-nitrobenzyl β-APN, the para derivative of 4-bromobenzyl β-APN, and the
dibenzyl derivative of β-APN are successfully targeting the cancer cells, although it
remains to be seen whether or not the inhibitor is selectively targeting lysyl oxidase.
Normal breast cells are currently being tested in order to ensure that the inhibitory effect
is only present in cancer cells.
CHED 178
Enzymatic regulation of the extracellular matrix
Igor Gojkovic, [email protected], Laurie Grove. Sciences, Wentworth Institute of
Technology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The body has many natural systems that control the homeostatic conditions of the local
environment. Our research delves into tissue remodeling, specifically, the enzymes that
regulate the extracellular matrix (ECM), with special focus on matrix metalloproteinases
(MMPs), which are enzymes that break specific peptide bonds of ECM proteins. MMP
activity was explored in the context of two different applications: (1) activity in cancerous
cells, and (2) repair of scar tissue. Exploratory studies into the enzyme kinetics of MMP2 were conducted using absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence resonance energy
transfer (FRET) at varying pH levels to simulate normal and cancerous conditions within
the body. Initial findings showed greater activity within cancerous acidic conditions (pH
6.4). Additional studies on kinetic data for each substrate will be compared to determine
how the reaction rate of the enzyme changes in various conditions. Current experiments
include enzyme kinetics of MMP-1 and collagen I, a major component within the ECM.
Insolubility of collagen I has proven to be problematic for testing; however, with heat
and centrifugation the protein was forced into solution. SDS-PAGE will be used to
determine the products of the reaction along with kinetic data. Collagen I has been
chosen due to its presence throughout the body as well as its role in scar tissue buildup.
Controlling the buildup of scar tissue within damaged tissue is an area of interest due to
the detrimental effects scar tissue poses on full tissue regrowth. The basis of this study
and future studies is to be able to control the production and destruction of the ECM to
be able to direct tissue remodeling in situ.
CHED 179
Characterizing the pH responsiveness of dithiolane-modified peptide selfassembly structures
Ruben Neves, [email protected], Jillian E. Smith-Carpenter.
Chemistry and Biochemistry, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Recently, there has been great effort to develop a set of “bottom-up” design strategies
that direct the assembly of peptides into specific supramolecular structures. The factors
that control and stabilize peptide self-assembled structures, including side chain
electrostatic interactions, sterics, and hydrophobicity, are non-covalent, and therefore
reversible. One strategy to expand and diversify the intermolecular stabilizing
interactions of peptide self-assembly involves the integration of dynamic covalent
disulfide chemistry. Herein, we report the synthesis of lipoic acid-modified peptides and
the characterization of the dynamic disulfide network on the supramolecular structures.
The responsiveness of the supramolecular peptide surface disulfide-exchange
polymerization to pH changes was investigated spectroscopically. The combination of
dynamic covalent disulfide chemistry and peptide self-assembly will expand the current
chemical diversity of biomaterials to yield environmentally responsive supramolecular
assemblies with reactive surfaces.
CHED 180
Dissociation constant measurements of fluoride binding in heme proteins and the
effects of the distal amino acid
Kaleigh Williams1, [email protected], Kaitlyn Frankenfield1, [email protected],
Darya Rivera2, Juan Lopez Garriga2, Jose Cerda1. (1) Chemistry, Saint Joseph's
University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chemistry, University of
Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, United States
Dissociation constants (Kd) for fluoride binding were measured as a function of pH for
hemoglobin (Hb), myoglobin (Mb), horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and hemoglobin I
from L. pectinata (HbI) from pH 4.5 to 8.5. Our study shows that the affinity for fluoride
is strongest at low pH for all the studied heme proteins. However, of the four, HRP has
the strongest affinity for fluoride with a Kd value of 0.001 M. Past studies have shown
that stabilization to the heme-bound fluoride ion is achieved via electrostatic interaction
between the fluoride and the positively charged distal arginine residue. On the other
hand, of the four studied heme proteins, HbI has the lowest affinity for fluoride with a Kd
value of 0.07 M at pH 5. This affinity is 7 times lower than that of Hb and 20 times lower
than Mb at the same pH. Hb and Mb both have a protonated distal histidine residue at
pH 5, which stabilizes the heme-bound fluoride ion via H-bonding. The low affinity of
fluoride binding in HbI indicates that its heme pocket is designed to minimize H-bonding
towards the anionic ligand. The results of this study indicate the utility of fluoride ion as
a probe of heme pocket-protein interactions.
CHED 181
Conserved heme domain residues play an important role in the oxygen sensing
mechanism of the heme-PAS and histidine kinase FixL protein from S. meliloti
Mark Reynolds, Joseph Collins, Paul Gronski, John Paul Hagerty, [email protected],
Jennifer Schadt. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
The oxygen sensing FixL protein from Sinorhizobium meliloti regulates nitrogen fixation
and microaerobic respiration and is part of the heme-PAS and histidine kinase family of
sensors. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to study the role of several conserved
residues in the heme domain of SmFixL. The conserved residues Y197A and R200
were found to play important roles in oxygen binding and may play an important role in
signal transduction. Spectroscopic studies with UV-Vis, resonance Raman and CD
spectroscopy reveal the importance of these amino acids in oxygen binding. An
understanding of the oxygen sensing mechanism of FixL can be applied to other
proteins in this family. Kinase assays of these site-directed SmFixL* mutants are
ongoing.
CHED 182
Evaluation of recombinant Hsp70α mutants for heat shock protein binding and
chaperone activity
Austin Lieber, [email protected], Cuong V. Nguyen, [email protected],
Rebecca E. Connor. Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United
States
The exposure of cells to electrophilic compounds is a common event with exposures
ranging from endogenously derived reactive species to environmental or therapeutic
molecules. Two residues within human Hsp70α, Lys597 and Cys603 were identified as
potential sites for modification by therapeutic electrophiles such as parthenolide. In
order to investigate the effect of electrophilic modification on Hsp70 function, we have
designed a series of mutants that cannot be modified by electrophiles. Lys597 was
mutated to alanine and glutamine. Each of six cysteine residues found in Hsp70α were
mutated to both serine and alanine. The resulting mutant proteins were evaluated for
binding to Hsp40 and Hsp90 using biolayer interferometry both with and without the
presence of electrophilic compounds. The chaperone activity of the Hsp70 mutants was
also determined using model proteins, firefly luciferase and β-galactosidase.
CHED 183
Assessing the fluoro-stabilization effect using in vivo unnatural amino acid
incorporation
Dominic Parfianowicz, [email protected], Alexander Miner,
[email protected], Christopher Henkels. Chemistry, Wilkes University,
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
The substitution of fluorinated analogs of amino acids into proteins may prove a useful
strategy in protein design given fluorine’s unique chemical properties, minimal structural
perturbation and enhanced polypeptide stability upon incorporation. Understanding the
magnitude, thermodynamic and mechanistic basis of the “fluoro-stabilization effect” is
currently an active field of research. While incorporation of fluorous amino acids have
yielded an increase in protein stability against both temperature and denaturants in
most studies, several factors preclude a consensus estimate for the enhanced stability
of a fluorocarbon bond substitution for a hydrocarbon bond. Furthermore, most studies
have examined small fluorinated polypeptides (< 60 residues), which may amplify any
thermodynamic effect upon mutagenesis. Here, we have developed a systematic study
to examine the magnitude and molecular basis of fluoro-stabilization using an array of in
vivo translated fluorine-unnatural-amino-acid-(F-UAA)-containing single-site superfolder
green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) variants. Overall, we incorporated four
(predominantly) F-UAAs at the two external positions, totaling eight sfGFP vairants.
Interestingly, denaturant equilibrium unfolding experiments suggest that fluorocarbon
bond substitution destabilizes sfGFP in a position-dependent manner. This atypical
result may have intriguing implications for the denatured state of fluorinated sfGFP
variants, as spectroscopic data suggest that F-UAA substitution at either solventexposed substitution site does not affect native sfGFP secondary or tertiary structure.
CHED 184
Investigating the determinants of structure, stability, and folding in a model
protein system: GB1
Brittney Ruedlinger, [email protected], John Bedford, Lesley H. Greene. Chemistry
and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States
The β1 domain of Streptoccocal protein G (GB1) is under investigation as we search to
further understand how sequence directs the three-dimensional nature of protein folding
and stability. GB1 exemplifies a two-layer alpha-beta sandwich and consists of 56
amino acids (Figure 1). Experimental and computational studies were implemented to
explore pivotal interactions among residues. Our results will be presented.
Figure 1. The native structure of GB1. The image was visualized using RasMol (PDB code:
1pgb). β-strands are depicted in yellow and the α-helix in pink.
CHED 185
Bacterial growth studies of gut microbes including Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG
and Escherichia Coli HS using UV-VIS spectrophotometry and quantitative PCR
(QPCR)
Devashri Parikh, [email protected], Seung-Sup Kim, Pritha Aggarwal, Katerina
Djambazova, [email protected]. School of Theoretical and Applied Science,
Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, New Jersey, United States
The long term goal of this project is to understand the symbiosis among gut microbes
and the current goal of the project is to develop a quantitative analysis method to
measure the growth of specific gut microbes including Escherichia coli HS and
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG in cell mass or at an RNA level. This work reports on the
early stage of the growth study of the target bacteria using UV-VIS spectrophotometry
and quantitative PCR analysis. The specific strains of the two target bacteria in use
have been identified using common 16S rRNA sequencing. The growth studies of both
bacteria were completed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. For the UV-VIS
spectrophotometry analysis, an OD600 measurement was used and the result clearly
showed the differences in the growth phases of the two different bacterial strains under
the same growth conditions (tryptic soy broth media, 37 °C and aerobic or anaerobic).
For the QPCR analysis, a 16S rRNA template was employed and the results showed
similar outcomes with the growth studies using the UV-VIS spectrophotometry for E.coli
HS. Currently, we are trying to connect the two different quantitative bacterial growth
analysis techniques including cell mass analysis using UV-VIS spectrophotometry and
quantification of 16S rRNA using quantitative PCR. In the future, this combination of the
two different methods may provide us one of the possible tools to quantitate a specific
bacterial strain from a mixture of different microbes using strain-specific PCR primers.
CHED 186
Effect of metals on catalytic activity of mutated Rv0045c esterase from M.
tuberculosis
Isobel Bowles, [email protected], Ben Lancaster, Randal Johnson, Geoffrey C.
Hoops. Chemistry, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
The goal of this experiment was to identify the allosteric binding site of +2 metal cations
on the Rv0045c protein, an esterase of M. tuberculosis, leading to better understanding
of its regulation. To accomplish this goal, two amino acids aspartate (D314) and
histidine (H223) proposed to be possible allosteric binding sites of +2 metal cations in
the Rv0045c protein were studied for the effect on the metal dependent catalytic activity
of Rv0045c. Using a specific DNA primer, those two amino acids were mutated to
alanine, resulting in mutant Rv0045c plasmid DNA (D314A and H223A). The mutant
Rv0045c plasmid was transformed into E. coli, and the protein was expressed at high
concentrations, and then purified to homogeneity using Ni-metal affinity
chromatography. The presence, purity, concentration, and stability of the Rv0045c
variants were then confirmed by SDS-PAGE, absorption spectroscopy, and differential
scanning fluorimetry. Analysis of the kcat/KM ratio from steady state initial rate data,
comparing original Rv0045c to its mutants, determined the relative catalytic activity of
the mutants, to give a better understanding of how 2+ metal cations affect the Rv0045c
protein.
CHED 187
Characterization of a triacylglycerol lipase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Jakob Jozwiakowski, [email protected], Randal Johnson. Chemistry, Butler
University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
The pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis is able to enter a state of dormancy in which
the central metabolism shuts down. In this state, the pathogen is resistant to drug
treatment and difficult to identify in host organisms. The triacylglycerol hydrolase LipY is
a potentially key lipid metabolism enzyme controlling this dormant state transition from
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Herein, we cloned the LipY protein, expressed the protein
in E. coli, and characterized the detailed substrate specificity of LipY. Initially, the LipY
gene was cloned from the H37Rv Gateway cloning library into an expression vector and
a C-terminal stop codon was successfully added by Quikchange mutagenesis. Optimal
conditions for LipY expression were then determined using a range of E. coli expression
strains and variable protein expression conditions (time, temperature, and induction
agent). Active LipY protein was then isolated by Nickel-affinity chromatography and
confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Thermal stability reinforced that LipY was fully folded and
stable at room temperature. Detailed substrate specificity measurements illustrated the
diverse substrate reactivity of LipY, but reaffirmed the preference for longer chain
substituents. The final substrate specificity profile for LipY can now be compared to
other mycobacterial hydrolases to determine the unique chemical reactivity of LipY.
CHED 188
Using directed evolution to increase lipid formation in Chlorella vulgaris for use
in biofuels
Amanda Smythers, [email protected], Paris E. Adkins, Aaron Holland, Derrick
Kolling. Chemistry, Marshall University , Huntington, West Virginia, United States
Microalgae, with their ability to grow in adverse environments using a variety of water
sources, is an advantageous source of energy that will not compete with food supply
and can potentially assist in the treatment of wastewaters. Chlorella vulgaris has been
previously shown to be a high lipid producing microalgae with an average 42 percent
dry weight lipid content under nitrogen deprivation. This experiment aims to increase the
accumulation of lipids in C. vulgaris through applied natural selection, or directed
evolution, to create a modified C. vulgaris culture with increased acetyl-CoA
carboxylase (ACCase) activity. A less expensive method of genetic engineering, applied
natural selection can theoretically be repeated without the constraint of restrictive
technology, potentially enabling microalgae users to undergo the process to increase
the productivity of industrial microalgae cultures. ACCase is the starting point of the lipid
synthesis pathway and cannot be bypassed in the production of triglycerides. Research
at the American History Museum demonstrated that one may use sethoxydim, a
member of the cyclohexanedion family of herbicides, to induce the overexpression of
ACCase in Nannochloropsis salina, resulting in a sevenfold increase in lipid content. We
aim to expand upon that research by measuring the effect of sethoxydim on C. vulgaris
and comparing it to the effect of an aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicide, a fellow
ACCase inhibitor. To-date, our results have shown moderate success in increasing lipid
production.
CHED 189
Building a library of fluorogenic ester substrates to analyze serine hydrolases
Andrew Koelper, [email protected], Randal Johnson, Geoffrey C. Hoops.
Chemistry, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the organism responsible for the respiratory infection
tuberculosis, has evolved multi-drug resistance strains, introducing the need for novel
drug targets. Various esterases have been sought as targets to surpass multi-drug
resistance. Inhibition of these esterases could terminate the bacterial cell and resolve
tuberculosis infection. Competitive inhibition requires a close mimic to the natural
substrate of these enzymes. The identity of these esterases has been determined using
DNA genomic screening, but evidence for the natural substrate is still unknown. A
library of fluorogenic ester derivatives has been created to screen against various
esterases. Previous work has compiled a library of bis-substituted fluorescein ester
derivatives; however, mono-substituted ester derivatives, containing two different R
chains, had not been synthetized. Substrates containing two distinct R chains allow
further experimentation of substrate specificity. In addition, the library had been limited
to a single heteroatom in each derivative, but was expanded to contain multiple
heteroatoms within each derivative. Introduction of additional electronegative atoms and
polar bonds allows for additional opportunities for catalytic binding and substrate
specificity. Synthesis of novel compounds required separation techniques including
silica-gel column chromatography, along with characterization techniques including
1
HNMR and 13CNMR and high-resolution mass spectroscopy.
CHED 190
Biophysical characterization and catalytic reactivity of rubrerythrin and
symerythrin model proteins
Jenna Pellegrino1, [email protected], Katherine A. Bell1, Rachel Polinski1,
Sabrina Cimerol1, Ari Jacobs2, Edward I. Solomon2, Amanda J. Reig1. (1) Chemistry,
Ursinus Colelge, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chemistry, Stanford
University, Stanford, California, United States
The ferritin-like superfamily (FLSF) is a class of 4-helix bundle proteins that contain a
diiron active site and participate in important biochemical pathways, including fatty-acid
desaturation and the formation of deoxyribonucleotides. The canonical FLSF
metallocenter is ligated by four carboxylate and two histidine residues. However,
rubrerythrins (Rbr) and symerythrins (Sym) display one and two additional active site
carboxylate residues, respectively. These proteins exhibit enhanced reactivity with
hydrogen peroxide relative to other members of the FLSF, but the correlation between
the additional carboxylate residues and the altered functionality is currently not well
understood. We have created models of Rbr and Sym based on G4DFsc, a small, de
novo-designed 4-helix bundle protein that mimics the canonical structure and reactivity
of FLSF enzymes. Aspartate (D) or glutamate (E) residues were introduced at positions
G14, G43, and/or G47 to generate Rbr- and Sym-like active sites within the G4DFsc
bundle. The structural and catalytic properties of these systems were investigated using
metal-binding, protein-folding, and reactivity assays at pH 7 and pH 7.5. Data show that
the double mutants exhibit the weakest metal-binding capacity at pH 7. Yet, these
proteins also show greater rates of 4-aminophenol oxidation than the original G4DFsc
protein. The G47D variant shows the greatest catalytic capacity, increasing rates of 4aminophenol oxidation by over eight times compared to G4DFsc. These results provide
insight into how particular carboxylate residues in the G4DFsc active site affect its ability
to react with dioxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
CHED 191
Synthesis and characterization of self-assembling nucleopeptides
Kimberly DelBianco, [email protected], Samantha R.
Schrecke, [email protected], Samantha Brown,
[email protected], Jillian E. Smith-Carpenter. Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
In the complex environment of cells, biomolecular structures have evolved a delicate
balance between stability and dynamic responsiveness. Both of these factors rely on
the strength and diversity of non-covalent interactions. In an effort design more
responsive biomaterials, we have integrated the recognition elements of nucleic acids
with self-assembling peptides. Herein, we report the synthesis of guanosine modified
short peptides (nucleopeptides) and the characterization of the resulting supramolecular
structures assembled in various conditions. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) was used to
identify the major secondary structures, G-quartets and extended β-sheet formations,
while Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to image the supramolecular fibers that
form. Information from these self-assembling nucleopeptide studies willextend current
strategies for “bottom-up” control of final morphology.
CHED 192
Antiphospholipid antibody and MiR106b mediated expression of tissue factor in
breast cancer cell lines
Irene Sun1, [email protected], Elaine Lin2, Regina Sullivan1, Andrew Nguyen1. (1)
Biological Sciences and Geology, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New
York, United States (2) Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, , Oregon Health &
Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
A link between coagulation and clinical outcome of patients with cancer has been well
established. Tissue factor (TF), a transmembrane glycoprotein known originally as the
initiator of blood coagulation cascade, has recently been demonstrated to modify cancer
microenvironment and angiogenesis. We have recently shown that anti-phospholipid
antibody (aPL) mediate breast cancer tumor progression in xenograft model by up
regulation of TF. We have further demonstrated that aPL stimulates TF expression in
less aggressive tumor cell line (MDA-MB-468) but not aggressive cell line (MDA-MD231), which expressed endogenously high level of TF. In our examination of the
mechanism by which aPL stimulation leading to TF up regulation, we have discovered
that microRNAs (miRs) play a significant role. Using the two cells with different
endogenous expression of TF, we showed that miR106b is highly expressed in MDAMB-468 compared to MDA-MB-231. Treatment of MDA-MB-468 with miR106b inhibitor
released the inhibition of TF expression suggesting that miR106b negatively regulate TF
expression. Our preliminary data show that aPL modifies miR106b expression in MDAMB-468.
CHED 193
Interaction of mitochondrial DNA with RHPS4
Irene Xiang1, [email protected], Brett Anthony Kaufman3, Liliya A. Yatsunyk1.
(1) Chemistry and Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania,
United States (3) Vascular Medicine Institute University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, United States
Quadruplexes (GQ) are non-canonical tetra-stranded DNA structures implicated in
cancer and aging. Recent evidence indicates that mitochondrial DNA can fold into GQ
structures [1], suggesting that GQs can affect mitochondrial genome stability. We have
investigated the interactions between the well-known quadruplex ligand, RHPS4, with
two different mitochondrial G-rich DNA sequences, oligo A and B, through CD melting
and UV-vis titration experiments. 10 μM RHPS4 is found to stabilize these
oligonucleotides by 7.9 ± 1.0 °C and 14.6 ± 0.8 °C. In the case of oligonucleotide A,
RHPS4 decreases observed hysteresis from 32.4 to 19.5 °C suggesting that folding
process for oligonucleotide A is kinetically slow and the presence of ligand speeds up
this slow kinetics. Upon titration of RHPS4 with GQs formed by each Oligo A and by
Oligo B, similar red shifts and hypochromicities are observed. At 510 nm, Oligo A had a
red shift of 11.5 ± 0.2 with a % hypochromicity of 22 ± 2 while Oligo B had a red shift of
11.6 ± 0.5 and % hypochromicity of 23 ± 2. These rather high values suggest significant
overlap between the p-systems of RHPS4 and the G-tetrad, and thus indicate close
interactions, most probably end-stacking. Our data suggest that RHPS4 binds Oligo A
with a 3:1 stoichiometry and a binding constant of (0.5 ± 0.3)×106 M-1. In contrast,
RHPS4 binds with Oligo B with a 2:1 stoichiometry and very similar binding constant,
(0.5 ± 0.1)×106 M-1. The ability of RHPS4 to bind and stabilize Oligo A and B has
biological importance in mitochondrial anti-cancer agents.
CHED 194
Atomic force microscopy measurements of breast cancer cells treated with single
walled carbon nanotubes
Mathiu Perez1, [email protected], Lorena Ulloa1,
[email protected], Sunil Dehipawala2, Tirandai Hemraj Benny3,
Regina Sullivan1. (1) Biological Sciences and Geology, Queensborough Community
College, Bayside, New York, United States (2) Physics, Queensborough Community
College, Bayside, New York, United States (3) Chemistry, Queensborough Community
College, Bayside, New York, United States
Biomedical applications of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have the potential
to expand treatment options for cancer patients. However biosafety studies are currently
inconclusive. These studies have been limited by technical issues related to the
hydrophobic nature of the nanotubes. The diameter (1.5 nm) of the nanotube should
allow passage through cellular gap junctions and ion channels but aggregation of the
nanotubes in aqueous solutions decreases cellular uptake in in vitro studies. Coating
single walled carbon nanotubes with collagen has been shown to facilitate cellular
uptake thus allowing for intracellular associations to be investigated. In this study, MDAMB 468 cells were treated with collagen coated SWCNT. Atomic Force Microscopy was
used to determine if the coated nanotubes were entering the breast cancer cells.
Migration assays were performed and revealed that breast cancer cells treated with
collagen coated SWCNT have a reduced rate of migration. These results suggest that
the SWCNT may be incorporating into the actin cytoskeletal disrupting rearrangements
that are required for the metastatic process. In future studies we plan to measure
Young’s modulus which is an indicator of the degree of flexibility which in turn can be
correlated with changes in the actin cytoskeleton. The study will be expended to include
other types of cancer cells as well noncancerous cells and may reveal potentially novel
cancer treatments.
CHED 195
Geis Digital Archive: An Open-Access Educational Resource for Structural
Biology
Christopher Markosian1, [email protected], Belle Lin1,
[email protected], Stephen Burley3,2, Christine Zardecki3, Alexander Alvarado4,
Nicole Werpachowski5. (1) Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Center for
Integrative Proteomics Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (2) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and
Pharmaceutical Sciences and San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of
California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States (3) RCSB PDB, Department of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Integrative Proteomics Research, Rutgers,
The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (4)
University of Southern Califonia, Los Angeles, California, United States (5) Fordham
University Lincoln Center, New York, New York, United States
X-ray crystallographers began to decipher the structures of proteins at the level of
individual atoms in the late 1950s. Irving Geis (1908-1997), a pioneer in scientific
illustration, created the hand-drawn molecular images seen by generations of scientists
in scientific journals and textbooks. Through a collaboration with the Howard Hughes
Medical Institute, the RCSB Protein Data Bank has established a digital archive of Geis'
molecular art at http://pdb101.rcsb.org that displays his illustrations in the context of the
experimental data and related molecular information. Each image has been annotated
with molecular information and connected with the primary experimental data contained
in the PDB. Using this resource, visitors can learn about molecular structure and
function, interactively view the molecule in 3D, and download Geis’ work for noncommercial usage. RCSB PDB is funded by the NSF (DBI-1338415), NIH, and the
DOE.
CHED 196
Transformation of the organic chemistry laboratory: Assessment of instructor
practice and meaningful learning in a modular organic laboratory sequence
William Marmor1, [email protected], Rodgers Kipsang1, [email protected],
Kathryn Miller1,2, Thomas D. Kim1. (1) School of Chemistry and Materials Science,
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, United States (2) University of
Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
We will present assessments for a full implementation of an innovative macroscale
organic chemistry lab module sequence. An overview of these novel organic lab
modules will be presented and their assessment via the Reformed Teaching
Observational Protocol (RTOP) and Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument
(MLLI) will be outlined. Results from these assessments will be used to inform the
impact of these laboratory modules within the framework of transferability of the
modules between different instructors and the transportability of the modules between
different institutions. Additionally, data from the MLLI will be used to analyze the impact
of these modules on student affect and cognition.
CHED 197
Multistep synthesis for second year organic students: Wittig olefination, transfer
hydrogenation, and ester hydrolysis
Patrick A. Ross1, [email protected], Susan Ragheb2, Michael J. Castaldi1,
James K. Murray1. (1) Chemistry, Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pennsylvania,
United States (2) Chemistry, St. Peter's University, Jersey City, New Jersey, United
States
In second semester organic chemistry, many different reactions are introduced to
students. However, many students see these reactions as individual steps to convert
one material to the next. In doing so students do not see how the reactions are put
together to make a final product which is the way organic chemistry is practiced. By
investigating three fundamental reactions the students are able to observe the way that
the product of one reaction can be used as the starting material for the next.
CHED 198
Perception of Harm of Prescription Drugs Among College Students Based on a
Student's Home State and Education Level
Jason A. Burch, [email protected], Mary E. Railing. Chemistry, Wheeling
Jesuit University , Wheeling, West Virginia, United States
The purpose of this research is to identify college students' perception of harm and
availability of prescription opioids, mainly Vicodin. The main focus of the research is to
discover whether students’ home state and level of science/healthcare education play a
significant role in these perceptions. We hypothesized that students from states with
lower prescription drug abuse would be more knowledgeable. Through this research,
our goal is to make college students more aware of prescription drug abuse and
common conceptions/misconceptions about prescription drugs. This research was
conducted by collecting data by means of anonymous surveys from students who
attend Wheeling Jesuit University. The results of the perception questions are then
tested against the home states and education level. With prescription drug abuse being
an increasing problem in the Ohio Valley, it seemed fitting to see how college age
students perceived prescription drugs. Students were asked questions such as where
they thought people acquired prescription opioids, other than from a prescription, as
well as various insights on the percentage of people using/abusing prescription opioids,
mainly Vicodin. The data will be analyzed and final conclusions will be drawn on how a
student’s home state and education level influences the perception of harm of
prescription opioids. The implications of this research are to make the general
population more aware of the perceptions of college age students about prescription
drug abuse. It could also serve as a tool to design better future programs about raising
awareness of prescription drug abuse in the university setting.
CHED 199
Use of selective TOCSY NMR experiments for quantifying menthone/menthol ratio
in the organic synthesis lab
Leyu Zhang1, [email protected], Judy Fang2, [email protected],
Aaron Hogan2, [email protected], Elisabetta Fasella2, Maria C.
Tettamanzi2. (1) Pharmacy, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
The oxidation of menthol to menthone using Oxone, a greener alternative to chromiumbased oxidants, was investigated. The experiment was based on a published procedure
for the oxidation of borneol to camphor using Oxone and sodium chloride. This reaction
affords camphor cleanly and in high yield. We found that under the same conditions
used for the oxidation of borneol, menthol only gave partial oxidation to menthone.
Increasing the amount of sodium chloride catalyst or of Oxone, and lengthening the
reaction time still resulted in only partial oxidation. We found the use of TOCSY NMR
very convenient to monitor and quantify the ratio of menthol and menthone in the
reaction mixture. The ratio of menthol to menthone was determined without the aid of
any chromatographic purification step by using a very short 1D selective TOCSY
experiment. This NMR technique has been reported as a quantification method of minor
components in complex mixtures. We found the selective TOCSY very appealing for a
teaching lab experiment in which the students can readily distinguish and quantify the
components in a reaction mixture. The conventional use of 1H NMR to quantify reaction
mixtures is sometimes discouraging, because for similar compounds often only a few
downfield signals appear clearly separated, and the rest are superimposed and not
suitable for quantification. We found the TOCSY experiment to be a rapid and efficient
method that overcomes the limitations of conventional 1H NMR for analysis of this
reaction mixture.
CHED 200
Eugenol isolation and derivatization for incorporation into a synthesis laboratory
Kenton Mummert, [email protected], Steven M. Kennedy. Chemistry,
Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Millersville, Pennsylvania, United States
A quick and economical pressurized hot water extraction method for the isolation of
Eugenol from cloves, based on the work of Just and coworkers, is currently being
optimized for incorporation into an upper-level undergraduate organic synthesis
laboratory. The Just method takes advantage of a commercially available espresso
machine to facilitate the natural product extraction. The synthesis of an Eugenol
derivative [(E)-4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)but-2-en-ol] based on the Grubb’s Cross
Metathesis of Eugenol and cis-2-butene-1,4-diol, reported by Taber and coworkers, is
being explored. Students will use the derivative as the starting material for a four-week
multi-step synthesis laboratory that they design. During the first half of a sixteen-week
semester, students will use SciFinder to help them plan their multi-step synthesis.
CHED 201
Baeyer-Villiger investigative experiment for the undergraduate organic chemistry
laboratory
Beth Withrow1, [email protected], Jacqueline Killen2,
[email protected], David L. Dillon1. (1) Chemistry, Colorado State University Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado, United States (2) Colorado State University Pueblo,
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
The Baeyer-Villiger reaction (B-V) is an important reaction for oxidation of aldehydes
and ketones that is omitted from many popular undergraduate organic laboratory
textbooks. The reaction uses an oxidizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide,
trichloroperoxyacetic acid, or m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid to insert oxygen adjacent to
the carbonyl carbon. The insertion involves an initial attack by the nucleophilic peroxy
oxygen group followed by a rearrangement involving migration onto the inserted
oxygen. The B-V reaction has been studied both experimentally and computationally in
order to better understand the mechanism by which the ester products are formed. It is
well-established that highly substituted carbons (tertiary carbons) migrate better than
less substituted carbons (secondary or primary), but the migration of substituted phenyl
groups depends on the nature of the substituent. Specifically, it is known that pmethoxyphenyl groups migrate better than tertiary carbons, and even better than
hydrogen (the latter in B-V reactions of p-methoxybenzaldehyde). This project focuses
on B-V reactions carried out in the undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory using
variously substituted phenyl ketones and phenyl aldehydes and various oxidizing agents
in an exploration of the migratory aptitude of groups.
CHED 202
Chemical upcycling of guaifenesin: An experiment for organic chemistry labs
Katarzyna Maziarz, [email protected], Homar S. Barcena. Kingsborough
Community College, New york, New York, United States
Guaifenesin is the active ingredient for over-the-counter cough medicines such as
Mucinex. In our effort to repurpose expired guaifenesin tablets, we are developing
experimental protocols for the Organic Chemistry instruction that utilizes the functional
group transformations possible for this drug. We exploit the phenol moiety, as well as
the vicinal diols to develop chemistry that is amenable to teaching labs. In so doing, we
engage student interest in green chemistry and raise awareness of drug pollution.
CHED 203
Chemical upcycling of paracetamol: An experiment for organic chemistry labs
Michelle Barrie, [email protected], Homar S. Barcena.
Kingsborough Community College, New york, New York, United States
Paracetamol is among the most popular over-the-counter drugs used to treat pain and
fever, although it has been recently reported to elevate the risk of heart attacks. In an
effort to repurpose expired paracetamol, we are developing an experiment for Organic
Chemistry instruction that explores the electrophilic aromatic substition of the active
ingredient extracted from an expired tablet. Our aim is to engage students in green
chemistry and raise awareness of drug pollution.
CHED 204
College students’ perceptions about commonly abused prescription drugs
Brenna Becca, [email protected], Emily L. Dalton, Mary E. Railing.
Chemistry, Wheeling Jesuit University , Wheeling , West Virginia, United States
The purpose of this research is to compare college students’ perceptions of harm and
availability of two classes of prescription drugs commonly abused, namely stimulants
and opioids. With prescription drug abuse being an increasing problem, particularly in
West Virginia, it seemed pertinent to see how college age students perceived the harm
and availability of prescription drugs. The main focus of the research is to discover
whether a student’s major and level of science and/or healthcare education plays a
significant role in these perceptions. We hypothesized that students with more science
or healthcare education would be more knowledgeable about prescription drug hazards.
This research was conducted by collecting data from students who attend Wheeling
Jesuit University by means of two anonymous surveys. The results of the perception
questions were then tested against the student’s major and level of science or health
care education. Students were asked various questions including where they thought
people acquired prescription drugs illegally, as well as various insights on the
percentage of people using/abusing prescription stimulants like Adderall or opioids like
Vicodin. Through this research, our goal is to make college students more aware of
prescription drug abuse and common conceptions/misconceptions about prescription
drugs. It could also be used as a tool to design better future programs about raising
awareness of prescription drug abuse in the university setting.
CHED 205
Impact of professional development programs on middle and high school
teachers’ instruction in chemistry: Findings from a five-year longitudinal study
Abraham A. Williams1, [email protected], Adrian J. Contreras1,
[email protected], Richard Lewis2, Edward E. Gonzalez3, Bonnie McCormick4,
Alakananda R. Chaudhuri3. (1) University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas,
United States (2) Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,
United States (3) Chem Dept, Univ of The Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, United
States (4) Biology, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, United States
This study examines the effects of a university-based professional development
program focused on chemistry content, pedagogical content knowledge, incorporation
of inquiry activities, and implementation of cooperative learning strategies for middle
and high school science teachers in discrete cohorts (N = 80) over a period of five
years. The professional development programs are funded by the Teacher Quality
Grant Program (TQGP) “to promote improved instruction in mathematics and science
for Texas school children by providing professional development for their teachers.” The
program evaluation method used longitudinal data collected from pre and post-test
content knowledge assessments, revised inquiry-based lesson plans, classroom
observations, peer observations, reflective journals, focus group discussions and
surveys. Analysis of the data indicates a significant change in participant content
knowledge and a consistent pattern of change in classroom teaching practices in all
cohorts. Furthermore, we found that the incorporation of inquiry-based cooperative
learning activities increased the use of these teaching methods in the participants’
classrooms.
CHED 206
Measuring students’ understanding of periodic trends when using multiple
representation of the trends and atomic structure
Victoria Kaloudis, [email protected], Kathryn Balnius, Patrick L. Daubenmire, Philip
Nahlik, Linda C. Brazdil. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University
Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
This investigation focused on students’ understanding of periodic trends when using
multiple representations of the periodic table of elements in general chemistry
classrooms. The relationship of structure to repeating patterns of properties is a critical
foundational concept in chemistry. The research group sought to answer the question: If
graphic or visual alternative representations of the Periodic Table of Elements are used
in teaching specific trends, will they enhance students’ knowledge and ability to
describe reasons for those trends? Each participant was presented with a pre-test, in
which the participant engaged in a think aloud interview through a set of problems
involving periodic properties. During their problem solving, a Tobii eye tracker
instrument recorded eye movements and gaze patterns on the problem and trend
representations. Participants were then grouped by stratified random sampling and
received one of three sets of lessons: (1) no representations in addition to the periodic
table, (2) additional representations, but no reference to them in the lessons, or (3)
additional representations and reference to them during the lessons. After all lessons
were over, each participant returned for a post-test and second think aloud interview.
Researchers compared each student’s pre-test and post-test results and measured how
using different variations of the periodic table may or may not support students’
understanding of periodic trends. The research group found that both types of majors
showed improvement from the pre-test to the post-test, but have not yet detected
differences between or within groups.
CHED 207
Using classroom engagement to impact campus recycling systems
Manisha Nigam1, [email protected], Amy Buxbaum2. (1) Chemistry, University of
Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Finance and
Administration, Pitt-Johnstown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
This presentation describes the implementation of a campus-wide single stream
recycling program that makes recycling easy and effective for all university citizens. This
presentation summarizes the current status of the program, as well as the
implementation challenges we are facing. The program was conceived within the
context of a Green Chemistry & Sustainability course, where we are using real-world
contexts to engage student learning. In this course, students identified and proposed
various projects to understand the chemistry that underlies environmental, societal, and
personal health issues that are critical for a sustainable future for the entire campus.
The viability of these projects was analyzed by students in conjunction with the campus
administration; and it was discovered that basic recycling via sorting was ineffective
across the campus. The decision to implement single stream recycling was then driven
by the student body with the financial support from the administration.
CHED 208
Modern techniques in biochemistry education: Analysis of bovine pancreatic
trypsin inhibitor using HPLC
Matthew Steinsaltz, [email protected], Ryan Carpenter . Chemistry , SUNY
Geneseo, Bronx, New York, United States
In the undergraduate curriculum, the use of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
(HPLC) with respect to proteins is very often used for purification purposes; however,
there is potential for its use in protein and peptide structural analysis. We are in the
process of developing a novel biochemistry laboratory experiment that will investigate
structural modifications of Bovine Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor (BPTI) using a C18
Reverse Phase HPLC (HPLC-RP) column. BPTI is a 6.5 KDa protein (58 amino acids)
and contains three intramolecular disulfide bonds. HPLC has been employed to
distinguish the following: native BPTI (completely folded), denatured BPTI (partially
unfolded), and denatured and reduced BPTI (completely unfolded). For these
experiments, Mass Spectrometry (MS) is the primary detection method. A gradient
separation was employed (mobile phase: acetonitrile, and water each with 1% TFA),
and acetonitrile concentration was increased from 10% to 50% over 25 minutes (35minute run time). The results indicate that the three different forms of the protein have
distinct elution times, with the most folded form eluting earliest at approximately 8 and
15 minutes, and the most unfolded eluting last at approximately 24 minutes. Once
established, this project can further be developed into an upper-level undergraduate
biochemistry laboratory experiment that will provide students with a deeper
understanding of protein structure, oxidation/reduction, and a hands-on experience with
HPLC.
CHED 209
Effectiveness of peer led supplements in an undergraduate general chemistry
course based on test scores
Allison S. Logsdon1, [email protected], Mary E. Erickson1, Lynn Villafuerte2, Joseph
A. Heppert3. (1) Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States (2)
Office for Diversity in Science Training, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United
States (3) Office of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence,
Kansas, United States
Both university educators and students tend to agree improved learning techniques are
long overdue, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
Many options to enhance STEM learning have been explored, and one of the most
promising strategies involves supplemental peer led problem-solving sessions. This
study summarizes the effect of peer learning session on student examination scores in
a general chemistry course at the University of Kansas. The course included weekly
problem-solving sessions offered through the PLUS (peer-led undergraduate
supplements) program. PLUS sessions utilized inquiry questions based on the previous
week’s material. Students were encouraged to collaborate with their peers and the
PLUS student leaders in order to solve this packet. Exam scores for students who
attended these sessions were compared with those of students who did not engage in
the PLUS program. A two-tailed t test assuming unequal variance run on Exam 1 data
revealed a statistical difference between students who attended these additional
sessions (N=81, M=78.9, S=13.4) and those who did not (N=759, M=74.9, S=14.4),
t(759)=-2.498, p=0.014, a= 0.05. Similar results were observed for Exam 2: students
who attended (N=82, M=80.8, S=16.2) and students who did not attend (N=732,
M=73.3, S=17.6), t(732)=-3.909, p=0.0002, a= 0.05. These results seem to indicate a
positive correlation between participation in peer led study sessions and exam
performance; however, a similar test run on Exam 3 data did not reveal a statistical
difference between students who attended these additional sessions (N=105, M=66.7,
S=15.3) and those who did not (N=686, M=64.0, S=17.4), t(686)=-1.664, p=0.098, a=
0.05.
CHED 210
Integrating energy in the laboratory for engineers and scientists
Kathryn Notarangelo, [email protected], Eleazar Bernal, Juan Jaramillo, Jessica
Torres, Ruifan Pei, Elizabeth Mule, Johanna Tang, Reginaldo Gomes, Dayannara
Muñoz, William Livernois, Faben Girma, Emma Valentine, Zi-Ning Choo, Pragya
Tooteja, Casey Crownhart, Timothy Manganello, Jonas De Oliveira, Anita Wamakima,
Konyin Oluwole, Alexander Kendrick, Jean-Francois P. Hamel. Chemical Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
In the coming years, rapid innovation in developing clean energy supplies is essential
as a whole-scale shift to low-carbon energy supplies is key to avoiding dangerous levels
of climate change. In response to this global issue and corresponding increase in
student interest in energy, MIT’s Energy Initiative is working to include new energy
topics into classrooms and laboratories, campus wide. To this end, the ChemicalBiological Engineering Lab course is now enabling students to conduct energy-related
research, and to bridge research programs and hands-on practice into the conventional
program. In partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, two projects
were launched in the laboratory this year, using an integrated bioprocess-mass
spectrometry platform. The first project uses biorefinery waste to produce muconic acid
from lignin-derived target molecules, by recombinant Pseudomonas putida. Muconic
acid is a high value-added product for manufacturing new functional resins, bio-plastics,
food additives, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals, and it boots indirectly the
economic viability of the biofuel process. The second project focuses on optimizing
conditions for the aerobic cultivation of oleaginous yeast strains, to produce
triacylglycerol fatty acids. These fatty acids are analyzed through methylation and used
as a precursor to renewable biodiesel.
CHED 211
Investigating the antimicrobial properties of brominated parabens: An organic
laboratory experience
Hailey Kintz, [email protected], Shelby Furman, Jonathan Bietsch,
Andrew A. Yeagley. Chemistry & Physics, Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia,
United States
This work is attempting to create a laboratory course for second semester organic
lecture that maintains the synthetic elements currently present and incorporates an
inquiry based project. The students will prepare brominated paraben derivatives and
screen them for activity against a bacterium. These class data will then be used to
generate a course-wide structure-activity analysis (SAR). In preparation of this course
we have optimized a 5 step synthesis towards these parabens and began screening
various target parabens against applicable bacterium. We have found a multitude of
gram-positive bacteria that illustrate SAR responses that can be used within the course.
CHED 212
Characterization of ice nucleation at mineral surfaces
Zachary Graziano, [email protected], Diana Slough, Yu-Shan Lin.
Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States
Heterogeneous ice nucleation occurring on mineral dusts in clouds plays an important
role in climate. While the ice nucleating activity of several minerals has been
experimentally investigated, the features of specific minerals that enable them to exhibit
increased nucleation ability over others have yet to be identified. Moreover, the
molecular-level mechanisms by which ice nucleation occurs at mineral surfaces largely
remain uncharacterized. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate
water behavior at the surfaces of a number of minerals. From the results of these
simulations, we have gained insights into surface features affecting ice nucleation that
may be used to inform the design of hyperactive ice nucleating agents.
CHED 213
IR spectrum prediction and analysis by PED determination using unified group
theory of two sulfur-containing molecules: Digermylsulfide and divinyl sulfoxide
Joshua M. Mukerjee1, [email protected], Yasin Al Fahham2, [email protected],
Hae-Won Kim1. (1) Chemistry, Penn State Abington, Abington, Pennsylvania, United
States (2) Chemistry, Penn State University Park, University Park, Pennsylvania, United
States
We predict IR frequencies and their normal mode assignments for digermylsulfide (C 2v)
and divinyl sulfoxide (Cs). We evaluate normal mode assignments with potential energy
distribution (PED) determinations. The IR frequency calculations are performed at
DFT/B3LYP methodology. The 6-311G** basis set is used for both molecules. IR
spectra of ground states are calculated by the use of program Gaussian 09 and PED
determination of normal modes are determined by the use of vibrational analysis
program MOLVIB. We compare our theoretical results with published experimental
infrared spectra. The Internal symmetry coordinates are generated using Kim’s
Correspondence Rules of unified group theory.
CHED 214
Molecular dynamics simulations of a series of experimentally active ligands
bound to fatty acid binding protein 5
Brendan Brown, [email protected], Chrystal D. Bruce. Chemistry, John Carroll
University, University Heights, Ohio, United States
Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5) naturally binds retinoic acid and is important in
cell growth. It provides an important target for cancer therapies, and as such, was
subjected to a screening procedure where a series of small molecules were determined
to be active upon binding FABP5. The variety of structural features of these ligands
brings into question the binding mechanism for ligand recognition. Previously, we have
used docking software to dock these ligands in the binding pocket of FABP5. In the
work presented here, the binding mechanism is explored using the molecular dynamics
software package Amber14.
CHED 215
Molecular dynamics studies of the binding of retinoic acid to the transport protein
CRABP-II
Nathanael Hunter, [email protected], Chrystal D. Bruce. Chemistry, John Carroll
University, University Heights, Ohio, United States
Treatment of cancer cells with retinoic acid (RA) can either lead to proliferation or
inhibition of growth of the cells depending on the relative ratio of two proteins in the
cancer cell: fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) and cellular retinoic acid binding protein
II (CRABP-II). It has been suggested based on experiments that CRABP-II has a higher
affinity to RA than FABP5. The goal of this project was to examine the binding of
retinoic acid in the binding pocket of CRABP-II in a molecular dynamics simulation.
Results of the molecular dynamics production run, performed using AMBER12 software,
as well as free energy approximations, calculated using molecular
mechanics/generalized born surface area and normal mode harmonic entropy
approximations, will be presented. These will be compared to preliminary docking
results found using AutoDock Vina docking software, as well as the results found for the
binding of FABP5 and retinoic acid.
CHED 216
Computational investigation of solvent effects on the reactivity of C-amino-1,2,4triazoles
Jessica K. Niblo, [email protected], Robert J. Olsen. School of Natural Sciences
and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey, United States
The dependence of reactivity indices of C-amino-1,2,4-triazoles on the identity of the
solvent is investigated computationally. Emphasis is placed on identifying models that
are minimal with respect to theory level and basis set size yet give robust trends in
reactivity index within the framework of a continuum solvation model (COSMO, as
implemented in NWChem).
CHED 217
Proton affinities of proline dipeptides
Paul Arcoria, [email protected], Jennifer Poutsma. Chemistry & Biochemistry, Old
Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States
The proton affinities of the amino acids have been thoroughly investigated. However,
only a few studies have been conducted on small peptides. A next step in
understanding the intrinsic properties of proteins is to determine how the proton
affinities of dipeptides differ from those of amino acids. Many of the systematic trends in
basicity of amino acids rely on the basicity of the amino terminus, which will be
converted to an amide when the amino acids are inserted into the middle of small
peptides. Furthermore, how will the possibility of new hydrogen bonds effect the
behavior of the dipeptide compounds? As a first step, a systematic study of the proline
dipeptides (XPro and ProX) will be undertaken. The proton affinities of the XPro
dipeptides could provide insight into the proline effect observed in tandem mass
spectrometry. The proton affinities of the dipeptides will be determined via ab initio
calculations and the site of protonation will be identified. The geometries will be
optimized at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory and energies will be calculated using
B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p). In addition, these results will be compared to experimental
values obtained using mass spectrometry and the kinetic method
CHED 218
Arsenic removal using biosand filters amended with iron nails: Effect of pH
Anjni Patel, [email protected], David J. Temme, Jean M. Smolen. Chemistry, Saint
Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Despite awareness of the health consequences that result from ingesting arsenictainted water and the efforts that have been made to implement technologies to remove
arsenic from affected groundwater, there are still populations throughout the world that
are contending with poisoned water and no practical solution. Research efforts in the
Department of Biology and the Institute of Clinical Bioethics as Saint Joseph’s
University have demonstrated the effectiveness of a slow sand water filter on the
removal of E. coli from contaminated water. This simple design employs nested plastic
buckets containing cheesecloth, gravel and sand. The same filter design was evaluated
for its effectiveness in removing arsenic from water. In our research group, we have
assessed the effect of pH and filter design on removal efficiency. Iron nails were added
in a single layer to some filters to evaluate this effect on arsenic removal. Influent
concentrations of arsenic were also varied as part of the experimental design. Water
aliquots were analyzed for arsenic concentrations using Inductively Coupled Plasma
(ICP) spectroscopy. Initial results illustrate that this simple water filter design may be
effective at removing arsenic to accepted levels of 10 ppb, especially for low influent
concentrations and aqueous pH near 7.
CHED 219
Developing a reactive ink for marker-based identification of treated and untreated
waste lumber
Michael Bagley, [email protected], John L. Ferry . Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Approximately 12.6 million tons of structural wood is disposed of in landfills annually.
Wood used in outdoor construction is often made rot resistant by application of
fungicides and insecticides. Historically these have included tar, halophenols and
mixtures of chromium, arsenic and copper. Recycling or reuse of structural wood
products is limited by the possibility of human contact with recycled rot-resistant wood.
Aged wood treated with organic preservatives is readily identifiable by visual inspection
but aged metal treated wood identification is less straightforward. Historically metalbased treatment schemes have focused mixtures of elements but Cu has been common
to these techniques for over 50 years. Here we report a qualitative and quantitative
technique for Cu(II) analysis on the surface of wood products based on the application
of a Cu(II)-sensitive ink amenable for swipe testing with a felt marking pen. A pH and
antioxidant-optimized solution of Chromazurol-S was developed based on the response
of the indicator to Cu(II) ions in aqueous solution and applied to a NIST standard
reference wood product (8493). The most effective pH adjustor as a function of
sensitivity was phosphate (pH 5, monobasic) and the most effective antioxidant
(longevity) was butylated-hydroxy toluene (BHT, 1.82 mM). Detection limits were in the
low ppm range visually. Quantification was performed by spectral analysis of images of
the treated wood comparing the blue band of the indicator absorbance against that of a
standard, barium sulfate. Images were obtained on a GoPro III and analyzed in Adobe
Illustrator. Quantification was also in the ppm range. The ultimate goal is the production
of a smartphone app to analyze pictures taken roadside for better decision-making in
wood reclamation.
CHED 220
Analysis of metal ions in rivers at Texas state parks using inductively coupled
plasma-mass spectroscopy
Adrian J. Contreras1, [email protected], Abraham A. Williams1,
[email protected], Patricia P. Gonzalez2, Alakananda R. Chaudhuri1, Edward E.
Gonzalez1. (1) Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Incarnate Word, San
Antonio, Texas, United States (2) San Antonio Water Supply, San Antonio, Texas,
United States
The purpose of this study is to analyze the river water flowing through Texas state parks
for total metal content and check the levels of toxic elements following EPA methods.
Water samples were taken from the 1) Frio river at Garner State Park near Concan; 2)
Llano river at South Llano River State Park near Junction; 3) Nueces river near Devil’s
Sinkhole State Natural Area in Rocksprings; and 4) Sabinal river at Lost Maples State
Natural Area near Vanderpool. Water samples were collected in 1 liter polystyrene
bottles and immediately preserved with (1 + 1) nitric acid and later filtered in the lab
through a 0.45 µm filter. Samples of 100 mL were digested by EPA method 200.8.
Water samples were analyzed for twenty-seven metals by ICP-MS using a Vairan 820MS model and the results compared to EPA limits for recreational water. Future studies
will analyze organic contaminants for toxic levels.
CHED 221
Use of native plants in removing nitrates from waste water
Maire F. Austin, [email protected], Scott Lopez, Mary E. Railing.
Chemistry, Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, West Virginia, United States
The significance of this study was to use plants to lower the nitrate concentration found
in the runoff of the Wheeling Water Treatment Center. The concentration of nitrates
being unleashed into the Ohio River from the Wheeling Water Treatment Center was
above 1 ppm which is a high enough to accumulate and cause negative environmental
impacts. Phytoremediation is the use of plants for in situ treatment of polluted land
areas. In order to determine this affinity for nitrate absorption in the plants, they were
tested in a hydroponics system. Soy bean plants were chosen to clean up the water
because of their efficiency in the nitrogen cycle of converting nitrates into
environmentally friendly nitrites, which can be more easily accepted by the Ohio River
ecosystem. The soy beans were grown in a Crop King Hydroponic System where the
roots are in a stream of nutrient water. Measurements of pH, conductivity and nitrate
concentration of the recycling water were taken weekly. The analytical technique used
for determining the nitrate concentration was the Lamotte Nitrate Testing method while
the pH and conductivity were found using a portable electrode. Over a period of roughly
a month the conductivity and the pH steadily increased until the plants died. The
determination of the nitrates concentration did not yield any results since the method
implemented was not sensitive enough for detecting a change in concentration. The
next step in improving this research is to use native plants in Wheeling as well as using
a more sensitive analytical technique.
CHED 222
Detection of pesticides in locally produced honey
Victoria Kompanijec, [email protected], Christopher Kubow, Jay Charlebois.
Chemistry, State University of New York at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York, United
States
Colony collapse disorder and other diseases have caused the honey bee population to
plummet in past years. Many people believe that pesticide use is a contributing factor to
this decrease. We aim to develop a simple and efficient method of detecting trace
amounts of pesticide in honey samples. Samples are prepared using the QuEChERS
(Quick, Easy, Cheap, Efficient, Rugged and Safe) method and run through an HPLC to
obtain a mass spectrum. We have optimized an HPLC-MS method for examining honey
samples. These honey samples are obtained from local sources around New York
State. We hope to be able to gauge the level of pesticide exposure of honey bees to
pesticides in the environment.
CHED 223
Absorptive properties of atmospheric aerosols collected in Towson, MD
Ana Morales, [email protected], L. E. Meade, Kathryn E. Kautzman.
Chemistry, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, United States
Organic aerosols account for a substantial fraction of total aerosol mass and have
significant impacts on the warming and cooling of the atmosphere that have yet to be
fully defined. In most cases, aerosols scatter radiation leading to an overall cooling
effect. However, certain classes of compounds such as HULIS, nitrogen- and sulfur
containing species, soot, and products from biomass burning have been found to
contribute to the absorption of radiation, leading to atmospheric warming. The aerosols
in this study were previously collected on filters from the top of Glen Tower A at Towson
University. These filters were divided into small sections so that multiple analyses can
be performed. The filters are sonicated using a solvent of 50/50 DCM/MeOH, filtered,
and dried down using a gentle stream of N2. The samples are then reconstituted in 5 mL
of the 50/50 DCM/MeOH solution and the absorptive properties are measured using
UV-Vis photospectrometry. We find significant absorption in both the visible, 400 nm700 nm, and near UV regions, 200 nm-400 nm, of the spectrum corresponding to
absorption from black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC), respectively. To quantify
the absorptive properties, the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) for each filter is
determined. We present seasonal trends in the absorptive properties and correlate the
absorptive properties with known tracer species using ultra performance liquid
chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS).
CHED 224
Cleaning and protecting the water we use via NYC’s wastewater treatment system
& DEP Shoreline Survey Unit
Irene Sun1, [email protected], Jorge Villacis2, Faye Jacques2, Panayiotis Meleties4,
Paris D. Svoronos1. (1) Chemistry, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New
York, United States (2) New York City-Division of Environmental Protection, Wards
Island, New York, United States (4) Office of the Provost, York College, Jamaica, New
York, United States
In order to sustain the supply and demand of water usage for all NYC residents, the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fourteen wastewater treatment
plants located throughout the five boroughs of New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn,
Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island). Each treatment plant recycles wastewater from
the sanitary sewer lines (from homes, businesses, schools, etc.) where the resulting
clean water is discharged back into the NYC rivers. A detailed five step process
regarding the treatment of wastewater will be presented. Likewise the NYC DEP
Compliance Monitoring Section (CMS) is comprised of two sectors – Industrial
Pretreatment Program (IPP) and Shoreline Survey Unit (SSU). SSU aggressively
pursues field investigations necessary to locate and terminate illegal contaminated
discharges to NYC waters from outfalls throughout the tristate area. Different
investigational methods will be examined and also presented.
CHED 225
Determination of pesticides in fruits, vegetables and grains via the Luke method
Irene Sun1, [email protected], Keeshan Williams2, Michael Iorsh3, Paris D.
Svoronos1. (1) Chemistry, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New York,
United States (2) Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Polytechnic Institute of
NYU, Brooklyn, New York, United States (3) Food and Drugs Administration, NE
Region, Jamaica, NY, Jamaica, New York, United States
The classic procedural methods used to determine residual pesticide levels in food
generally tend to be labor intensive, require significant volumes of organic solvents and
result in the production of large quantities of hazardous waste. The Luke method, which
was introduced in 1981, uses an extraction procedure that is performed three times for
maximum pesticide recovery. Minimal amount of solvents are used with low production
levels of hazardous waste. The method is comprised of two groups – Section 302 and
C6: SAX/PSA Cartridge Cleanup. Section 302 involves extraction with acetone, liquidliquid partitioning with petroleum ether and dichloromethane solvents. C6 provides
improved cleanup required for data analysis and recovery on polar and nonpolar
residues. Lastly, mass spectrometry reveals the structures of all the pesticides present
in the food in question (analyte). The data from mass spectrometry will be crossreferenced with pesticide tolerance levels set forth by the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether or not a particular food, local or
imported, is safe to consume by the American people. Application of this method in
case studies will be presented.
CHED 226
Detection of Salmonella in foods via microbiological methods
Irene Sun1, [email protected], Angela Lara2, Paris D. Svoronos1. (1) Chemistry,
Queensborough Community College, Bayside, New York, United States (2) Food and
Drugs Administration, NE Region, Jamaica, NY, Jamaica, New York, United States
The ability of microorganisms to grow and reproduce in foods has been a growing
concern for many years. Microorganisms may cause spoilage or chemical changes in
the food and injury or death to the individual. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
sets scientific standards on testing foods for various contaminants. The Microbiological
methods listed in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) are examples of
analytical methods used for the detection of pathogens (bacterial, viral, parasitic, yeast
and mold) and microbial toxins. Salmonella will be the focus of this presentation. Media
production, food preparation, isolation and identification of Salmonella comprise the
microbiological methods that will be discussed in detail.
CHED 227
Treatment of wastewater samples at the New York City-Department of
Environmental Protection (NYC-DEP)
Jean Hwang1, [email protected], Faye Jacques2, Panayiotis
Meleties3, Paris D. Svoronos1. (1) Chemistry, Queensborough Community College,
Bayside, New York, United States (2) New York City-Division of Environmental
Protection, Ward's Island, New York, United States (3) Office of the Provost, York
College, Jamaica, New York, United States
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC-DEP) is responsible
for cleaning the wastewater and protecting the environment in New York City. The
Newtown Creek wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn tests the treated wastewater
from all 14 plants every day via its chemistry and microbiology research laboratories.
When samples arrive in the lab they are separated into four different groups – acidified,
non-acidified, processed solids and total solids. After they are tested for their pH value
samples are composited according to an established flow sheet. Details of this
procedure and examples of cases encountered daily will be described. The difference in
the processing of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Solids (TS) using primary
and secondary digesters that reduce the degree of pathogens during treatment will also
be highlighted.
CHED 228
Conversion of biomass to value added chemicals
Alexander W. Bassett1, Jason D. Smith2, Justin Seay2, [email protected],
Timothy W. Gaus2, [email protected], Heena Patel2,
[email protected], Joseph F. Stanzione1, Amos M. Mugweru2, Kandalam V.
Ramanujachary2, Subash C. Jonnalagadda2. (1) Chemical Engineering, Rowan
University, Glassboro, New Jersey, United States (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, United States
The ever increasing energy demand worldwide is causing rapid depletion of fossil fuels,
and it has become imperative to seek alternate sources of renewable energy. Biomass
offers a cheap, renewable, and abundant alternative for the production of value-added
chemicals and fuels. Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), one of the most promising
chemicals derived from biomass is found to be an ideal replacement for terephthalic
acid, which is used in polymer industry for manufacturing polyethylene terephthalate
(PET). Similarly, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) has also been considered an
important and renewable platform chemical derived from biomass. We have previously
identified methods for the facile conversion of biomass-derived sugars to HMF, and
FDCA and for potential use as bio-based polymers. The presentation will focus on our
recent investigations involving the the conversion of biomass derived chemicals into
polymeric materials employing reactions such as Baylis-Hillman reaction and reductive
amination.
CHED 229
Epoxidized soybean oil polymers
Yevgeniy Vvedenskiy , [email protected], Homar S. Barcena. Physical
Sciences, Kingsborough Community College, New York, New York, United States
Polymers and polymer composites derived from plants are greener alternatives to
petroleum-based plastics because of their potential as renewable, biodegradable, and
carbon-neutral products. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) is a commercially successful
plant-derived material that is used as plasticizers, in UV cure applications, in pigment
dispersions, and as fuel additives. We synthesized epoxidized soybean oil and copolymerized the resulting product to develop high-molecular weight polymers in an effort
to explore the green chemistry of polymers.
CHED 230
Empirical model of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) using
Vulcan/Pt/Ce(III) catalysts in ethanol
Leilani M. Lotti Diaz, [email protected], Yaileen M. Garcia
Herrera, [email protected], Krystel Ocasio Norat ,
[email protected], Rolando Guzmán Blas. Natural Sciences,
Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Ponce, Puerto Rico, United States
The technology of fuel cells has received much attention in recent years due to its high
efficiency and low emissions of pollutants. Simulations and models are helpful for
developers to improve the design of fuel cells as well as reduce costs, optimize and
make them more efficient. A good model should predict the performance of fuel cells in
a wide range of operating conditions. Some important parameters to include in a fuel
cell model are the cell temperature, fuel temperature, temperature of the oxidant, the
pressure of fuel or oxidant, voltage and electric current of the cell, and the fraction
weight of each reagent. It is possible to develop models and simulations using Scilab
program. Though there are different types of fuel cells, our studies focus on a Polymer
Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) that contains a Vulcan-Pt-Ce(III) doped
catalyst that has demonstrated optimization of catalyst material and uses ethanol as fuel
for the anode and air or oxygen for the cathode. The fuel cell models obtained will be
compared to experimental data and used as an analytical tool to describe the
characteristics of voltage vs. electricity in this particular cell.
CHED 231
Development of a greener synthesis of diarylisoxazoles
Gabriella Faux1, [email protected], Kerry McCord1,
[email protected], Bridgitt Leon1, [email protected], Alysha E.
Moretti1,2, YiTing Lin1, Amber Char1, James Proulx1, Grant Shaffer1, Sam Tatum1,
Caitlin Kugelman-Lester1, Tyler Rank1, Joseph Loftus1, Shane Murray1, Loyd Bastin1.
(1) Chemistry, Widener University , Chester, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chemistry
and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Feasterville Trevose, Pennsylvania, United
States
Isoxazoles have a wide variety of uses in the pharmaceutical industry. They are used as
antiepileptic, anticonvulsants, and anti-inflammatory medications. The traditional
isoxazole synthesis generated large amounts of waste and contained many hazardous
reagents. We have developed a green synthesis for 3,5-diarylisoxazoles that efficiently
produces a large variety of diarylisoxazole derivatives. The first step in the greener
synthesis, an aldol condensation, converts the substituted benzaldehyde and
acetophenone to the corresponding chalcone. Next, the chalcone is brominated to
produce the 2,3-dibromochalcone. Lastly, the dibromochalcone is converted to an
isoxazole. We have successfully produced isoxazole derivatives containing bromine,
chlorine, nitro, methyl, methoxy, ethyl, ethoxy, and phenyl groups in a variety of
locations on the isoxazole. All products were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy.
CHED 232
Understanding DNA interaction and biological properties of Ru(II)Pt(II) bimetallic
complexes
Denali H. Davis, [email protected], Ty A. Sampsell, Avijita Jain. Chemistry, Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States
Mixed metal bimetallic complexes containing ruthenium based light absorbers and a
cisplatin moiety represent an emerging class of bioactive molecules that display
multifunctional interactions with DNA. Herein, we will discuss DNA interaction, and
biological properties of a series of Ru(II)Pt(II) bimetallic complexes with general formula,
[Ru(biq)2(BL)PtCl2]2+ (biq = 2,2'-biquinoline, BL = bridging ligand), consisting of a
sterically strained Ru(II)-based light absorber coupled to a cisplatin moiety. Preliminary
cytotoxicity studies of designed metal complexes on planarians will be presented.
CHED 233
Intercalation chemistry of iron-based superconductors
Hector Vivanco, [email protected], Xiuquan Zhou, Efrain E. Rodriguez. Chemistry
and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States
Superconductivity is the phenomenon whereby the electrical resistivity of a material
goes to zero. In addition to their potential to revolutionize energy efficiency for electrical
transport, these materials are also used to produce large and stable magnetic fields in
instruments such as Magnetic Resonant Imaging machines. Recently in 2008, ironbased superconductors were discovered. Iron-based superconductors are composed
2D motif, which allows for easy structure manipulation and subsequent fine tuning of
their physical properties. We present the hydrothermal de-intercalation of KxFe2-yS2 for
the preparation of FeS single crystals, and we also show the phase diagram of the
(LiOH)FeS single crystal system. Both systems represent new simple sulfides as ironbased superconductors. Very recently, the basic binary system, tetragonal-FeS, was
reported to be a superconductor up to a critical temperature (Tc) of 5 K. However, the
study of the physical properties of tetragonal-FeS is still hindered by the lack of high
quality single crystal samples. Our goal is to grow single crystals of tetragonal-FeS
through novel hydrothermal de-intercalation of KxFe2-yS2, which is a gateway to many
layered systems. For example, the LiOH intercalated FeS single crystal can be readily
prepared via in situ hydrothermal ion exchange with the KxFe2-yS2 crystal. The LiOHFeS
single crystal adopts a primitive tetragonal structure similar to the previously reported
selenide analogue. Previously, the polycrystalline form of LiOHFeS was reported to be
Pauli paramagnetic, while our new LiOHFeS single crystals were found to be
superconducting with Tc between 1.6 K and 7 K. With the results of the new single
crystal, it is evident that the Tc for the FeS system can be increased with intercalation.
Further studies on other intercalates in the FeS system will be carried out in the future.
CHED 234
Syntheses, characterization, and oxygen reactivity of three coordinate SNS
copper(I) pincer complexes
John R. Miecznikowski, Michael Smith, [email protected], Margaret
Siu, Nicholas A. Bernier. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Fairfield University, Fairfield,
Connecticut, United States
Recently, we have developed and synthesized a series of tridentate pincer ligands,
each possessing two sulfur- and one nitrogen-donor functionalities (SNS), based on bisimidazole or bis-triazole precursors. The tridentate SNS ligands incorporate thionesubstituted imidazole or triazole functionalities. We have prepared somewhat rigid
ligand systems through the use of 2,6-dibromopyridine as a ligand precursor. In
addition, we have prepared more flexible ligand systems by employing the starting
material 2,6-(dibromomethyl)pyridine to introduce a methylene linker into the pincer
ligand. We have metallated these ligand precursors to form copper(I) and (II) complexes
(figure 1, 1-3 a-c). The complexes have already been synthesized and thoroughly
characterized. The geometry of some copper(I) complexes allows for studies on the
oxygen transfer activity. The copper complexes will be tested for reactivity toward
hydrogen peroxide. A detailed description of the syntheses, characterization (X-ray
diffraction, electrochemistry, UV-Vis), and reactivity of the SNS copper complexes
toward an oxygen atom donor will be presented.
Figure 1: SNS Cu(II) and Cu(I) Pincer Complexes
CHED 235
Use of a bis(indenyl)zirconium(II) complex as a coactivator organometallic to
access reactive, low valent transition metals
Christopher A. Bradley, Zachary Call, [email protected]. Science, Mount St.
Mary's University, Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States
To activate and functionalize strong C-H bonds, a highly reactive metal catalyst is
needed to perform the desired transformation. These catalysts are primarily based on
precious metals in Group 9 due to their high activity. There is a focus within chemistry to
make industrial scale processes more sustainable and green. To do this, the reagents
and process that are chosen must be less dangerous, more renewable and utilize more
abundant metals. By using metals such as cobalt instead of platinum in C-H activation,
it can cut down specifically on the expense and can expand the long-term viability of
these reactions. Our group works to develop new strategies to access reactive, low
oxidation state cobalt species which can serve as active catalysts in a variety of carbonhydrogen bond activation reactions for this purpose, to ultimately increase the
sustainability of commercial processes. We have synthesized the desired bis(indenyl)
zirconium(II) complex as well as conducted proof of concept experiments with titanium;
demonstrating group transfer to the Zr complex is possible. With this project, we will be
continuing to use of the bis(indenyl) zirconium(II) complex as a co-catalyst with a
commercially available cobalt compound. Zirconium, along with other group 4 metals,
serve as a reductant to provide reactive cobalt species that we hope will be capable of
acting as a catalyst in the activation and functionalization of carbon-hydrogen bonds.
Proof of concept studies between cobalt and the Zr(II) complexes will also be
presented.
CHED 236
Reactions of first-row metal(II) triflates with 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine
Jillian Manikoff, [email protected], Matthew Cranswick. Chemistry,
Colorado State University - Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado, United States
Few studies have investigated the reactivity of metal-tetrazine complexes towards small
molecule activation. We are investigating the formation of bimetallic complexes in which
at least one ligand is derived from the non-innocent ligand 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5tetrazine (bptz). Our initial studies have focused on the reactions of M(OTf)2 (where M =
Mn, Fe, and Co; OTf– = CF3SO3–) with bptz in acetonitrile. The isolated products from
these reactions have been analyzed using standard characterization techniques.
CHED 237
Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic behavior of mono- and bimetallic
ruthenium(II) complexes supported by pyridine-functionalized N-Heterocyclic
carbene ligands
Joshua Zgrabik, [email protected], Gregory J. Domski. Chemistry,
Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, United States
We have prepared and characterized several previously unreported ruthenium(II)
complexes supported by pyridine-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. These
complexes have shown potential as transfer hydrogenation catalysts.
CHED 238
Naphthyridine-based dicarboxamide ligand for the synthesis of dicopper
complexes that model metalloenzyme intermediates
Janaya Sachs1, [email protected], Nicole L. Gagnon2, William B. Tolman2. (1)
Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, United States (2)
Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Copper oxygen complexes are postulated to be capable of oxidizing strong C-H bonds,
including in enzymes. For example, particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is
proposed to feature a dicopper active site with a short Cu-Cu distance (~2.7 Å) that
activates oxygen to yield a reactive intermediate capable of attacking the strong C-H
bond of methane. We aim to design small molecule complexes as models of the
proposed pMMO active site intermediate. Our strategy involves using a new ligand
comprised of a 1,8-naphthyridine unit and two carboxamide moieties with sterically
bulky aryl substituents designed to hold two copper ions in close proximity and stabilize
novel targeted copper-oxygen species with multiple oxidation states. We report the
successful synthesis of this new ligand, the formulation of which is supported by various
spectroscopic data. Initial generation of copper complexes will also be described.
CHED 239
Substituent effects on the photochemistry and DNA interaction properties of
Ru(II)Pt(II) based polypyridyl complexes
Alexis E. Hagelgans, [email protected], Ty A. Sampsell, Avijita Jain. Chemistry,
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States
Ru(II)Pt(II) bimetallic complexes consisting of a ruthenium based chromophore coupled
to a cisplatin moiety have been shown to display multifunctional interactions with DNA.
Herein, we will discuss the impact of position of the methyl group on bipyridine ligand on
photophysical and redox properties of Ru(II)Pt(II) bimetallic complexes. Two Ru(II)Pt(II)
based metal complexes, [Ru(4-Mebpy)2dppPtCl2](PF6)2 and [Ru(6Mebpy)2dppPtCl2](PF6)2, were synthesized and characterized (dpp =2 3-bis(2pyridyl)pyrazine and 4-Mebpy = 4'-methyl-2,2' bipyridine, 6-Mebpy = 6'-methyl-2,2'
bipyridine). Photochemical, electrochemical, and DNA interaction properties of designed
metal complexes will be discussed.
CHED 240
Isomers and interconversions at eight-coordinate rhenium(V) polyhydride centers
Alexis Scorzelli, [email protected], Brian Macalush,
[email protected], Georga Torres, [email protected], Gregory A.
Moehring. Chemistry and Physics, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New
Jersey, United States
A series of eight-coordinate rhenium(V) complexes have been prepared and studied by
variable temperature NMR spectroscopy in order to better understand both the
appearance of isomers for such complexes and the mechanism of the interconversion
between such isomers. Previously, X-ray diffraction analysis has found cis and trans
isomers for rhenium(V) cations of the formula [Re(mhp)2H2(PPh3)2]+ (where mhp = the
anion of 2,6-methylhydroxypyridine) and low temperature NMR spectroscopy has
demonstrated the presence of isomers for rhenium(V) complexes of the form
ReH5(PPh3)2L (where L = an unsymmetrically substituted aromatic amine ligand such as
2-aminopyridine or the secondary amine NHMeEt). In this study, isomers of the form
ReH4(E-N)(PPh3)2 (where E-N represents a monoanionic chelating ligand that binds
through both a nitrogen center and another atom such as C or O) are reported. In the
course of our studies we have examined the occurrence and interconversion of isomers
in a variety of eight-coordinate rhenium systems that involve the presence of absence of
a chelating ligand, the presence or absence of a chiral center, and the presence or
absence of a plane of symmetry for the chelating ligand as well as the interconversion
of phosphorous centers in a complex such as ReH5(PPh3)3 which does not present
isomers. Determinations of the free energy of activation for interconversions of isomers
find values in the neighborhood of 10 kcal/mol. Determinations of enthalpies of
activation and entropies of activation indicate that enthalpy is the substantial contributor
to the free energy of activation. All of our observations such as the thermodynamic
parameters, the equivalence of inequivalent phosphorous centers in higher temperature
NMR spectra, and the presence or absence of isomers for specific stroichiometries
corresponds to a single mechanism for the fluxional rearrangement of all bulky ligands
at eight-coordinate rhenium(V) centers. The rearrangement corresponds to rotation of a
set of four inner sphere ligand atoms bound to one side of the metal center with respect
to the four ligand atoms bound to the opposite side of the metal center. Evidence in
support of this mechanism for isomer interconversion is presented.
CHED 241
Systematic synthesis of a linked triosmium cluster system via 1,5-pentanediol
bridging ligands
Robert Sommerhalter, [email protected], Mary-Ann Pearsall. Chemistry,
Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, United States
With the goal of developing systematic syntheses of linked triosmium carbonyl clusters,
we report the substitution reactions of the dibridged cluster Os3(CO)10(µ2-OEt)2 with the
bifunctional ligand 1,5-pentanediol. Reaction of Os3(CO)10(µ2-OEt)2 with 1,5-pentanediol
affords the cluster Os3(CO)10(µ2-O(CH2)5OH)2 as the major product. Over extended
reaction periods, quantitative conversion to the cluster H4Os4(CO)12 is observed. Linking
of two triosmium carbonyl clusters via the 1,5-pentanediol bridging ligands has been
achieved in the reaction of Os3(CO)10(µ2-O(CH2)5OH)2 with one molar equivalent of
Os3(CO)10(µ2-OEt)2. A secondary product of this reaction has been characterized
spectroscopically and is believed to be an intermediate in the formation of H 4Os4(CO)12.
CHED 242
Reactions of amides with dibridged triosmium carbonyl clusters
Katherine E. Marak, [email protected], Mary-Ann Pearsall. Chemistry, Drew
University, Madison, New Jersey, United States
The reactions of the dibridged triosmium cluster, Os3(CO)10 (µ2-OEt)2, with amides are
presented. The reaction with acetamide (CH3CONH2) is found to be analogous to the
reaction of the cluster with carboxylic acids, which yield a diosmium complex, but the
possibility of isomers is introduced. Spectroscopic data indicate that both isomers of
Os2(CO)6(CH3CONH)2 are observed.
CHED 243
Synthesis and characterization of vanadium(V) complexes from a novel Schiff
base, (E)-N'-(5-((Z)-(4-fluorophenyl)diazenyl)-2hydroxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide
Jaya Chhabra, [email protected], Deondra T. Brown, Raj K. Gurung, Michael J.
Celestine , Alvin Holder. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk,
Virginia, United States
Since 1899, vanadium-containing compounds have been utilized as insulin-like agents
in alleviating the symptoms of diabetes. More recently, many researchers, including our
research group, have been designing and synthesizing vanadium-containing
compounds to be used as chemotherapeutic agents. As such, we have continued our
efforts, by synthesizing a novel ligand,
(E)-N'-(5-((Z)-(4-fluorophenyl)diazenyl)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide (F-azosalhyph), and then used it to synthesize and characterize two novel vanadium(V)
complexes. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV-visible, 1H,
13
C, and 51V NMR, FTIR spectroscopies, as well as electrochemical studies. Definitive
details including stability and speciation studies in water and non-aqueous solvents will
also be presented.
CHED 244
Synthesis and characterization of vanadium(IV) complexes from a novel Schiff
base, (E)-N'-(5-((Z)-(4-fluorophenyl)diazenyl)-2hydroxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide
Deondra T. Brown, [email protected], Jaya Chhabra, Raj K. Gurung, Michael J.
Celestine , Alvin Holder. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk,
Virginia, United States
Since 1899, vanadium-containing compounds have been utilized as insulin-like agents
in alleviating the symptoms of diabetes, but more recently, many researchers, including
our research group, have been designing and synthesizing vanadium-containing
compounds to be used as chemotherapeutic agents. We have synthesized a novel
ligand,
(E)-N'-(5-((Z)-(4-fluorophenyl)diazenyl)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide (F-azosalhyph), and then used it to synthesize and characterize two novel vanadium(IV)
complexes. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV-visible, 1H
and 13C NMR, EPR, and FTIR spectroscopies, as well as electrochemical studies.
Definitive details including stability and speciation studies in water and non-aqueous
solvents will also be presented.
CHED 245
Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic behavior of mono- and bimetallic
iridium(III) complexes supported by pyridine-functionalized N-heterocyclic
carbene ligands
Isaac Smith, [email protected], Gregory J. Domski. Chemistry, Augustana
College, Rock Island, Illinois, United States
We have prepared and characterized several previously unreported iridium(III)
complexes supported by pyridine-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. These
complexes have shown catalytic potential as transfer hydrogenation catalysts.
CHED 246
Synthesis and characterization of [RhIII(NNN)(NN)L]n+
Peter Nunez, [email protected], Daniel Amarante. Division of
Natural Sciences, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, New York, United States
Several complexes of the general formula, [RhIII(NNN)(NN)Cl]2+, have been synthesized
(where NNN = 2,2':6',2"–terpyridine, 4'–chloro–2,2':6',2"–terpyridine, 4'–(4–
chlorophenyl)–2,2':6',2"–terpyridine, 4'–methyl–2,2':6',2"–terpyridine and NN = 2,2'–
bipyridine, 1,10'–phenanthroline, 4,4'–dimethyl–2,2'–bipyridine, 3,4,7,8–tetramethyl–
1,10'–phenanthroline and 4,4'–dimethoxy–2,2'–bipyridine). These complexes were
synthesized using a modified literature procedure. All complexes were precipitated as
the PF6– salt, without any purification, with yields ranging from 60% to 90%. Complexes
were characterized using NMR and UV–Vis. Crystallization, for X–ray diffraction, of
these products are currently being investigated. Continuing trials to convert the chloride
complex to the triflate have shown interesting results, however with low yields.
Optimization of these products are currently being performed. The complex of
[RhIII(NNN)(NN)(OTf)]2+ will be synthesized with pyPorH2 (pyridylporphyrin) and its
analogs to study their photochemical and photophysical properties.
CHED 247
Synthesis of a chloride chemosensor by ligand structure manipulation
Nicholas Brocious, [email protected], Jessica M. Fautch. Physical Sciences, York
College of Pennsylvania, York, Pennsylvania, United States
Chloride is a common ion found in many aqueous media solutions, but there have been
difficulties using a luminescent sensor for a 1:1 quantification. The goal of this research
is to find a ligand structure to create a nickel(II) pincer complex that is a chemosensor
for chloride in solution. Using past research on the topic, and others similar to it,
including research about platinum(II) pincer complexes, the nickel(II) pincer complex will
be synthesized and categorized using IR, 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopies.
CHED 248
Effects of alkyl group and NHC ligand variation with ruthenium-based olefin
metathesis catalysts bearing chelating ortho-alkoxy benzylidenes
Shaoxiong Luo1, [email protected], Keary Engle1, Peng Liu2,3, Xiaofei Dong2,
Buck L. Taylor2, Michael K. Takase1, Kendall N. Houk2, Robert H. Grubbs1. (1)
Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States (2)
Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles,
California, United States (3) Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, United States
A series of second-generation ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts was investigated
using a combination of reaction kinetics, X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and
DFT calculations in order to determine the relationship between the structure of the
chelating ortho-alkoxybenzylidene and the observed initiation rate. Included in this
series were twenty new catalysts containing an array of ortho-alkoxy benzylidenes and
NHC ligands. The initiation rates of this series of catalysts were determined using a
UV/Vis assay. All new catalysts were observed to be faster-initiating than the
corresponding isopropoxy control, and the dicyclohexylmethyl catalyst was found to be
among the fastest-initiating Hoveyda-type catalysts reported to date. Analysis of the Xray structures and computed energy-minimized structures of these catalysts revealed
no correlation between Ru–O bond length and Ru–O bond strength. On the other hand,
the initiation rate was found to correlate strongly with the computed Ru–O bond
strength. This latter finding enables both rationalization and prediction of catalyst
initiation through calculation of a single thermodynamic parameter, in which no
assumptions about mechanism of the initiation step are made.
CHED 249
Synthesis of substituted silicone nanospheres and characterization by X-ray
fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy
Meagan Suchewski, [email protected], Annie Kayser,
[email protected], Christopher A. Bradley. Science, Mount St. Mary's
University, Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States
Nanoparticles have demonstrated many valuable properties relative to other small
molecules and solid surfaces. For example, they have a high surface area, which allows
them to increase the number of potential active sites for reactions. We are specifically
focusing on the synthesis of silicone nanospheres, which can be accessed by
condensation polymerization of alkyl trimethoxymethylsilanes. The value of these
materials stem from their simple synthesis at ambient temperature from commercial
reagents and the ease with which they can be purified by filtration. This synthetic
strategy allows installation of a variety of functional groups into the nanosphere,
including heavy atoms, like sulfur and phosphorous. The nanospheres are
characterized using several methods, including NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light
scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We have also used a new
method, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, which will provide elemental
distributions for the materials. With the functionalized nanoparticles in hand, we hope to
graft metals onto the surfaces, characterize them using XRF, and attempt to use these
supported materials as catalysts in organic trasnformations.
CHED 250
Mechanism of the oxidation of a cobaloxime by sodium bromate in aqueous
solution
Brianne S. Nunez, [email protected], Michael J. Celestine , Alvin Holder. Chemistry
and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States
An investigation of the oxidation of [Co(dmgBF2)2(OH2)2] (where dmgBF2 =
difluoroboryldimethylglyoximato) by sodium bromate, NaBrO3, was carried out by
stopped-flow spectrophotometry at 450 nm, temperature of 25.0 °C, and over the range
of 1.00 mM ≤ [HCl] ≤ 11.00 mM, with a constant ionic strength of 0.60 M (NaCl). From
the obtained data, a mechanism for the reaction was proposed. From the mechanism
the following rate expression was derived: k = kobs/[NaBrO3] = a[H+] + b[H+]2 (where a =
k1 and b = k-1/k2). The values for a and b were calculated as 3.4 x 102 M-2 s-1 and 9.2 x
104 M, respectively, at 25.0 °C. When the concentration of NaBrO3 was varied, two rate
constants were observed, viz., k3 = 4.6 x 10-4 s-1, which corresponded to either a
reaction pathway independent of the NaBrO3 concentration or the reverse process in an
equilibrium process, and k4 = 2.9 x 10-3 M-1 s-1, which was dependent on the
concentration of the oxidant. The mechanism of the oxidation of [Co(dmgBF 2)2(OH2)2]
by NaBrO3 will be discussed in light of the kinetics data.
CHED 251
Synthesis, characterizations, and DNA-binding and cytotoxicity studies of
tricarbonylrhenium(I)-diimine complexes of ibuprofen
Sabreea Parnell1, [email protected], Saroj Pramanik3, Santosh K. Mandal1. (1)
Chemistry, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States (3) Biology,
Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Numerous transition-metal complexes of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
are known. However, examples of organometallic complexes of NSAIDs are scarce.
Using a variety of NSAIDs, our lab has synthesized a wide range of organorhenium
complexes of NSAIDs. Recently, we have synthesized a series of tricarbonylrhenium(I)diimine complexes of ibuprofen from the reactions of the corresponding pentylcarbonato
complexes with stoichiometric amount of ibuprofen. The ibuprofenate complexes have
been characterized through FT-IR spectrophotometry and NMR spectroscopy. The UVtitrations of the ibuprofenates with CT-DNA suggest that many of the ibuprofenates bind
to DNA through intercalation. The cytotoxicity studies of the ibuprofenates against U937 lymphoma cells confirm that the ibuprofenates are moderately cytotoxic.
CHED 252
Synthesis, characterizations, and DNA-binding and cytotoxicity studies of
tricarbonylrhenium(I)-diimine complexes with mefenamic acid
Tiara Hinton1, [email protected], Saroj Pramanik3, Santosh K. Mandal1. (1)
Chemistry, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States (3) Biology,
Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Transition-metal complexes of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are of
importance because they possess intersting biological properties. Our lab is engaged in
the synthesis of organorhenium complexes of NSAIDs. Recently we have found that the
reactions of tricarbonylrhenium(I)-diimine pentylcarbonato complexes with
stoichiometric amount of flufenamic acid afford the corresponding flufenamato
complexes quantitatively. We have characterized them spectroscopically and, in many
cases, crystallographically. The UV-titrations of the flufenamato complexes with CTDNA suggest that some of these complexes bind to DNA intercalatively. The IC-50
values of these complexes against U-937 lymphoma cells are greater than 2 μM which
is far less than the IC-50 value of cisplatin against lymphoma cells.
CHED 253
Mixed sulphadoxine-aspirin metal complexes: Synthesis and antimicrobial
studies
Joshua A. Obaleye1, Stephen T. Adekunle1, [email protected], Abdullahi O.
Rajee1, Mariam O. Abbass1, Funto V. Adewumi3. (1) Chemistry, University of Ilorin,
Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria (3) Industrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara
State, Nigeria
Malaria is an important cause of death and illness in children and adults in tropical
countries. Malaria is a global public health problem, affecting about 400 million people
worldwide and causing about 3 million deaths annually, mainly among children under
five years old. The increasing resistance to currently available anti-malarial drugs have
stimulated new efforts regarding the development of new chemotherapeutic drugs.
Metal complexes have shown significant increase in inhibition activity when compared
to pure drugs. The study of metal complexes is of special interest, owing to their
enhanced biological activities. As part of our ongoing research into more effective
drugs, mixed ligand-metal complexes of sulphadoxine-aspirin have been prepared. The
products were characterized using elemental analysis, IR, UV/Visible spectroscopies
and some physico-chemical studies. The electronic transitions observed also revealed
the formation of new complexes of the ligands. In-vivo evaluation of the antimicrobial
activity showed that, when compared to the parent compound, metal complex and the
ligand showed greater activity against the following microorganisms: Escherichia coli,
Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus substilis, and Pseudomonas
aereginosa. Both sulphadoxine and aspirin moieties were found to be bidentate in
coordination to the central metal ion via the lone electron pairs located on the oxygen
and nitrogen atoms present in their molecules.
CHED 254
Synthesis and characterization of an iron(III) amine triphenolate coordination
complex
Kerry C. Casey, [email protected], Lauren A. Steigen, Ursula J. Williams.
Chemistry, Juniata College, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
Tripodal iron coordination compounds have been studied as model complexes for
biological and industrial catalytic processes, including small molecule activation
reactions. As part of a larger study considering the impact of ligand identity on the redox
properties of iron coordination complexes, we set out to synthesize iron coordination
complexes in an amine triphenolate ligand environment. We will describe the synthesis
and characterization of this ligand and its coordination to iron. We are pursuing
characterization of the resulting complexes using X-ray crystallography and cyclic
voltammetry.
CHED 255
Photophysical and chiroptical properties of europium(III) complexes with
tetracycline derivatives
Mizuki Johnson, [email protected], Adrian Riives, Gilles Muller. Chemistry, San
Jose State University, San Jose, California, United States
One of the nature's fundamentals is that structure determines function. It is natural for
biological molecules (biomolecules) with active functions to be dependent on structural
characteristics, such as chirality and anisotropy. Therefore, one field of research is to
develop robust, sensitive, specific techniques capable of determining biomolecules’
proper structural characteristics and, to a greater extent, be able to detect distinct
molecules. In recent years, luminescent lanthanides have been used for specialized
chemical application in designing non-invasive bioprobes. The trivalent Eu(III) ion is one
of the most emissive of all lanthanide ions due to its long-lived 5D0 excited state. The
goal of this project is to understand how metal chelation, pH, and solvents contribute to
the ability of tetracycline (TC) derivatives to chelate to Eu(III) and be used as a
luminescent probe. Steady-state and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopic
measurements as well as circularly polarized luminescence spectroscopy were used to
determine the stability of each Eu:TC derivative species over a range of pH.
CHED 256
Synthesis and characterization of new rhodium alkene complexes containing
hemilabile P-O ligands
Christian J. Adams, [email protected], Joseph T. Medina,
[email protected], Giovanni A. Ramirez, Armando A. Urbina, Christine Hahn.
Chemistry, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United States
The development of new rhodium catalysts for alkene and alkyne functionalization
reactions (e.g., hydroformylation, alkyne dimerization, hydroarylation) is the subject of
current research. In order to explore new structures and reactivity, two types of
hemilabile ligands were prepared containing both phosphorus and oxygen donor atoms.
The first type of ligands, bisphosphine monoxide ligands, were synthesized by selective
oxidation using palladium catalyst. The second type of ligand being studied was a
phosphinoketone. The new rhodium alkene complexes were prepared using
[RhCl(alkene)2]2 as precursor complex. After halide abstraction by silver or thallium salts
in the presence of another donor ligand, the resulting [Rh(P-O)(L)(alkene)]+ complexes
(L = PPh3, NR3) were characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR and IR spectroscopies
and crystal structure analysis.
CHED 257
Reduction of carbon disulfide at rhenium polyhydride centers
Devyn J. Streisel, [email protected], Andrew L. Petrou,
[email protected], Gregory A. Moehring. Chemistry and Physics, Monmouth
University, West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States
Carbon disulfide is an effective solvent for low temperature studies of rhenium(V)
pentahydride complexes supported by two triphenylphosphine ligands and an aromatic
amine ligand but it leads to decomposition of analogous compounds supported by
primary amines rather than by aromatic amines. The only previous report of a reaction
between carbon disulfide and a rhenium polyhydride complex involved a rhenium
pentahydride center supported by a tridentate tertiary phosphine ligand and resulted in
insertion of a CS bond into an Re-H bond. In this study, carbon disulfide reduced further
to a methanedithiolate ligand when reacted with the complex
ReH5(PPh3)2(NH2CH2CH2NH2). The new reactant, ReH5(PPh3)2(NH2CH2CH2NH2),
contains a dangling amine group which changes into a bound group in the final product.
The NMR properties of the product, Re(CH2S2)H(PPh3)2(η2-NH2CH2CH2NH2), are
reported. Reactions between other rhenium polyhydride complexes and carbon disulfide
were also explored and those results are reported as well.
CHED 258
Effect of bridging ligand conjugation on bimetallic asymmetric ruthenium(II)
complexes and their DNA interactions
Jenally Montalvo1, [email protected], Michael LaCorte1, [email protected],
Matthew T. Mongelli2, [email protected], Amy Abdulkarim1, Katherine
Thomas1. (1) Chemistry, Kean University, Union, New Jersey, United States (2)
Chemistry, Kean University, Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States
Complexes of the form, [(bpy)2Ru(BL)Ru(Cl)(tpy)]3+,where bpy is the bidentate terminal
ligand 2,2’-bipyridine, tpy is the tridentate terminal ligand 2,2’:6’,2”-terpyridine and BL is
a bridging ligand (i.e. 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (dpp), 2,3-di(pyridin-2-yl)-6,7dihydroquinoxaline (dpq), or 2,3-di(pyridin-2-yl)benzo[g]quinoxaline (dpb)), have been
synthesized. These complexes are being investigated for their ability to bind and/or
photocleave DNA through visible light photolysis. The synthesis and characterization of
the complexes will be presented as well as DNA interaction assays.
CHED 259
Design and synthesis of a macrocyclic non-covalent proteasome inhibitor
Megan A. Rocha, [email protected], Robert S. Dorn, [email protected],
Marion G. Gotz. Chemistry, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, United States
The proteasome has in recent years become an important target for the treatment of
multiple myeloma. The fungal macrocyclic peptide metabolite TMC-95A is a potent and
selective inhibitor of the 26S proteasome. Due to its synthetic complexity, analogues
that have similar potency and selectivity but are synthetically more accessible have
been pursued. This research explores the synthesis of a macrocyclic TMC-95A
analogue that aims to inhibit the proteasome selectively through non-covalent
interactions, including hydrogen bonding between the β-extended peptide backbone
and the proteasome’s active sites. Previously studied TMC-95A mimics have replaced
the synthetically difficult phenyl-oxindole moiety with a diphenyl ether macrocycle. The
analogues in this study also contain a biaryl ether linkage, but retain the oxindole
heterocycle, as computational modeling has shown that an additional and potentially
crucial hydrogen bond is formed between the oxindole and Gly23.
CHED 260
Scaffold-hopping approach to the development of antiseptic cationic amphiphiles
Myles Mitchell1, [email protected], Ryan Allen1, Megan Jennings2, William M.
Wuest2, Kevin P. Minbiole1. (1) Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova,
Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
In the world, there is a need for new antiseptic compounds that can lyse bacteria and
keep them from reproducing. Current antibacterial compounds have started to become
ineffective as more and more strains of bacteria become resistant to them. To counter
this trend, our research group has identified a number of bis-, tris-, and tetraamine
starting materials for the production of diverse architectures of quaternary ammonium
compounds; these resulting amphiphiles show great promise in killing bacteria and
eradicating bacterial biofilms. Furthermore, in order to create new compounds that are
antimicrobial, yet will decompose before bacteria can become resistant to them, our lab
plans to research the synthesis and effectiveness of new antiseptic compounds that can
"self-destruct."
CHED 261
Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of α-(imidazolylmethyl)cinnamates,
α-(imidazolylmethyl)cinnamamides, and p-imidazolyl-α(imidazolylmethyl)cinnamates
Suman Pathi, Drew Morgan, Alexander Vendola, [email protected], Md.
Ashiq Ur Rahman, Alexander Colfer, [email protected], Kent Truong,
[email protected], Subash C. Jonnalagadda. Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, United States
Imidazoles are an important class of heteoaromatic compounds with a ubiquitous ring
system that play critical roles in the human body and are present in various biological
structures such as as histamine and histidine. The highly electron rich ring structure of
imidazoles enables them to bind to various enzymes or receptors and hence they
exhibit wide-ranging biological properties ranging from anti-fungal (eg. miconazole,
metronidazole), anti-neoplastic (eg, decarbazine, temozolomide), anti-microbial agents
(eg. oroidin), etc. Imidazoles are generally soluble in water and other polar solvents,
which adds further merit to their development as therapeutics. Based on our interest in
heterocyclic chemistry, we undertook the synthesis of highly substituted imidazoles via
multicomponent coupling reaction such as Debus-Radziszewski reaction and BaylisHillman reaction. The simple reaction conditions coupled with the great diversity
imparted by the MCR protocol renders the process further meritorious. Using this
protocol, we were able to synthesize a large library of imidazoles with fewer starting
materials for carrying out a systematic structure activity relationship assay. We have
been able to identify a few potent lead molecules for in vivo preclinical development as
anti-cancer agents and this presentation will describe our efforts in this project.
CHED 262
Screening of peptide linked metal chelators: A potential disruptor for amyloidbeta aggregation
Michael Hart, [email protected], Cecilia H. Vollbrecht, Kerry A. Pickin.
Chemistry, Centre College, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Proteins and metals play key roles in infection and disease progression in patients with
Alzheimer’s disease. The synthesis of peptide based inhibitors and metal chelators
offers a potential alternative for the treatment of the disease. Our research focuses on
the screening of these synthesized peptides and peptide linked metal chelators that are
designed to disrupt the aggregation of amyloid-beta, the key peptide in the formation of
the characteristic neurodegenerative plaque in Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the
peptide chelator complexes are developed to remove and sequester toxic metal ions
associated with the aggregates (including Zn2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+). The ability of the
compounds to disrupt aggregation is determined by thioflavin-T assays and used to
evaluate the potential for the compounds to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
disease.
CHED 263
Interaction of noncanonical DNA structures with small molecule ligands
Sayed Malawi, [email protected], Deondre Jordan, Delfin Buyco, Liliya A.
Yatsunyk. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore,
Pennsylvania, United States
DNA exists in numerous non-canonical conformations in addition to the traditional
double helix. One of these conformations is G-quadruplex (GQ), which consists of
stacks of guanine quartets formed by four guanines held together by Hoogsteen
hydrogen bonds. Sequences with quadruplex forming potential are present in oncogene
promoters and human telomeric repeats. As such, they are proposed to play an
important role in gene regulation and cancer biology. Small molecules that are capable
of binding to or stabilizing GQs can potentially be used as new types of anticancer
therapeutics. In this work we have investigated the interactions between small molecule
ligands such as porphyrins (NMM, TMPyP4, etc) or extended conjugated systems
(RHPS4, Braco-19, etc) and a variety of GQ structures using UV-Vis, CD, and
fluorescence titrations, CD melting experiments, and gel electrophoresis. Our data for
binding between NMM and various GQ sequences indicates the following binding
constants: 0.5 ± 0.2 uM-1 (2 ligand : 1 GQ) for oncogene promoter Bcl-2, 0.16 ± 0.02
uM-1 (1:1) for AcKit1, 1.7 ± 0.9 uM-1 (1:1) for VEGF, 0.3 ± 0.2 uM-1 (1:1) for G4TERT,
and 1.7 ± 0.6 uM-1 (2 ligand : 1 GQ) for cMyc. The relatively strong binding constants of
NMM to VEGF and cMyc make them good pairings for crystallization. The most
promising ligand-GQ pairs are being explored for their ability to produce high quality 3D
crystal structures, which will be presented and discussed in our poster.
CHED 264
Comparison of extraction methods for capsaicin
jonathan Will, [email protected], Madisyn Frazee, [email protected],
Edmir O. Wade. Chemistry, University of Southern Indiana, Newburgh, Indiana, United
States
Chemical compounds found in plants are utilized as the main components in many
medications and herbal remedies worldwide. The vast diversity of plant structure and
chemical composition makes unstudied plants ideal candidates for medical research.
Our investigation will compare the quality of various extraction methods, measuring
isolation quality, ease of extraction, cost, and reactive functional group species for the
plant compound capsaicin ( (E)-N-[(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-8-methylnon-6enamide). Known for causing a burning sensation when eaten, capsaicin is a chemical
compound in peppers that has been linked to medicinal applications in weight loss,
cancer cells, and blood pressure. Extraction of this compound will be done via two
different solvent separation pathways that remove organic matter from the aqueous
layers. Capsaicin will be confirmed as isolated from the mixture through processes of
NMR, IR, and Mass Spectrometry. After confirming the isolation of capsaicin, the two
methods of solvent separation will be compared. The preferred method will then be
used on local and tropical plants with similar compounds to that of capsaicin that have
not been studied.
CHED 265
Cytotoxicity and minimal inhibitory concentration evaluation of synthesized
benzohydrazide derivatives
Alisha Mason1, [email protected], Sarah Thompson1,
[email protected], J. J. Steel2, David L. Dillon3. (1) Colorado State UniversityPueblo, Pueblo, Colorado, United States (2) Biology, Colorado State University- Pueblo,
Pueblo, Colorado, United States (3) Chemistry, Colorado State University - Pueblo,
Pueblo, Colorado, United States
Substituted benzohydrazides, Figure 1, have been shown to have antimicrobial activity
and are synthesized via acylation. This interdisciplinary project, involving organic
synthesis, microbiological determination of antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity,
focused on investigation of the effect of various substituents at the N’ and aryl positions
on biological activity. The cytotoxicity of these compounds is not well studied.
Derivatives 1a,b were previously found to have minimal or slight activity against tested
bacteria. Preliminary results of the cytotoxicity have shown certain concentrations of the
compounds have high viability for eukaryotic cells. Drug administration was evaluated at
different time points using Resazurin/Alamar blue cell viability assays to monitor
cytotoxicity in cultured eukaryotic cells with different concentrations. In previous work,
antimicrobial activity was examined using Kirby Bauer and measuring zones of inhibition
around discs loaded with the compound. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration is now
being evaluated to better understand the concentrations needed to inhibit microbial
growth. Exposure times of the compounds were evaluated in an attempt to determine
the therapeutic indices for these compounds and investigate their utility as a potential
novel treatment option against bacterial pathogens.
CHED 266
Design and synthesis of some novel 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline derivatives as
anticancer agents
Reem f. almutairy, [email protected], Muneerah alsolmi, Afnan Al-Johani, Afnan
Mohammed Noor, Ruba Towairqi. pharmacy , KAU, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Cancer is considered to be the second major cause of death. Unfortunately, the
development of cellular drug resistance and the significant toxicity displayed by most
anticancer agents remain the primary barrier for effective chemotherapy. Therefore,
searching for newer anticancer agents remains necessary in order to provide novel
structural leads with higher selectivity towards tumor cells and minimum side effects.
Quinazoline derivatives have received great attention in the field of anticancer agents.
They were identified as potent cytotoxic agents, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and DNAalkylators. On the other hand, pyrazoles are among the pharmacologically chemical
scaffolds that have received particular interest as an anticancer agent. In view of the
aforementioned facts, and with the aim of finding new structure leads in the field of
chemotherapeutic agents, it was of interest to design a new series of 2,4-disubstituted
quinazolines. Some of these compounds comprise the pyrazole moiety linked to the 4position of the quinazoline ring through 3-atom spacer. The objective of forming these
hybrids is to investigate the influence of such hybridization on the anticipated biological
activity.
CHED 267
Structure-Resistance Relationships: Interrogating Antiseptic Resistance in
Bacteria Using Multicationic Quaternary Ammonium Dyes (multiQACs)
stephanie duggan4, [email protected], Megan Forman3, Madison Fletcher2,
Megan Jennings2, Kevin P. Minbiole3, [email protected], William M.
Wuest1. (1) Chem Dept, Beury Hall 130, Temple Univ, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States (2) Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States (3) Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States (4)
Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States
Bacterial resistance toward commonly employed biocides is a widespread yet
underappreciated problem, one which needs not only a deeper understanding of the
mechanisms by which resistance proliferates, but also strategies for mitigation. Bacteria
utilize many methods, most notably efflux pumps, to circumvent the lytic capability of
quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). However, currently used QAC antiseptics
offer no means to address these modes of resistance. We recognized a polyaromatic
structural motif analogous to structures that bind QacR, a negative transcriptional
regulator of the efflux pump QacA, and envisioned a series of QACs based on this
motif. Starting from commercially available dye scaffolds, we synthesized and evaluated
the antimicrobial activity of 52 novel QACs bearing 1-3 quaternary ammonium centers.
Striking differences in antimicrobial activity against bacteria bearing QAC resistance
genes were observed, with up to a 125-fold increase in MIC for select structures against
bacteria known to bear efflux pumps (i.e., MRSA). Trends in structure-resistance
relationships are now more apparent. Additionally, we describe a previously overlooked
trend regarding the intrinsic resistance of Gram-negative bacterial species.
CHED 268
Sugar modified pseudouridines as potential anti-viral agents
Joseph Nunnari1, [email protected], Immaculate Sappy2, Amanda
C. Bryant-Friedrich3. (1) The University of Toledo, Parma Heights, Ohio, United States
(2) Medicinal & Biological Chemistry, The University of Toledo, College of Pharmacy &
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toledo, Ohio, United States (3) University of Toledo, Toledo,
Ohio, United States
Advances in the treatment of viral infections have provided new impetus for the pursuit
of compounds effective against the polymerases responsible for the synthesis of RNAs
and DNAs required for viral replication. We are applying skills in nucleic acid synthesis
to the development of methods to modify the sugar moiety of nucleosides and
nucleotides of naturally occurring modified ribonucleic acids. We have investigated the
synthesis of 2'-C modified pseudouridine, utilizing the introduction of the pseudouridine
moiety through a nucleophilic addition to a modified ribonolactone. Several variables
were modified to increase the efficiency to obtain these derivatives. These include a)
the base protection on pseudouridine, b) the protecting groups on the ribonolactone, c)
the reducing agent and subsequent ring closure to give the final modified nucleoside.
The work presented here will shine a new light on the synthesis of sugar-modified
ribonucleic acids derived from naturally occurring modified nucleosides.
CHED 269
Chemiresistive gas sensors on shrinkable polymer films
Polina Pivak1,2, Merry Smith2, Kennedy Jensen2, Daphnie Martin2, Katherine Mirica2,
[email protected]. (1) Lebanon High School, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United
States (2) Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
This poster describes an exceedingly simple and rapid approach for fabricating
miniaturized chemiresistive gas sensors on shrinkable polymeric films. We demonstrate
a method for fabricating miniaturized interdigitated electrodes on plastic substrates by
drawing graphite wires with a commercial HB pencil directly on shrinkable polymeric
films. By drawing fine lines using commercial pencil leads ranging from 0.3 – 3 mm in
diameter, the shrunken products display features (wires ~0.1 mm in width) that would be
difficult to draw directly. Deposition of nanomaterials directly into this device architecture
produces functional chemiresistive gas sensors from modular molecular building blocks.
The devices can detect and differentiate gaseous analytes at part-per-million
concentrations.
CHED 270
Mechanism of fingerprint development using gold polyaniline nanocomposites:
Physical adsorption versus chemical reaction
Joshua Borski1, [email protected], Mary Johnson1,
[email protected], Victoria Angus1, [email protected], Joshua
Tiamco1, [email protected], Jazem Saripada 1, Jerrod Ford1, Yasmin
Pajouhafsar1, Asma Alnuaimi2, Najwa Abou Alloul2, Fatma Nahas2, Hanan Abdou2,
Ahmed Mohamed2. (1) Chemistry, Blinn College - Bryan campus, College Station,
Texas, United States (2) Chemistry, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates
The presence of amino acids in the eccrine fingerprint secretions triggered the initial
research interest in fingerprint development. In contrary with the general belief that
fingerprints development is aided by the electrostatic interaction of the nanoparticles
with the various components of the fingerprints, it was proven that it is mainly driven by
chemical reactions. Fingerprints were developed using gold-poyaniline nanocomposites
of various substituted anilines such as CH3, NO2, COOH, OH, and more. The
nanocomposite showed high chemical stability to oxidation, better adhesion to surface,
and good contrast ridge details. It is possible that the successful staining is due to a
combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with the eccrine.
CHED 271
Organic field-effect transistor fabrication using hexatriacontane as a dielectric
layer
Sandi Grace1, [email protected], Marcos Castillo2, Bumjung Kim1. (1) Chemistry, New
Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States (2) Union City High
School, Union City, New Jersey, United States
The most important problem with organic transistors that needs to be overcome is the
efficiency and effectiveness of these devices. In this study, we tried to eliminate the
inefficiency of devices which occurs at the inorganic and organic contact points,
Schottky barrier effect, by replacing inorganic silicon dioxide (SiO2) dielectric layer with
an organic dielectric layer, hexatriacontane (C36H74). Hexatriacontane layer created an
organic-organic interface between the dielectric and semiconductor layers, that could
eliminate interlayer Schottky resistance. We fabricated organic field-effect transistor
using hexatriacontane dielectric layer and single-crystal rubrene (C42H28) as a
semiconductor material. Electrical properties of devices were measured and the effect
of hexatriacontane layer was investigated. Significant improvement in hole mobility,
on/off ratio, and working voltage was achieved when the device was thermally annealed
at 50 °C. After the annealing process, the mobility was increased by 2.5 times and the
on/off voltage ratio was increased by 100 times. As for the working voltage, it showed a
decrease of approximately 1.5 times compared to the results of the original fabricated
device. Mainly attributed by solid-solid transition of hexatriacontane layer,
hexatriacontane epitaxy was formed on crystalline rubrene surface and interfacial
defects were eliminated. To support our assumption, we used selected area electron
diffraction (SAED) and investigated interfacial epitaxy growth of hexatriacontane on
crystalline rubrene.
CHED 272
Complementing electrochemical studies of self-organized gold
nanoparticle~cytochrome c superstructures with UV-visible spectroscopy
Nina Kosciuszek, [email protected], Elizabeth R. Pacer, Bayan H.
Abunar, Julia Spiridigliozzi, Amanda S. Harper-Leatherman. Chemistry & Biochemistry,
Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
The addition of the protein, cytochrome c (cyt. c), to gold nanoparticles in solution
results in self-organization of cyt. c into multilayered protein superstructures
(abbreviated as Au~cyt. c superstructures) and stabilizes the thousands of organized
cyt. c proteins to unfolding both when encapsulated in porous solids and when
remaining in solution. Our research has shown that the electrochemical characteristics
of superstructure-assembled cyt. c are enhanced compared to cyt. c alone and vary as
the ratio of cyt. c to Au varies and as the size of the Au nanoparticle varies. In order to
determine whether the enhanced electrochemical properties are directly related to
multiple protein layers of certain types of superstructures staying intact at the electrode
surface, protein superstructures made from 5-nm gold nanoparticles were stripped from
electrode surfaces, measured with UV-visible spectroscopy, and compared to
superstructures made from 10-nm gold nanoparticles. The UV-visible absorbance of the
cyt. c Soret peak, and subsequent calculated cyt. c electrode surface coverages will be
presented to help narrow in further on the cause of the enhanced electrochemical
properties of certain types of superstructure-assembled cyt. c proteins. These results
may prove useful to those developing bioanalytical devices when a good understanding
of the interaction between protein and material surface is needed.
CHED 273
Partial sulfonation of polyaniline nanofibers
Derek Perry, [email protected], David M. Sarno. Chemistry, Physics and
Astronomy, Queensborough Community College of CUNY, Bayside, New York, United
States
Polyaniline (PANI) is a well-known conductive polymer that is easily prepared as high
surface area nanofibers. Composites of PANI nanofibers with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) may result in new materials with novel optical and electronic properties for sensors
and other devices. We have observed that sulfonated PANI, with its negatively charged
substituents, can attract positively charged Au-NPs, thereby increasing the extent of NP
deposition. However, sulfonation increases the water solubility of PANI, ultimately
degrading the desirable nanostructure. We hypothesize that degradation may be limited
if PANI is only partially sulfonated, leaving the fiber core insoluble while providing
sufficient charge at the surface to attract positive NPs. PANI nanofibers are prepared
from 0.8 M aniline and 0.1 M ammonium persulfate in acidic solution. The product is
deprotonated in ammonium hydroxide, and then sulfonated by exposure to dilute
sodium metabisulfite. The addition of sulfonate groups has been confirmed by FTIR
spectra. Longer exposures to the salt increase the extent of sulfonation, which leads to
increasingly soluble and degraded nanofibers as seen in SEM images. The
deprotonated form of PANI is known to be more readily sulfonated than its protonated
form. We are therefore exploring partial deprotonation via timed exposure to NH4OH as
another route to limit and eventually control the extent of sulfonation.
CHED 274
Motion of amino acids through single-walled carbon nanotubes
Jonathon Stoeber, [email protected], Cody Hergenrother,
[email protected], Mark D. Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus College, Collegeville,
Pennsylvania, United States
The motion of several amino acids through single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT)
has been investigated using voltage clamp techniques. Specifically, the amino acids
glycine, β-alanine, glutamic acid, and valine have been studied. For all amino acids, the
pore-blocking current is found to increase with increasing applied voltage. Additionally,
the dwell time of the amino acids was found to be independent of applied voltage, in
contrast to previous and current studies on alkali metal ions. The data suggest that the
amino acids become uncharged in the SWNT, and results of a mathematical model are
compared to the data.
CHED 275
Schmidt reaction for carboxylic acids on single-walled carbon nanotubes
Elliott Purdie, [email protected], Mark D. Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus College,
Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can easily be functionalized with carboxylic
acids through the use of strong acids. Converting those carboxylic acid groups to other
functional groups can increase the usefulness of SWNTs. We have explored the use of
the Schmidt reaction to convert carboxylic acid groups on SWNTs to amine groups.
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to examine the SWNTs after
the reaction. Success of this reaction is strongly dependent upon the SWNT starting
material. The success of this reaction is the starting point for exploring applications of
amine-functionalized SWNTs, such as their use in SWNT nanopore devices.
CHED 276
Electroosmotic flow of methanol through single-walled carbon nanotubes
Sam Menges, [email protected], Laura M. Nebel, [email protected], Mark
D. Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States
The motion of methanol through single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) has been
observed using voltage clamp techniques. Methanol molecules were observed to block
proton current through the SWNT. This pore-blocking current was found to be
dependent on the applied voltage. The time that the methanol molecules spend
traveling through the SWNT was found to be independent of applied voltage, as would
be expected for a neutral molecule in an electric field. However, a minimum voltage, the
threshold voltage, was found, below which no pore blocking was observed. The
observation of a threshold voltage is in agreement with theoretical predictions, which
indicated that the entry of methanol molecules into the SWNT would be strongly
influenced by hydrogen bonding at the pore mouth. Our observations of methanol
transport through SWNTs demonstrate the potential for SWNTs to facilitate the
nanoscale motion of neutral molecules.
CHED 277
Effect of the presence of single-walled carbon nanotubes on the action of an
antifungal agent on Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Chase Renninger, [email protected], Mark D. Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus
College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States
Carbon nanotubes have a wide range of potential uses given their large surface area on
which to perform chemistry and the variety of possible functionalization reactions. The
role of carbon nanotubes with the delivery of various drugs targeted towards different
microorganisms has generally been shown to cause increased drug efficacy. We tested
this trend by exposing Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a novel azole anti-fungal
compound in the presence of oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes (o-SWNTs) and
found that there is a reduction in the anti-fungal capacity of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole-2methanol. We hypothesize that, due to the large amount of surface area of the oSWNTs, they are able to interact with the aromatic azole compound via π-stacking and
thereby reduce the compound's ability to inhibit yeast growth.
CHED 278
Antibiotic delivery to Escherichia coli using PEG-modified nano-graphene oxide
Katherine Fiocca, [email protected], Nerica Normil, [email protected], Mark
D. Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States
Due to the increasing problem in human health of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, novel
modifications of the delivery of antibiotics have become an increasingly popular field of
study. Nano-graphene is a useful compound in that it is water soluble, and can be
modified to work in many different applications, both biologically and mechanically. Our
previous experiments confirmed the modification of graphene into nanoscale graphene
oxide (NGO) with the successful attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to increase
water solubility. This compound was used to deliver the soluble antibiotic, tetracycline
hydrochloride, into resistant bacteria. Escherichia coli, a gram-negative bacterium, was
used and contained a plasmid coding for antibiotic resistance via an efflux pump. Our
results were able to confirm the presence of PEG and tetracycline hydrochloride on the
nano-graphene. The amount of tetracycline hydrochloride attached to the NGO-PEG
was quantified using UV spectroscopy, and a minimum inhibitory concentration of NGOPEG TET HCl was calculated for DH5α, the non-resistant E. coli, and DH5α containing
pBR322, the resistance plasmid. The goal of this experiment was to increase the
antibiotic attachment onto the nano-graphene oxide, in addition to increasing the
inhibition of the resistant bacteria at lower concentrations of nano-graphene oxide with
attached antibiotic. This was accomplished by using the molecular (not the
hydrochloride salt) form of tetracycline, and repeating previous experiments to find the
minimum inhibitory concentration of NGO-PEG TET in the presence of the DH5α and
DH5α/pBR322. Growth experiments were conducted with bacteria both lacking and
containing the resistance plasmid, and the amount of growth was measured using
spectrophotometry and viable bacterial counts.
CHED 279
Functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for use in overcoming
antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli
Madison Force, [email protected], Ria Rathi, [email protected], Mark D.
Ellison. Chemistry, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States
Carbon nanotubes have been emerging as promising material to be used in drug
delivery. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have a high cell membrane
permeability and can easily be functionalized to carry chemical compounds. We have
studied SWNTs functionalized with the antibiotic tetracycline for their effectiveness
against antibiotic-resistant in Escherichia coli. The E. coli strain DH5α was studied, both
with an without the resistance plasmid PBR322, which includes a gene that encodes for
an efflux pump. Previous studies in our research group have found that tetracyclinefunctionalized SWNTs are effective against non-resistant DH5α strains and effective
against DH5α/PBR322 strains at high concentrations. Adaptations in our protocol have
been made in order to increase the effectiveness of tetracycline delivery at lower
concentrations. These adaptations include acid-cutting the SWNTs, functionalizing the
SWNTs with polyethylene glycol to increase the water solubility of the SWNTs, and
maximizing the loading of tetracycline onto the SWNTs. The results of our adaptations
show promise and will be discussed.
CHED 280
Studies toward the synthesis of novel cross-membrane fluorometric probes
Ana Cartaya, [email protected], Nicole Hill, Tumininu Faniyan, Tyler Zimmermann,
Danielle Raymond, Tim Liwosz, Tina G. Goudreau Collison, Anju Gupta. Chemistry,
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, United States
The mechanism by which therapeutic molecules cross the cell membrane is of great
importance in designing drugs and drug delivery systems. Fluorescent cross-membrane
probes are molecules containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components that can
straddle a phase partition and can be used to investigate such mechanisms. Our
research focuses on the synthesis of novel cross-membrane probes bearing fluorescent
activity. The probes will span a phospholipid/cholesterol-based model membrane and
be used to monitor subtle physiochemical changes on either side by ratioing the signals.
Data collected on the interaction between the amphiphilic fluorophores and model cells
can further be analyzed and serve to target methods for improved drug delivery
systems.
CHED 281
Noncovalent CH-aromatic interaction as a function of solvation
Sara Bey, [email protected], Sarah Ashour, [email protected],
Bright U. Emenike. Chemistry & Physics, State University of New York at Old Westbury,
Old Westbury, New York, United States
Molecules “communicate” through a set of weak interactions known as non-covalent
interactions, i.e., the interactions without the formation of a chemical bond. An example
of a non-covalent interaction is the CH-aromatic interaction; the interaction between a
CH group and the face of an aromatic ring. Although CH-aromatic interactions are well
recognized, the experimental measurement of a single CH-aromatic interaction is still a
challenge because of the weak interaction energy involved (ΔG ≈ 1 kcal/mol).
Consequently, there are limited investigations into the physical origins of the CHaromatic interactions. In this study, we present the conformational studies of a
molecular torsion balance in different organic solvents. The molecular balance adopted
folded and unfolded conformers in which the ratio of the conformers provided a
quantitative measure of CH-aromatic interaction as a function of solvation. While a
single empirical solvent parameter based on solvent polarity failed to explain the
observed solvent effect, it was shown that CH-aromatic interactions can be correlated
through a multiparameter linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) using Kamlet-Taft
equation. The resulting LSER equation expresses CH-aromatic interactions as a
function of Kamlet–Taft solvent parameters, which revealed that specific solvent effects,
α and β (where α represents a solvents' hydrogen-bond acidity and β represents a
solvents' hydrogen-bond basicity) are mainly responsible for “tipping” the molecular
balance in favor of one conformer over the other.
CHED 282
Studies toward the total synthesis of trocheliophorolide A: Making the
unsaturated side chain moiety as a convergent Suzuki coupling partner
Julianne Caponigro, [email protected], Hannah M. Simpson, William Spencer,
Tina G. Goudreau Collison. Chemistry, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester,
New York, United States
Trocheliophorolide A is a natural product isolated from soft coral. It is an interesting
synthetic target because it has biological activity against Staphylococcus aureus and
Baciliius subtillis. We envision the synthesis of trocheliophorolide A as a convergent
synthesis. Progress toward the challenging unsaturated side chain moiety will be
highlighted. The synthetic route toward the vinyl borate will also be discussed as it
pertains to the convergent Suzuki coupling toward the final product.
CHED 283
Model study toward the total synthesis of aplydactone: Advances toward the
dilithiate side chain
Michael Cattalani, [email protected], Andrew Streit, [email protected], Austin Kelly,
Katherine A. Valentine, Tina G. Goudreau Collison. Chemistry, Rochester Institute of
Technology, Rochester, New York, United States
Aplydactone is a sesquiterpene natural product isolated from the sea hare Aplysia
dactylomela that is found on the northern coast of Madagascar. Interest in synthesizing
aplydactone is driven by its extremely novel and conformationally strained tetracyclic
framework. Aplydactone’s ring system has bond angles more acute than ever before
seen for cyclobutane. Additionally, the carbon-carbon bonds in aplydactone’s
cyclobutane rings are reported to be longer than average carbon-carbon bonds. This
presentation describes the synthesis of the convergent route toward the model
tetracycle and focuses mainly on the progress made toward the synthesis of the
dilithiate coupling moiety.
CHED 284
Using BAPN derivatives to synthesize small molecule LOX inhibitors
Meagan L. Williams, [email protected], Danielle M. Solano. Chemistry &
Biochemistry, California State University, Bakersfield, Bakersfield, California, United
States
It is widely known that the LOX enzyme contributes to the metastasis of cancer cells
from hypoxic tumors in patients. Studies have shown that β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)
is active in preventing this spread, however BAPN alone is harmful to the patient.
Therefore, carrier molecules are necessary to transport the BAPN safely to the site of
the hypoxic tumor ready to metastasize. Previous research has focused on changing
reactant 1 (Figure 1); however, these products exhibit about the same level of inhibitory
effect. Due to this, we have decided to try using BAPN derivatives to see if the change
in that reactant has a greater effect on the LOX enzyme. This research will highlight the
use of BAPN derivatives of varying differences (Figure 2) and the products will be tested
for effectiveness of LOX inhibition.
CHED 285
Synthesis of asymmetrically substituted cycloheptatrienylidene fluorophores
Navindra David, [email protected], Ivan D. Hyatt. Chemistry, Adelphi
University, Garden City, New York, United States
Currently, methodologies that synthesize symmetrical cycloheptatrienylidenes use
palladium catalysts which can be expensive and time consuming. The project herein
seeks to find a cheaper, faster way to synthesize these structures with an additional
goal of making them asymmetric. The methodology utilizes the reactivity of hypervalent
iodonium alkynyl triflates when treated with various nucleophiles while in a solution of
benzene. The subsequent vinylidene carbene that forms reacts with the benzene to
initially form a [4.1.0] bicycle. Previous studies have shown that an equilibrium can exist
between the [4.1.0] bicycle and the ring-opened cycloheptatrienylidene, and that
substituents can affected the favored product. Once synthesized, the
cycloheptatrienylidene fluorophore can be reacted with various metals, such as copper
or lanthanides in order to monitor the effects of fluorescence through an aggregation
induced emission process. It is predicted that aromatization of the
cycloheptatrienylidene will cause aggregation and turn on the light-emitting fluorescence
as the molecule undergoes a restriction of intramolecular rotation. Variations of
substituted hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflates and different nucleophiles can lead to
a methodology that quickly assembles asymmetrically substituted
cycloheptatrienylidene fluorophores in a limited number of steps.
CHED 286
Modifying the structure of ciprofloxacin to synthesize novel bacterial resistant
antibiotics
Vanessa K. Cupil-Garcia, [email protected], Alexandra B. Ormond.
Chemistry, Physics and Geoscience, Meredith College, Holly Springs, North Carolina,
United States
During the 2016 World Economics Forum, a Chemical and Engineering News article
reported the Pharma industry’s declaration of war on antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics complicate the treatment and recovery of people
who have bacterial infections, leading to further health issues or death. Ciprofloxacin is
an antibiotic used to treat infections, such as anthrax, pneumonia, and cystic fibrosis.
Bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin and
other quinolone derivatives. Thus, resistance can be countered by modifying the
chemical structure of existing antibiotics, yielding molecules that are potentially as
effective as the parent drug without the existing challenge of bacterial resistance. A
ciprofloxacin derivative will be synthesized via a two to three step synthetic pathway.
The intermediates and final products will be purified and structurally characterized using
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of the ciprofloxacin derivative will be compared
to the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin using a minimum inhibitory concentration
(MIC) assay. Modifications to the structure of ciprofloxacin will help determine the
efficacy of the derivative and the substitutions that contribute to the antimicrobial
performance of the quinolone derivative.
CHED 287
Microwave-assisted Friedel-Crafts synthesis of methylacetophenone by using
eco-friendly clay catalyst
Charlotte Sandland, [email protected], Matthew Douglass, Mustafa Yatin.
Chemistry and Physics, Salem State University, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Studies on the Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions using traditional Lewis acid catalysts,
like AlCl3, and conventional heating are widely available in scientific literature and
thoroughly discussed in the electrophilic aromatic substitution parts of two semester
organic chemistry text books and practiced in undergraduate organic laboratory
experiments. This study focused on optimization of inquiry-based microwave-assisted
green synthesis of methylacetophenone by Friedel-Crafts acylation of toluene using
activated Montmorillonite K10 Clay (MMT K10), a naturally occurring zeolite consisting
of layered aluminosilicate smectite, Al2Si4O10(OH)2●nH2O, as a substitute catalyst to
generate acylium ions from acetic anhydride. The MMT K10 is solid and can easily be
separated from the reaction mixture and reused allowing to reduce the environmental
and economic impact, as well as increase the safety of the undergraduate laboratory.
The MMT K10 was heat activated and the Friedel-Crafts synthesis was carried out by
using microwaves (Single Mode MW System–CEM Discover). The microwaved
contents were centrifuged to separate the solid clay catalyst, the mixture was fractioned
by liquid-liquid extraction, and both organic and aqueous layers were dried by using
rotary evaporator. In this ongoing project, the isolated products are identified using thin
layer chromatography, Varian Mercury 300 MHz 1H-NMR and Thermo Scientific IR100
FT-IR, and the results are compared against traditional AlCl3-catalyzed method. The
green chemistry metrics, such as atom economy, effective mass yield, and e-factor, are
used to evaluate and compare the green aspect of the traditional and the method
investigated in this study.
CHED 288
Isomerization of vicinal dibromides in conformationally rigid cyclohexane
systems
Ryan P. Acocella, [email protected], Anne R. Szklarski. Chemistry and Physics,
King's College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
It is known that vicinal bromine atoms in rigid cyclohexane systems can undergo a
diatropic shift when heated. This 1,2 interchange results in the rearrangement of the
bromine atoms from the diaxial positions to the diequatorial positions. The goal of this
project was to determine if this diaxial-diequatorial isomerization could be developed
into an undergraduate laboratory experiment that would demonstrate the concept of
kinetic and thermodynamic products. The substrate, 1,2-dibromo-4-(tertbutyl)cyclohexane, was synthesized by the bromination of 4-(tert-butyl)cyclohexene at 0
°C to give a 9:1 mixture of diastereomers, favoring the kinetic product. The kinetic
product contains diaxial bromine atoms, whereas the minor, thermodynamic product
has both bromines in the equatorial position. The isomerization was completed under
polar and nonpolar conditions by heating the substrate neat or in d6-DMSO at various
temperatures. The ratio of diequatorial to diaxial isomers was monitored using gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results of the isomerization reactions
and the current status of the undergraduate laboratory experiment will be discussed.
CHED 289
Effect of aryl and N-heterocyclic systems on the solvatochromatic properties of
3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines
Mercedes N. Bauman1, [email protected], Patrick A. Ross1, Susan
Ragheb2, Michael J. Castaldi1, James K. Murray1. (1) Chemistry, Immaculata University,
Immaculata, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chemistry, St. Peter's University, Jersey
City, New Jersey, United States
With solvatic chromatic characteristics of various imidazo [4,5-b] pyridines observed in
previous work further derivatization was completed. In our original series a handle for
further derivatization was left through the presence of an aryl bromide. This was used to
extend conjugation through the use of the Suzuki coupling reaction. Additionally, a
series of compounds were prepared through a multistep synthesis including nucleophilic
aromatic substitution with N-heterocyclic systems, reduction of nitro, and ending with
the preparation of imidazo [4,5-b] pyridines. Solvatic chromatic characteristics were then
measured with the use of UV-Vis spectroscopy.
CHED 290
Hydroporphyrin dyads as singlet oxygen photosensitizers and fluorophores with
solvent polarity-dependent photochemical properties
Linda Wiratan, [email protected], Nopondo N. Esemoto, Zhanqian Yu, Marcin
Ptaszek. Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County,
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Hydroporphyrins (chlorins and bacteriochlorins) exhibit singlet oxygen photosensitizing
and near-IR fluorescence properties that are of interest for biomedical applications,
including photodynamic therapy (PDT). Photosensitizers that activate only upon
localization at target treatment sites have long been sought as highly selective PDT
agents; we hypothesize that the polarity of the sub-cellular environment could be one
such activating factor. Here, we report the investigation of a series of metalated (Pd and
Zn) chlorin dyads, their corresponding free base dyads, and non-metalated
bacteriochlorin dyads with differing linkers to determine the effect of solvent polarity on
the singlet oxygen (Φ△) and fluorescence (Φf) quantum yields. Both yields were found to
be dependent on solvent polarity; higher solvent polarity generally results in lower yields
of Φ△ and Φf. Of the solvents tested, Φ△ was greatest in toluene (ε = 2.38) while
negligible in DMF (ε = 36.7). Measuring Φf in these solvents also resulted in the same
observation, although this relationship appears much weaker for the chlorin dyads. Φ △
and Φf were also found to vary greatly depending on the type of linker connecting the
two dyad monomers and whether the dyad is metalated. Tests against corresponding
monomers of the dyads showed that the monomers did not exhibit solvent polarity
dependence. These findings may contribute to the development of activatable probes
with greater sensitivity to cellular environments.
CHED 291
Synthesis of stercobilin: A potential biomarker for autism
Jordan Coffey1, [email protected], Andrew Vadas2, Katelyn Lewis3, Gregory
Pirrone4, Troy Wood5, Amber Charlebois1. (1) Chemistry, State University of New York
at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York, United States (2) Biology, State University of New
York at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York, United States (3) Chemistry, Fairleigh Dickinson
University, Old Bridge, New Jersey, United States (4) Chemistry and Chemical Biology,
Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (5) Chemistry, State
University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States
Autism is a condition that is, at present, only diagnosed by psychological tests and
observations or by parental assessment. At this time, there is no quantitative method to
diagnose autism. Dr. Troy Wood and his team at SUNY Buffalo have observed that
children with autism have a lower concentration of stercobilin (a bile pigment
synthesized in the small and large intestines) in their urine. We are collaborating with
the Wood team to create an internal standard that can be used to measure the amount
of stercobilin in a patient’s urine. Currently, we are developing and optimizing a method
for synthesizing stercobilin. During the synthesis, we are incorporating different levels of
deuterium (heavy hydrogen) so that the stercobilin can be labeled which would allow the
amount naturally occurring in a patient’s urine to be quantified. Once complete, we will
be on our way to create the first quantitative method for diagnosing autism.
CHED 292
Microbial chemical ecology: Molecular interactions between Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis and Janthinobacter lividum
Brenda Ho2, [email protected], Thomas P. Umile1. (1) Division of Natural & Computational
Sciences, Gwynedd Mercy University, Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, United States (2)
Chemistry, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is an aquatic fungal pathogen that causes the
lethal amphibian skin infection chytridiomycosis, which is a leading cause of global
amphibian population decline. One defense against Bd are symbiotic bacteria that live
on the skin, such as Janthinobacter lividum which produces the antifungal metabolite
violacein. Bd produces its own metabolites, methylthioadenosine (MTA) and
kynurenine, which may play a role in Bd’s pathogenicity. These metabolites may also be
important in Bd’s competition with bacterial antagonists. To test this, J. lividum was
grown in the presence of MTA, kynurenine, and an unfractioned Bd supernatant. The
effect of Bd metabolites on J. lividum was then measured through cell-counting assays
and by monitoring violacein production by HPLC.
CHED 293
Cationic methyl-aryl interactions as a function of solvation
Jacob T. Jones, [email protected], Ronald Spinelle,
[email protected], Bright U. Emenike. Chemistry & Physics, State University of
New York at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, New York, United States
The ubiquitous nature of cation-aromatic interactions - the stabilizing interactions
between cations and the π face of aromatic rings - has led to a variety of applications in
science. Although many studies have established the strength of cation-aromatic
complexes, the effects of solvation have not been properly investigated, which is
surprising considering that the strength of cation-aromatic interactions is known to be
modulated by solvation. In this study, the interaction between an N-methyl pyridinium
(cation) group and the π face of a benzene ring were experimentally measured in
different organic solvents. The experimental cation-aromatic interaction energies were
obtained through the conformational studies of synthetic molecular torsional balances,
which are capable of measuring weak cation-aromatic interactions in solutions.
Subsequently, a relationship between the strength of the cation-aromatic interactions
and the physical parameters of the solvating media was established. This study
provided important insights into the physical origin and mechanism of the cationaromatic interactions.
CHED 294
Purification and analysis of distinct porphyrin molecules
Shadi N. Khayyo, [email protected], Arian Novaj, Steven Maio,
Dorina Ismailgeci, Valerie Khayyo, Pamela K. Kerrigan, Daniel Amarante. Division of
Natural Sciences, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, New York, United States
The goal of this research is to purify the meso-substituted isomers of p-anisaldehyde, ptolualdehyde and p-pyridinecarboxaldehyde porphyrins that are synthesized by a
modified Adler method. These compounds are separated using column
chromatography. Different silica gel and chloroform/methanol mixtures were used based
on the type of porphyrin being purified. For the tolyl and methoxy porphyrins, a 60 Å
mesh silica size was used. The tetra-tolyl porphyrin separated with 100% chloroform,
while the tri tolyl porphyrin used a 5% methanol/chloroform mixture. The tetra-methoxy
was obtained with 100% chloroform and the tri methoxy porphyrin required a 2%
methanol/chloroform mixture. The silica used for pyridine porphyrin was a 150 Å mesh.
The tetra pyridine was obtained with 100% chloroform and the mono-pyridine porphyrin
required a 2% methanol/chloroform mixture. Purity was tested by TLC, UV-Vis, and
NMR. For the tolyl porphyrin, the average percent yield was calculated to be 5%. The
methoxy porphyrin average percent yield was 4.77%. The pyridine porphyrin average
yield was 5.4%. These molecules will be incorporated into liposome carriers for use in
the destruction of cancer cells.
CHED 295
Trimethylenemethane reactions from hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflate:
Generation of substituted diquinanes
Tian Li, [email protected], Ivan D. Hyatt. Chemistry, Adelphi University, Garden
City, New York, United States
In this project, hypervalent iodonium alkynyl triflate is reacted with a nucleophile to
temporarily form a vinylidene carbene intermediate. Once formed, the vinylidene
carbene reacts intramolecularly with an alkene to generate a trimethylenemethane diyl.
The resulting reactive intermediate leads to diradical quenching to form the final
product, substituted diquinanes. Various substituted hypervalent iodonium alkynyl
triflates can lead to different ring structures depending on the unsaturation and the
nucleophiles used. The project will investigate functional group tolerance and explore
other potential ring systems made by this methodology.
CHED 296
Formation of conglomerates for optical resolution
Anna Lim, [email protected], Aleksandr Gorbenko, Homar S. Barcena.
Physical Sciences, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, New York, United
States
Chirality, or handedness, is an important chemical concept with applications in
medicine, materials science, and natural products. The resolution of stereoisomers was
performed first by Louis Pasteur when he manually separated the enantiomers of
tartaric acid from a conglomerate mixture of crystals. It has been previously reported
that 2,3-bis-fluoren-9-ylidenesuccinic acid may be resolved by conglomerate formation,
and in our study, we performed the synthesis of diethyl 2,3-bis(fluorenylidene)succinate
to investigate its ability to form homochiral inclusion crystals.
CHED 297
Synthesis of fulgides for optoelectronics
Homar S. Barcena, Justin Powell, [email protected]. Physical Sciences,
Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, New York, United States
Fulgides have been explored as molecular switches. These highly conjugated
compounds have interesting photochromic properties that may be useful for molecular
memory devices. We report on the synthesis and purification of 2,3-
bis(diphenylmethylene)succinic acid via Stobbe condensation, with spectroscopic data
(NMR, IR, MS) to confirm the product.
CHED 298
Electron-rich asymmetric viologens via reductive eliminations of diaryl-l3-iodanes
Andrew S. Koch, Leah M. Dignan, [email protected]. Chemistry & Biochemistry,
St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, Maryland, United States
Due to their multiple redox states, viologens have varied applications in such fields as
electron mediators and electrochromic materials. We describe a novel simple route to
new viologens that have previously been unavailable. Here, we present a novel
synthetic method for electron-rich N-aryl asymmetric viologens through the use of
hypervalent diaryl-l3-iodanes. The electrochemistry of the new viologens will also be
discussed.
CHED 299
Investigating the relationship between the antimicrobial and estrogen receptor
binding properties for 3,5-substituted parabens
Bridget Bergquist, [email protected], Kaelyn Jefferson, Andrew A.
Yeagley. Chemistry and Physics, Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia, United
States
Parabens are used in cosmetics to prevent bacterial growth. They have also been
shown to bind the Estrogen Receptor (ER); a fact that possibly links them to breast
cancer. Dihalogenated parabens have been found to have a reduced affinity for the ER
but maintain their antibiotic properties. This work investigates the effect of various
substitutions that influence both ER binding and antibiotic activity. These substitutions
have led to a disconnection in the activities observed.
CHED 300
Studies toward an affordable preparation of D-vinylglycine
Rebecca Ford, [email protected], Samer Isa, Ethan Decicco, Luis Sanchez.
Biochemistry, Chemistry & Physics, Niagara University, Niagara University, New York,
United States
While life on Earth is exclusively based on L-amino acids and D-sugars, it has recently
been found that D-amino acid-containing molecules do exhibit a variety of important
bioactivities. Natural antibiotics involving D-amino acids units have been isolated from
bacteria and many reports have revealed the participation of D-amino acids in certain
biological processes and cell functions. D-amino acids possess “unnatural” chiral
centers that make them attractive as building blocks for the synthesis of bioactive
compounds. Incorporation of D-amino acids into peptide chains and cyclic peptides can
severely affect their interactions with biological targets and their slower degradation
compared to the corresponding L isomers can be of great use in therapeutics. D-amino
acids are most commonly obtained via racemization of natural L-amino acids followed
by chiral separation; however, production of commercially viable amounts is still
complicated and expensive. In the specific case of vinylglycine, racemization is not a
viable option due to isomerization. This project aims at developing a unique,
inexpensive approach to synthesizing D-vinylglycine from L-serine as starting material.
Given the exploitable reactivity of vinylglycine, ready synthetic access to the D
enantiomer will provide the material needed to study its incorporation into peptides for
late-stage site-specific structural modification and the synthesis of complex D-branched
amino acid-like moieties.
CHED 301
Synthesis of dihydropyrans and tetrahydropyrans using Lewis acid promoted
tandem reactions
Rachel J. Edwards, [email protected], Ryan M. Crane, John F. Halonski,
Tyler Nungesser, Jeffrey M. Carney. Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher
Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, United States
Synthesis of biologically-active compounds for medicinal uses in antibiotics, antifungals, and anti-cancer drugs is a primary goal of organic chemistry. Dihydropyran and
tetrahydropyran rings are common structural features in a variety of compounds that
exhibit antibiotic and anticancer properties. The construction of heterocyclic systems
has been a continued interest of synthetic chemists in order to enable the faster and
cheaper production of pharmaceutical compounds. We have explored a one-step
reaction process to synthesize dihydropyran rings to improve upon current methods. A
reagent designed to undergo sequential nucleophilic attack in a ring-forming cascade of
reactions was used, and optimal conditions for the cyclization were explored.
Optimization involved the use of a variety of Lewis Acids, as some led to the isolation of
undesired tetrahydropyran products. Various carbonyl electrophiles and nucleophilic
reagents were also employed. As a rapid method to introduce common heterocycles,
this process has a promising potential for use in the synthesis of many biologicallyactive compounds.
CHED 302
Cyclization of tethered aminoalkenes with in situ generated catalytic hypervalent
iodine
Darcy Davidson, [email protected], Dmitry V. Liskin, Megan Sak, Skye
Harris, Jeffrey M. Carney. Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher Newport
University, Newport News, Virginia, United States
Oxyamination of an alkene can be used to synthesize 3-hydroxypiperidines and 3hydroxypyrrolidines when tethered aminoalkenes are used as substrates. Many existing
methods rely on metal catalysts to promote the oxyamination of alkenes. However,
recent studies have shown that metal free oxyamination of alkenes is possible using a
Brønsted acid and hypervalent iodine. When using these reaction conditions, only exocyclization products are observed. Our group is currently investigating the use of
catalytic iodobenzene and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) as the main
oxidant that will produce hypervalent iodine in situ and trifluoroacetic acid as a strong
Brønsted acid promoter. mCPBA is normally used to epoxidize alkenes; however, in this
system oxidation of iodobenzene into a hypervalent species is much faster and an
endo-cyclization product is observed. We hypothesize the formation of hypervalent
iodine species in situ and its subsequent activation by a strong Brønsted or Lewis acid.
Other carboxyilic acids, carbon and nitrogen nucleophiles are also under investigation.
CHED 303
Organic synthesis of fluorescent cyanine dyes and their precursors
Jahnn Drigo, [email protected], Angela J. Winstead. Chemistry, Morgan State
University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Heptamethine (Cy7) cyanine dyes are the interest of scientist because of their
significant ability to luminescence in the near-infrared region, 650-900 nm.
Pentamethine cyanine (Cy5) dyes are often used as fluorescent probes for pathogen
detection. However, Cy5 fluorescence labels suffer from biological interference from
molecules that also fluoresce at 650 nm-700 nm. Current synthetic methods utilize
excessive amounts of solvent; involve long reaction times (16 -18 h), and contain
impurities in the products. This study applies microwave assisted organic synthesis
(MAOS) as an eco-friendly, faster, and cleaner approach to synthesizing
benzoindolenine heptamethine cyanine dyes. The specific aims of this approach are the
synthesis of: 1) benzoindolenine heterocyclic salt derivatives, 2) benzoindolenine
heptamethine cyanine dyes and 3) aniline substituted benzoindolenine dyes. 5bromovaleric acid methyl ester and 6-iodohexanoic acid ethyl ester were synthesized as
synthetic reagents to the 5-bromovaleric and the ethyl hexanoate benzo salts,
respectively. Several benzoindolenine heterocyclic salt precursors were synthesized
with satisfactory yields and reduced reaction times. The benzo-ethyl and -propyl dyes
were synthesized with 97% and 85% yield, respectively, and in 30 min or less, a
reduction from the 18 h stated in the literature. The aniline substituted benzo-ethyl Cy7
dye has been synthesized in 54% yield. Optimization studies of this reaction are
ongoing. Future work includes the synthesis of additional benzoindolenine heterocyclic
salts and Cy7 dyes that possess the excellent spectral properties. All structures were
determined by 1H and 13C 400 MHz NMR. The dyes were also characterized using
Cary50 UV/Vis spectrometer.
CHED 304
Synthesis of substituted cinnamyl bromides and aryl β-keto esters toward a
convergent total synthesis of naturally-occurring phosphodiesterase-9A
inhibitors
Armen G. Beck, [email protected], Maggie McEwan,
[email protected], Kierra L. Perry, Andrew Moyer, Kiersten A. Ring,
Jeffrey M. Carney. Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher Newport University,
Newport News, Virginia, United States
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate
(cGMP) are intracellular messenger molecules involved in many biological processes.
There are 21 phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes that deactivate cAMP and cGMP and
reducing the effectiveness of PDEs through small molecule inhibition has been an
effective approach for treatment of certain diseases. One phosphodiesterase that has
seen particular interest is PDE9, which specifically deactivates cGMP. We report our
work in a convergent total synthesis of the first selective phosphodiesterase-9A
(PDE9A) inhibitors isolated from nature. A laboratory synthesis of these structures will
allow for the verification of the structural assignment and an examination their inhibitory
affinities and selectivity against PDE9A, permitting a more complete exploration of their
subsequent potential for disease treatment. Our retrosynthetic analysis of the core
structure of these compounds revealed the possibility of a convergent synthesis through
a late stage combination of various cinnamyl bromides, β-ketoesters, and a substituted
cinnamaldehyde. The synthesis of these cinnamyl bromides and β-keto esters, and their
inclusion into the core structure has been accomplished.
CHED 305
Synthesis of chiral oxetanes via the enantioselective reduction of prochiral 2halogenated ketones
Jennifer M. Garcia Rodriguez, [email protected], Javier E. López Hernández,
Blanca Quiñones Díaz, Kiara M. Santiago, Sandraliz Espinosa-Díaz, Margarita OrtizMarciales. Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico - Humacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico,
United States
The enantioselective reduction of prochiral 2-halogenated ketones is a practical and
effective way to synthesize nonracemic g-halogenated alcohols, which can be
transformed into enantiopure oxetanes. The ring opening of oxetanes with amino
compounds can produce a variety of optically active amino alcohols, which are key
precursors in the synthesis of biological active compounds, particularly, for the
treatment of neurological diseases, such as depression and anxiety. Our work is based
on the asymmetric borane–mediated reduction of prochiral β-halogenated aryl ketones
to their corresponding optically active alcohols using as catalyst the spiroaminoborate
ester derived from ethylene glycol, triisopropyl borate and (S)-(-)-diphenyl-2pyrrolidinemethanol. The enantiopure alcohols were purified by column chromatography
with silica gel and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, GC/Chiral Column and
GC/MS. The cyclization of the nonracemic alcohols to form the oxetane was
successfully achieved using 3 equivalents of potassium tert-butoxide as base, obtaining
the oxetane in good yield.
CHED 306
Novel synthetic method for the regiospecific preparation of [2H]-indazoles
Edward J. Salaski, Jean Etersque, [email protected], Melissa Orlando.
Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Science, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New
Jersey, United States
Since their original description by Nahm and Weinreb, N-methoxy-N-methyl amides
have been widely used as intermediates to allow the conversion of carboxylic acid
derivatives into ketones and aldehydes via the addition of organometallic reagents. We
attempted to use this chemistry with anthranilamide 1 and an excess of ethyl
magnesium bromide to produce ethyl ketone 2. The cleanly obtained product was not,
however, the targeted ketone. Instead, it was a material whose 1H and 13C NMR and
mass spectrum corresponded to the 2-methyl-3-ethyl-[2H]-indazole 4. Our proposed
mechanism for this unexpected transformation is shown in the scheme. It involves an
intramolecular direct displacement of the N-methoxy group of the Weinreb amide to
produce the indazolinone intermediate 3. Nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl and
elimination of water then provides the observed indazole. This poster describes our
efforts to optimize and determine the scope and limitations of the overall conversion of
Weinreb anthranilimides to [2H]-indazoles. It also outlines our investigation into the
proposed mechanism, by utilizing non-nucleophilic bases to confirm the intermediacy of
indazolinones, such as 3. Possibilities for the enhancement of the proposed unusual
nitrogen-nitrogen bond formation through direct substitution are also discussed.
CHED 307
Norbornadiene to quadricyclane intercoversion: Effect of substitution at the
methylene bridge
Daniel Smee, [email protected], Bret Unger, [email protected], Mary
Sexton, Felix Goodson. Chemistry, West Chester University, West Chester,
Pennsylvania, United States
We have developed a synthesis of substituted norbornadiene derivatives in which we
can vary the substituents at the methylene bridge position. In this poster we present the
characterization of these compounds, as well as the results of our investigations on how
substituents affect the photochemical properties of the norbornadienes, as well as the
stability of the resulting quadricyclanes. These studies address the possibility of using
the photochemical conversion of norbornadiene compounds to store solar energy.
CHED 308
Oxaquinonacyclophanes: Synthesis and host-guest binding
Taylor Sanders, [email protected], Jay W. Wackerly. Chemistry, Central College,
Pella, Iowa, United States
A novel class of macrocyclic, supramolecular compounds, we have termed
oxaquinonacyclophanes, have been synthesized by our lab in one step from readily
available starting materials. One such quinone-based macrocycle exhibits a “tweezerlike” structure in the solid state, which provides a rigid, p-electron poor cavity for
potential electron rich guest binding. This macrocycle was titrated with various pyridineN-oxide guest molecules in benzene and the binding constants were determined via 1H
NMR spectroscopy.
CHED 309
Solvent mediation of unimolecular helical exchange dynamics in the synthetic
helical peptide Z-Aib6-β-Ala-OMe
Chase Foster-Spence1, [email protected], Jesse D.
Dickovick1, Matthew C. Rotondaro1,2, Matthew A. Kubasik1. (1) Chemistry &
Biochemistry, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States (2) Chemistry,
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Our work characterizes the effects of solvent viscosity, solvent polarity, and solvent
hydrogen-bonding capacity as a function of temperature towards determining the rates
of helical conformational exchange of a dissolved solute probe. Our work employs ZAib6-β-Ala-OMe, unique for its 310 helical structure and its ability to undergo isoenergetic
conformational exchange between left- and right-handed helices. We use 1H and 13C
NMR spectroscopy to determine the rates of conformational exchange using NMR lineshape analysis. We vary solvent viscosities by using a series of alcohol solvents and by
varying sample temperature. Obtained rate constants are analyzed with Eyring
treatments to characterize peptide activation thermodynamics. We interpret the kinetic
data with theories that admit an explicit role for solvent viscosity, such as Kramers’
theory. Our unique peptide probe undergoes millisecond activated barrier crossings in
its electronic ground state. This work provides novel insight into solvent influence in
helical exchange dynamics in a unique synthetic polyamide system.
CHED 310
FT-IR spectroscopy, computational quantum chemistry, and Hessian
reconstruction analyses of helical peptide isotopologues of Aib
Matthew C. Rotondaro1,2, [email protected], Jesse D.
Dickovick1, Chase Foster-Spence1, Matthew A. Kubasik1. (1) Chemistry & Biochemistry,
Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States (2) Chemistry, Boston
University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The amide I vibrational band, in the carbonyl region of the mid-infrared, is known to be
diagnostic of protein and peptide secondary structure; helices, sheets, and random coils
all exhibit distinct carbonyl-region FT-IR spectra. The sensitivity of the amide I band to
secondary structure requires a delocalization of amide I normal modes among several
C=O oscillators. We have investigated nearest-neighbor coupling in helical peptides
through a combined experimental and computational approach. Our experiments
employ isotope-edited FT-IR spectroscopy, where we have strategically enriched
specific amide oscillators of a peptide known to adopt a 310 helical structure with C-13.
C-13 enrichment shifts the amide I band to frequencies below the broad Amide I
envelope, revealing details of inter-amide coupling. We have optimized and performed
DFT-based quantum chemical calculations with fixed dihedral angles and C-13 isotopic
substitution for identification of amide I normal mode frequencies and delocalized interamide coupling constants. Our DFT results were analyzed with Cho's method of
Hessian reconstruction in order to calculate DFT-based local mode frequencies and
inter-amide coupling constants that give rise to experimentally observed normal modes.
Our experimental results have confirmed Cho's ordering of local amide I modes for a
peptide of five amide oscillators. We have investigated the relationship between
different helical geometries and inter-amide coupling.
CHED 311
DFT calculations and FT-IR observations of the amide I band of isotopologues of
the short helical peptide Z-Aib6-β-Ala-OMe
Jesse D. Dickovick1, [email protected], Chase Foster-Spence1, Matthew C.
Rotondaro1,2, Matthew A. Kubasik1. (1) Chemistry & Biochemistry, Fairfield University,
Fairfield, Connecticut, United States (2) Chemistry, Boston University, Boston,
Massachusetts, United States
The amide I vibrational band of proteins and peptides is known to be diagnostic of
secondary structure. However, the mechanisms by which amide oscillators conspire to
reveal secondary structure through the contours of the amide I band continue to be the
subject of intense theoretical and experimental investigation. We have explored the
mechanisms of inter-amide coupling using computational and experimental methods.
We have performed quantum chemical computations using Density Functional Theory
(DFT). These computations have predicted band positions and intensities as well as
revealed the coupling between individual amide oscillators. For our poster, the
contour(s) of the amide I band(s) of our peptide as determined by DFT calculations will
be compared to experimentally-collected FT-IR spectra of various 13C isotopologues of
Aib. Our peptides are homo-oligomers of α-aminoisobutryic acid, which is known to form
a 310 helix characterized by an i → i + 3 hydrogen-bonding pattern, as opposed to the i
→ i + 4 hydrogen-bonding pattern of an α-helix. The C-terminal β-Ala residue
estabilishes a hydrogen bonding network that includes three contiguious amide groups
that are hydrogen-bonded at both the carbonyl and hydrogen ends of the amide
functional group (see figure below). Our hypothesis is that these three interior amide
functional groups will form a subset of interacting amide oscillators. In addition, using βAla as the C-terminus does not bias the peptide to either a left or right handedness. 13Clabelling localizes amide I vibrations to the 13C-enriched site(s) and shifts amide I
infrared absorptions to lower energy by approximately 40 cm -1. Our "isotope edited"
spectra reveal local vibrational environments of 13C-labelled amide oscillators and
indicate the magnitude of inter-amide coupling.
CHED 312
Supramolecular self-assembly at the solution/solid interface
Samantha R. Schrecke1,2, [email protected], Henry Castillo2,
Steven L. Tait2. (1) Chemistry & Biochemistry, Fairfield University, Fairfield,
Connecticut, United States (2) Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana,
United States
Supramolecular self-assembly at surfaces is a topic of growing interest for the rational
design of functional surface architectures. The design space using organic building
blocks is vast and can allow for specific intermolecular contacts and hierarchical
interactions. Here, we will present recent results from an NSF-funded Research
Experience for Undergraduates project conducted at Indiana University, where highresolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to characterize selfassembled molecular architectures on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces in
solution. When the samples are characterized in solution a dynamic equilibrium exists
between the adsorbed 2D packing observed by STM and a solvated phase. These
experiments build our understanding of supramolecular ordering in general, and may
also lead to the development of functional supramolecular patterning at surfaces.
CHED 313
Synthesis and surface characterization of ionic liquid 1-methyl piperazinium
lactate
Jill Harland, [email protected], Yehia Khalifa, Alicia Broderick, John T. Newberg.
Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
There is increasing interest in piperazine aqueous solutions due to their ability to
capture carbon dioxide. This led to the development of piperazine based ionic liquids
(ILs). ILs are salts that are liquid at room temperature and have unique properties, such
as low vapor pressure. Piperazinium ILs show promise as a possible sequestration
medium, although few studies currently exist examining their use for carbon dioxide
capture. Here we present results of synthesizing and characterizing 1-methly
piperazinium lactate (MPL). Several purification methods were employed to purify MPL
including distillation, rotary evaporation, extraction methods, and filtration with activated
carbon. The purity of MPL was examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS), a surface analysis technique that is highly sensitive to IL impurities. By
combining the worlds of chemical synthesis and physical chemistry, high purity MPL can
be obtained for future carbon dioxide absorption studies.
CHED 314
Thermodynamics of fluoride binding in heme proteins
Kimberly Wodzanowski, [email protected], Thomas Nagle, [email protected],
Julia Leonard, Christopher Moll, Jose Cerda. Chemistry, Saint Joseph's University ,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
The temperature dependence of fluoride binding was studied in hemoglobin (Hb),
myoglobin (Mb), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) from 10 °C to 55 °C.
Thermodynamic properties, such as the enthalpy change and entropy change of fluoride
binding, were determined for all three proteins at pH 5 and pH 7. We found that the
entropy change of fluoride binding can varied from -12.8 J/K (for Mb at pH 5 and below
45 °C) up to 434 J/K (for Hb at pH 7 and above 45 °C). Concomitantly, enthalpy change
for fluoride binding varied from -18.4 kJ/mol to 131 kJ/mol. Our study shows a strong
correlation between the entropy and enthalpy of fluoride binding, a thermodynamic
phenomenon that has been observed in the past for oxygen binding heme proteins such
as Mb and Hb and better known as the entropy-enthalpy compensation. Our results
show that the entropy-enthalpy compensation behavior of ligand binding is also present
in HRP which is not an oxygen binding protein. These results contribute to the idea that
the entropy-enthalpy compensation is a general behavior of proteins due to the
solvation of the globin structure upon ligand binding.
CHED 315
Validating reported experimental temperature by examination of displacement
parameters in small-molecule crystal structures
Christina Sotelo1, [email protected], Lu Wang1, Amy Sarjeant2. (1)
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United
States (2) Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, Piscataway, New Jersey, United
States
Atomic displacement parameters indicate the size, shape, and orientation of the atomic
motions in a crystal structure. In general structures, as temperature increases, so do the
values of relative displacement. This trend can be exploited in order to develop a
validation strategy for reported experimental temperature of small molecule crystal
structure determinations. To assess the viability of this strategy, sets of polymorphic
structures obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) were analyzed to
discern the exact relationship between average displacement parameter size (Ueq) and
data collection temperature. Structures were also analyzed with respect to molecular
rigidity and atom hybridization to determine the effects of these on average Ueq. An
analysis of such trends and a strategy for temperature validation will be presented.
CHED 316
Utilizing the Cambridge Structural Database to analyze water and metal geometric
propensities
Meredith Faulkner1, [email protected], Lu Wang1, Paul Sanschagrin2. (1)
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United
States (2) Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, Piscataway, New Jersey, United
States
The Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) contains over 820,000 organic and
organometallic crystallographic structures. This tremendous amount of data can be
used as a rich source of information regarding geometric properties in molecular
structures. In the CSD, there are over 125,000 hydrate structures. Here we present
research to update and extend the earlier work by others to tabulate and analyze the
geometric propensities of how water molecules interact with other molecular groups and
ions utilizing both the desktop CSD-System software as well as the CSD Python API. In
addition to analyzing hydrate interactions, we also examined the over 38,000 structures
with at least one alkali and/or alkaline earth metals along similar lines. Both analyses
have implications for ligand design and further understanding of the interaction that
occur between chemical moieties.
CHED 317
Understanding the formation and size distribution of porous poly(o-toluidine)
microspheres
Jean Hwang, [email protected], David M. Sarno. Chemistry, Physics
and Astronomy, Queensborough Community College of CUNY, Bayside, New York,
United States
Poly(o-toluidine) (POT), a derivative of polyaniline, belongs to a class of intrinsically
conducting polymers having unique electronic and optical properties. We have
developed a simple method to prepare highly porous POT microspheres, which may be
useful as electroactive microreactors, scaffolds for catalysis, and encapsulants for drug
delivery. Briefly, o-toluidine (OT) and ammonium persulfate are rapidly mixed in
aqueous acidic solution to obtain granular POT, which is converted into porous spheres
upon addition of excess 4 M ammonium hydroxide. FTIR spectra indicate that spherical
and granular POT are chemically identical, but that the spheres contain unpolymerized
OT. SEM images show that the morphology depends strongly on the concentration of
OT and that spheres are not formed in its absence. We propose that the rapid change
to an alkaline environment creates a water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion. The spheres
are formed when granular POT dissolves in droplets of unreacted OT and the pores are
formed by water droplets trapped in the polymer matrix. The spheres are polydisperse
in size. Approximately 65% are 1-5 μm in diameter, 20% are 6-10 μm, 5% are > 10 μm,
and 10% are < 1 μm. Preliminary SEM images suggest that reducing the amount of
granular POT available to dissolve in the OT droplets may inhibit the formation of larger
spheres and other non-spherical objects.
CHED 318
Poly(thioether-co-carbonate) composites from a quinic acid derivative and
cellulose for the development of tunable materials from natural products
Brooke Versaw, [email protected], Simcha Felder, Lauren Link, Karen L.
Wooley. Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States
Recent demand for sustainable commodity plastics has prompted interest in the
development of new classes of naturally-derived engineering polymers. The natural
product quinic acid is of particular interest as a starting material for these types of
polymers. Quinic acid is readily found in coffee, tree bark, and a variety of green
vegetables, and it provides an alternative to traditional petroleum-based starting
materials. In this presentation, advances toward the conversion of quinic acid into
mechanically-tunable crosslinked composite materials, connected via carbonate and
thioether linkages and containing cellulose nanocrystals, will be discussed. Quinic acid
was converted into a trifunctional monomer, tris(alloc)quinic acid (TAQA), in two steps in
good yield (71% overall). Poly(thioether-co-carbonate) networks were then fabricated
from TAQA and a range of multifunctional thiols by rapid, solvent-free thiol-ene
chemistry; these networks afforded a range of thermal and mechanical properties. To
expand the versatility of these poly(thioether-co-carbonate)s, composite networks were
fabricated via the integration of nanocrystalline cellulose into the uncured resin, followed
by photo-initiated thiol-ene crosslinking. The composite networks expanded the range of
achievable thermal and mechanical properties, lending the entire system greater
capacity to tune these properties towards a desired application. Of further note, these
poly(thioether-co-carbonate) networks allow for the rapid production of biocompatible
and biodegradable materials suitable for a wide range of applications in industry and
biomedicine, including medical implant devices.
CHED 319
Ln3+-mediated self-assembly of a collagen peptide into luminescent banded
helical nanoropes
Manman He2, Lang Wang1,2, [email protected], Jianxi Xiao2. (1) Cuiying
Honors College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China (2) College of Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
Design of biomimetic peptides to achieve the desired properties of natural collagen has
much potential to build functional biomaterials. A collagen-peptide/Ln3 + system has
been constructed and self-assembled to form helical nanoropes with adistinct periodic
banding pattern characteristic of natural collagen.The fully reversible self-assembly is
specifically mediated by lanthanide ions, but not by other commonly used divalent metal
ions. Lanthanide ions not only provide an external biocompatible stimulus of the
assembly, but also play as a functional unit to endow the assembled materials with
easily tunable photoluminescence. To our knowledge, this is the first report of collagenpeptide-based materials with exquisite nanorope structure and excellent
photoluminescent features. These novel luminescent nanomaterials may have great
potential in cell imaging, medical diagnostics, and luminescent scaffolds for cell
cultivation.
A. TEM images of peptide DColD with specified lanthanide ions at a molar ratio of 1:1: a. La3+,
b. Eu3+, and c. Tb3+ with an increased magnification within the inset boxes shown at the bottom
from d to f.
B. Proposed alignments of DColD in the assembly to generate the periodic banding pattern
observed in the Ln3+-assembled structures.
Scale bar is 100 nm.
CHED 320
PDMS-co-PVMS copolymer synthesis for microfluidic devices
Arissa N. Baiamonte, [email protected], Baraka S. Lwoya, Julie N. Albert.
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana,
United States
Poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is the predominant material used for the fabrication of
microfluidic devices because it is an easily synthesized, biocompatible, and flexible
material that forms a good seal with other surfaces. However, PDMS is chemically inert
and therefore difficult to functionalize for targeted applications, it can swell in the
presence of organic solvents, and it can contaminate microfluidic solutions with
unreacted oligomers. Therefore, the goal of this research was to synthesize random
copolymers of PDMS and poly (vinylmethylsiloxane) (PVMS) that retain the benefits of
PDMS and can be functionalized easily via thiol-ene click reactions. In the first stage of
this work, dichlorodimethylsilane and vinylmethyldichlorosilane were each reacted with
water to produce n-membered dimethylsiloxane rings and n-membered
vinylmethylsiloxane rings, respectively. Various reaction conditions were explored, and
through gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, it has been shown
that adding water dropwise to silane results in consistent yields and percentages of
each ring size with the eight-membered ring (four siloxane units) comprising
approximately 69% of the product. Because the smaller rings are more reactive and
thus more favorable for polymerization, they are separated from the rest of the product
by distillation. Polymers are synthesized by reacting these rings with potassium
hydroxide and heat to form PDMS, PVMS, and PDMS-co-PVMS copolymers. Again,
several reactions conditions were tested to determine the reaction kinetics and to relate
molecular weight of the polymer or copolymer to reaction time.
CHED 321
Novel block-poly(L-lactide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lactide)
systems designed to remove small organic pollutants from aqueous
environments
Katrina Bernhardt, [email protected], Amy Balija. Chemistry, Fordham
University , Bronx, New York, United States
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are the sources of significant amounts of
pollution in drinking water that cannot be satisfactorily removed by conventional water
treatment systems. Recent research has shown that polymers can be used to effectively
remove these organic pollutants. Previous research in our group has focused on
synthesizing novel biodegradable linear block copolymers with distinct hydrophobic and
hydrophilic regions that can be used as encapsulation agents to remove organic
pollutants from aqueous environments. In this presentation, research on the synthesis
of block-poly(L-lactide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lactide) systems and
their applications in organic pollutant removal will be discussed. Polymers with different
ratios of L-lactide to ε-caprolactone have been prepared. The efficiency of these
polymers in removing Rose Bengal, a model of an organic pollutant, from water was
determined. The block-poly(L-lactide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lactide)
systems were found to remove over 80% of the pollutant within 5 s of contact with the
aqueous phase. Further polymer composition analysis and alternative pollutant removal
efficiency will be discussed.
CHED 322
Photopolymerized 3D hydrogels for PC12 and human neural stem cell
engineering
Paul Gehret, [email protected], Michael Palizkar, [email protected], Weili
Ma, Won H. Suh. Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States
The desire to engineer different types of human cells is at an all-time high as the life
expectancy of humans is steadily climbing. The vast majority of human cells, if not all,
are effectively impossible to engineer from molecular building blocks and ions. The
concept of making organs and tissue, however, is theoretically possible as we have an
increased understanding of how stem cells and stem cell-like cells be manipulated in 2D
culture systems. In order to aid in the process of generating functional cells from stem
cells, our lab is developing polymer-based three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel systems to
engineer environments ideal for neural cell differentiations. We have incorporated
photopolymerizable functional groups (i.e., methacrylate) into gelatin and hyaluronan to
produce artificial microenvironments for certain cells to more effectively differentiate into
neurons. A low-power 3D printed photo adapter incorporating an LED light source was
engineered to eventually build a portable photopolymerzation device that can function
inside the cell incubator. In the presentation, we will show live-cell and fluorescence
microscopy results of cells proliferating and differentiating in the as-prepared 3D
hydrogel matrix with PC12 cells and/or human neural stem cells.
CHED 323
Science at the Mount!: Activities of the College of Mount Saint Vincent science
club
Gabriela Mendoza, [email protected], Peter Nunez,
[email protected], Elisa Ferrara, Brianna Hoyland, Eberh
Garcia, Kimberlyn Nkyeh, Pamela K. Kerrigan. Division of Natural Sciences, College of
Mount Saint Vincent, Bronx, New York, United States
The College of Mount Saint Vincent chapter strives to expose our fellow students to the
exciting world of chemistry. For the fall semester of the 2015/2016 academic year we
hosted an ice cream social in order to introduce new science majors to the Division of
Natural Sciences. During National Chemistry Week we had our annual periodic table of
elements bake sale whose proceeds went to “Extra Life”, a charity that helps children
with cancer. During the Mount's Family and Accepted Students Day, we taught kids how
to make ghost crystals and bouncy balls using borax. For our St. Patrick’s Day bake
sale we sold syringe pens which was a great success. In April we will have our annual
“Tie-Dye” event that illustrates how chemistry is used to dye clothes. We will also host a
movie night, showcasing how chemistry and technology is used in a particular film.
Furthermore, we are hosting the undergraduate program at the MARM 2016 which will
take place on our campus in June. We were given an undergraduate programming
grant from the ACS to fund this program. All club members will be volunteering as well.
CHED 324
Chemistry Club activities at Monmouth University
Katlynn Muratore, [email protected], Kristen Flynn, Brian Macalush,
[email protected], Opeposi Adetunji, [email protected], Gregory A.
Moehring. Department of Chemistry and Physics, Monmouth University, Asbury Park,
New Jersey, United States
Monmouth University’s Chemistry Club consistently provides educational and
professional development to all students who have an interest in the field of chemistry.
Throughout each semester, students are exposed to the field of chemistry in various
ways that include attending graduate panels, guest speaker seminars and becoming
involved with innovative research. We stress the importance of learning about career
paths by providing students with opportunities to visit graduate schools and chemical
companies. Not only are we focused on developing students professionally, but also the
Chemistry Club volunteers each year to help the community, whether it be cleaning up a
local park or doing demonstrations at local schools. Students that are involved with the
club are also encouraged to become active members in the Student Affiliate Chapter of
the American Chemical Society. Monmouth University’s Chemistry Club strives to shape
students throughout their journey of becoming young scientists using the wide range of
events offered.
CHED 325
Chemistry community at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Gabriella Balaa, [email protected], Natalie Steenrod, Tara S. Carpenter, Stephen
Mang. Chemistry and Biochemistry, University Of Maryland, Baltimore County,
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Our student chapter of the American Chemical Society at the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County unites a diverse group of students interested in the chemical sciences
from various areas of all the STEM fields. With 122 active members in our community,
we strive to use our different backgrounds to create a diverse set of activities to unite
our members and bring our knowledge of chemistry to our campus and the greater
community around our university. Our chapter interacts directly with many elementary
school-aged children through local schools to foster a growing appreciation for science
in the world around them. Our chapter also focuses on raising money for outreach
events and traveling to national meetings with fundraisers that reach out to the whole
campus. For our members, we host social and networking events to encourage them to
connect with one another and increase our sense of community as a group. As a whole,
we successfully use our passion for chemistry to bring students together and encourage
science in the general public.
CHED 326
On the path to a national recognition
Aleksandar Goranov3, [email protected], Sarah L. Carberry4, Loraine T. Tan5,
Thanuka Udumulla2, [email protected], Katerina Djambazova 1. (1) Ramapo
College, Mahwah, New Jersey, United States (2) Chemistry Department, Ramapo
College of New Jersey, Mahwah, New Jersey, United States (3) School of Theoretical
and Applied Science, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, New Jersey, United
States (4) School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Ramapo College of New Jersey,
Mahwah, New Jersey, United States
Ramapo College of New Jersey is a public liberal arts and professional studies
institution, established in 1969, and hosting about 6,000 students, 28 of which are
chemistry and 35 biochemistry majors, respectively. Its ACS Student Chapter was
established in 1974, and has been promoting chemistry and biochemistry ever since.
Over the last several years, the club improved its activities and obtained two certificates
of achievements (2010-2011, 2011-2012), five victory awards during chemistry demo
contests in New Jersey in the period of 2012-2015, and an Honorable Mention Award
for the last academic year (2014-2015).
This project will review the expansion of the activities of the club and the path the
students have taken to make a small liberal arts college recognized by the American
Chemical Society on a national level. Emphasis will be given to the most recent
activities and events of the chapter, its awards at the experimental demo contests, the
recent promotion of green chemistry, and the participation of its members on local and
national ACS meetings and events.
CHED 327
What's cooking at ECS?
Nikki Heron, [email protected], Nidhal H. Marashi. Chemistry, Essex County
College, Holmdel, New Jersey, United States
In 2014, we started our chapter with six members, now we have more than 40 members
involved in the innovation of promoting chemistry in our College Community. Within the
past two years; our chapter has gone beyond expectation. Just last month the ECS
chapter received a certificate of recognition as a National ACS chapter. Our chapter's
members have been diligent to reach out to our community by involving our students in
"National Chemistry Week", receiving certificate of community service, mentoring
elementary & middle school students on "Thomas Edison Day", cleaning Local Parks on
"Earth Day", and reaching out to community by sharing thoughts, knowledge, and
what's happening locally and across the globe relating to chemistry, environment, and
climate changes. Three of our chapter's members received "Chemistry Ambassador
Award" recognition and our Chapter Adviser has received two award recognitions for
promoting chemistry in our college and the community.
CHED 328
Organic chemistry: Of the people, by the people and for the people
Donna M. Huryn, [email protected]. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, United States
Organic Chemistry, the study of compounds containing carbon, was, in its infancy,
limited to those compounds produced by living organisms. As such, it is a discipline of
chemistry that is, literally, “of the people.” However, its reach has expanded far beyond
that of compounds produced by living organisms to include aspects of petrochemicals,
cosmetics, consumer products and pharmaceuticals, among others. Breakthroughs in
organic chemistry have contributed to treating, diagnosing and curing diseases;
developing novel materials with unprecedented properties; researching renewable
energy sources; and increasing crop production. This talk will present examples of the
how the field of Organic Chemistry, a discipline of the people, has been taken up by the
people, and provides benefits for all people.
CHED 329
Geochemistry and grand challenges: Arsenic contamination, and geological
carbon storage
Anastasia Ilgen6, [email protected], William D. Burgos5, Yoko Furukawa10, YoungShin Jun9, Sebastien N. Kerisit4, James D. Kubicki7, Sang Soo Lee1, Frances N. Smith3,
Andrew G. Stack2, Lisa L. Stillings8. (1) Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Argonne
National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois, United States (2) 6110, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States (3) MSIN P7-25, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States (4) Pacific Northwest Natl
Lab, Richland, Washington, United States (5) Penn State Univ, University Park,
Pennsylvania, United States (6) Geochemistry, Sandia National Laboratories,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States (7) Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State
University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States (8) US Geological Survey, Reno,
Nevada, United States (9) Energy, Environmental and Chemical Eng., Washington
University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States (10) Office of Naval
Research Global, Tokyo, Japan
This presentation will provide an overview of the significant impact geochemistry
explorations have on human lives, with a focus on the contributions of environmental
geochemistry. We will focus on the two specific examples: (1) research on the origin,
and chemical controls on the fate and transport of arsenic in groundwater, and (2)
research on the geochemistry of geological carbon storage.
Geochemistry Division members actively explore the areas of bio-, microbial, interfacial,
isotope, and petroleum geochemistry, through the use of field studies, laboratory
experiments, and computational approaches. Geochemistry uses the tools and
principles of chemistry to explain elemental distributions and the evolution and
movement of matter between solid Earth, oceans, atmosphere, and the biosphere.
Geochemists strive to understand the mechanisms that control processes from the
atomic scale to the planetary scale, modelling the behavior of major geological systems
on Earth and other planets. Geochemical research impacts human lives as it is crucial
for mineral resource extraction, energy production, and understanding the human
impacts on the environment: climate and water cycle changes, behavior of pollutants,
and soil degradation due to intensive agriculture. Geochemists develop remediation
methods for contaminated sites, water purification approaches, as well as geo- inspired
materials for applications such as solar cells.
Acknowledgement: Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory
managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed
Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security
Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
CHED 330
Waste water treatment and microbeads: teaching students to distinguish media
myth from scientific reality
Robert Y. Lochhead3, [email protected], Anne G. Marks1, Karen C.
Deniakos4, Sarah E. Morgan2. (1) Science Division, Jones County Junior College,
Ellisville, Mississippi, United States (2) School of Polymers and High Performance
Materials, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States (3)
School of Polymers High Performance Materials, The University of Southern
Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States (4) Science Department, West
Jones High School, Laurel, Mississippi, United States
The impact on the environment of plastic microbeads is a subject of current concern
that climaxed recently with the passage of the Microbeads-Free Waters Act which
banned the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products. It is a dictum of this law that
plastic microbeads evade the filters of waste-water treatment plants (WWTP). In a
National Science Foundation sponsored ‘Research Experience for Teachers’ project,
we posed the questions: (1) what is the chemical composition of cosmetic microbeads?
(2) What happens to microbeads in waste water treatment plants?
We toured a WWTP to critically understand the process. The first stage of treatment
comprised a settling pond in which solids either floated or sedimented depending on
their density relative to water. The outlet pipe for this pond was situated at an
intermediate depth. However, scientific literature indicated that microbeads in the Great
Lakes and in the marine environment were detected by manta-trawling which ‘netted’
floating particles. This presented an apparent contradiction. How could floating
microbeads flow through a WWTP via the partially submerged pipes? We answered this
question by constructing a lab-scale model of a WWTP and we observed the movement
of introduced fluorescent microbeads. We also observed the effect of surfactants, oils
and grease on the model treatment of microbeads. In all cases, the microbeads
remained afloat in the primary sedimentation tank. Large water flows did not cause the
microbeads to escape to downstream tanks except for a very few microbeads which
appeared to escape through imperfect seals at the surface. Our model agrees with
literature reports of better than 99.9% containment in real wastewater plants.
In a parallel thrust of the project, microbeads were filtered from facial scrub products
and identified by microscopy and FTIR. The beads were found to consist of either
polyethylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) [PET], or iron oxide. The iron oxide beads
sank and the others floated in water.
Extracurricular lesson plans are planned to teach an awareness of waste water
treatment to introduce concepts of the ecological impact of consumer goods, the
importance and the relative scarcity of clean water, the principles of buoyancy and
sedimentation, an introduction to polymer science, and the need for critical thinking to
balance understanding of science reported by non-scientific media.
CHED 331
Chemistry of the people, by the people, for the people how chemistry and the law
affects people of Earth
Jonathan L. Kennedy1,2, [email protected]. (1) McKee, Voorhees Sease,
PLC, Des Moines, Iowa, United States (2) Division of Chemistry and the Law, Des
Moines, Iowa, United States
This presentation will address some of the various ways that the intersection of
chemistry and the law affects the people of the earth. While Jonathan's expertise is in
the areas of intellectual property law, and particularly patent law, Jonathan will be briefly
addressing the role of chemistry in not only intellectual property but also forensic
science and other areas that chemistry intersects the legal world.
CHED 332
Industrial and engineering chemistry - Chemistry that works
Frankie K. Wood-Black, [email protected]. Ag., Science and Engineering,
Northern Oklahoma College, Ponca City, Oklahoma, United States
Did you ever stop and think about how that novel discovery in the laboratory really
becomes a viable chemical process? Those involved in industrial and engineering
chemistry think about this every day. How do you get that process to be efficient? Or,
how can that separation be done with less energy? Or, how can we design the process
for the environment? These implementation steps are just as critical to the success of a
project as the initial discovery. Come and hear how the Industrial and Engineering
Division supports making “Chemistry Work.”
CHED 333
Human health research in the Division of Chemical Toxicology
Stephen S. Hecht1, Amanda C. Bryant-Friedrich1, [email protected]. (1) Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota ,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (1) University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, United
States
The mission of the Division of Chemical Toxicology and its flagship journal Chemical
Research in Toxicology is to advance the understanding of the impact of chemical and
biological agents on the health of the people of Earth. The Division, with over 1000
members, was founded in 1996 and features superlative, innovative, intellectually
stimulating programming at each Fall ACS meeting. Research among Division members
is varied and strongly multidisciplinary ranging from computational and synthetic
chemistry to proteomics, adductomics and metabolomics, biochemistry and molecular
biology, drug discovery, drug metabolism, bioanalytical chemistry, DNA and protein
modification, bioinformatics, and molecular epidemiology. A major theme of the
Division’s research is chemical mechanisms of human toxicity and carcinogenicity. Our
scientists are widely recognized for their significant contributions to enzymatic
mechanisms of metabolism and detoxification of environmental toxicants and
carcinogens to which humans are exposed through the diet, polluted air and water, by
consumption of various natural products, and by use of tobacco products. Division
members have also played key roles in determining mechanisms of lipid biochemistry
related to human health, and in the identification and elucidation of mechanisms of DNA
and protein interactions of established human carcinogens such as aflatoxins, metals,
aristolochic acid, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and tobacco-specific nitrosamines.
Significant studies of idiosyncratic drug reactions such as drug induced liver injury and
allergic reactions have also been reported by Division members. Nanotoxicology, the
toxic effects of particles, and marine toxins are additional areas of intense interest.
Thus, by furthering our understanding of chemical mechanisms of toxicity and
carcinogenesis by agents to which humans are commonly exposed from both
exogenous and endogenous sources, the Division has a powerful positive influence on
the health of all the people of Earth.
CHED 334
Graduate course in professional science communication
Ryan C. Fortenberry, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry,
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, United States
Georgia Southern University has implemented a required course in Professional
Science Communication as part of the Professional Science Master’s Degree. This
course has four facets: journalistic writing, technical writing, oral presentation, and
public relations. Each of these builds upon the other to develop the chemistry and
physics graduate students within the Master’s of Science in Applied Physical Science in
novel ways. This approach is unique within science communication education as it aims
to implement journalistic-style communication within scientific writing and presentation.
This course also teaches the science students how their research and professional work
will be utilized by public relations and marketing personnel within a scientific
organization for outreach and advertising purposes. This presentation will showcase the
pedagogical approach, student outcomes, and qualitative student perceptions of the
course. This course is built from a preexisting Science Communication course taught
online through Mississippi College since 2011.
CHED 335
Kitchen conversations
Matthew R. Hartings, [email protected]. Chemistry, American University,
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
Some of the most difficult chemical transformations are carried out every day by people
at home in their kitchens. People without any sort of scientific, let alone chemical
training, exercise control over some very complicated chemistry while standing in front
of a stove.
A more complete engagement of non-chemists with the chemical enterprise would be
very beneficial for chemists and chemistry, as a whole. However, chemistry is one of
those sciences that many people are uninterested in. One reason for this is that there is
a very necessary barrier between non-chemists and a chemical research lab. While
safety and proficiency are valid concerns, as chemists, we must find effective ways to
engage our friends and neighbors with our science. I have personally found that
discussing cooking and food are effective ways of bridging knowledge gaps and driving
interest in modern chemical research. As food and food additives are also topics of
scrutiny for people who are skeptical of the chemical enterprise, developing a foodcentric communications approach can have benefits outside of just talking about
research.
In this talk, I will share my experiences communicating chemistry and my observations
of people doing amazing chemistry in the kitchen. I will also discuss how cooking and
food can be used to drive a greater interest and engagement with the chemical
enterprise.
CHED 336
Beyond the page: Journal article as the starting point in chemical communication
Miranda A. Paley2, [email protected], Carolyn R. Bertozzi1,
[email protected]. (1) Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford,
California, United States (2) ACS Central Science, Washington, District of Columbia,
United States
In 2015, the American Chemical Society launched its first fully open access journal, a
prestigious multidisciplinary chemistry journal ACS Central Science. In the last two
years, we have positioned the journal as a go-to venue for the broad dissemination of
cutting edge knowledge in chemistry and allied fields. Through the use of a combination
of research articles written in a general format, and editorial and news content including
interviews, featured news articles, and the views of leading scientists we aim to engage
many levels of readers. In this presentation, we will discuss our efforts to make the
academic journal less intimidating to a broad audience of scientists and non-specialists
alike and highlight tips for writing for an audience outside your particular scientific niche.
We will also comment on how our successes with press releases, videos, social media,
and LiveSlides, help communicate our science further.
CHED 337
Effective chemistry communication in informal environments
David A. Ucko, [email protected]. Museums + more, Washington, District of
Columbia, United States
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently released a
report designed to help chemists conduct public outreach. Funded by the National
Science Foundation, it offers evidence-based communication strategies drawn from
informal learning, science communication, and chemistry education research. This talk
will present an overview of the report, along with its background. It will highlight why
chemists engage in communication; the current state of chemistry communication;
evidence-based research on learning and communication; evaluation to refine goals
and demonstrate effectiveness; and the committee's recommendations. A companion
presentation will focus on details of the framework for the design and implementation of
communication activities.
CHED 338
Practical guide to crafting communication strategies to effectively engage the
general public
Joseph S. Francisco, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, University of
Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Chemistry plays a critical role in daily life, impacting areas such as medicine and health,
consumer products, energy production, the environment, and many other areas.
Despite the growing body of evidence, which indicates that the general public is
engaging with science, there is a general perception among those in the field that
chemistry is decreasing in popularity and general public interest. As institutions and
organization mobilize to invest in efforts to raise public awareness of the importance of
chemistry in everyday life, what are effective strategies for designing communication
activities? Over the years, many approaches have been tried; some have worked and
many have failed. As a consequence the chemistry community has lacked a cohesive,
evidence-based guide for designing effective communication activities. This talk will
outline a framework of five recommended steps, for the design of chemistry
communication activities. The key areas of evidence research that supports such a
strategy is be presented.
CHED 339
Development of a manufacturing route for MK-8931
William Morris, [email protected]. Process Chemistry, Merck Research
Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey, United States
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in gradual loss of
memory and impairment of vocal and motor control before ultimately resulting in death.
It is estimated that by 2030 approximately 75 million individuals worldwide will be
suffering from AD, a number that represents a 60% increase from the number of people
living with the disease in 2015. To address this unmet medical need, Merck has
advanced MK-8931, an investigational β-amyloid precursor protein site-cleaving
enzyme (BACE) inhibitor, into Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of AD. The
evolution of the synthetic route to support the preclinical and clinical development of
MK-8931 will be described, including our most recent advances to address the process
development challenges observed in earlier synthetic approaches to MK-8931.
CHED 340
Synthesis design through the lens of flow chemistry - How, when, and why
Timothy F. Jamison, [email protected]. Chemistry/18-590, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
United States
Flow chemistry has the potential to revolutionize the synthesis of organic molecules operationally and conceptually. Flow systems can reduce reaction times, increase
efficiency, and obviate problems often encountered in scaling up. In addition to these
important practical advantages, flow chemistry expands the “toolbox” of organic
reactions available to scientists engaged in the synthesis of molecules – from smallscale experiments to large-scale production. These benefits are a direct result of
several features of flow synthesis that batch synthesis typically cannot achieve, for
example, the ability to control fluid flow precisely, the access to temperature and
pressure regimes not usually considered to be practical, and the enhanced safety
characteristics of flow chemical systems. In this lecture we will discuss some of our
investigations in this area in the form of case studies, wherein a specific target or family
of organic molecules has served as an inspiration for the development of new methods
of organic synthesis in flow. The primary thesis we will discuss is that the collection of
innovations in flow chemistry has changed the way we consider building molecules.
That is, it is both a technological and conceptual advance in chemical synthesis.
CHED 341
Intercepting and delineating bacterial communication pathways using synthetic
ligands
Michael A. Welsh, Joseph D. Moore, Michelle E. Boursier, Tian Yang, Matthew C.
O'Reilly, Kayleigh E. Nyffeler, Joseph K. Vasquez, Helen E. Blackwell,
[email protected]. Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison,
Wisconsin, United States
Bacteria can utilize chemical signals to coordinate the expression of group-beneficial
behaviors in a mode of cell-cell communication called quorum sensing (QS). Once a
quorate population of bacteria is achieved in a given environment, bacteria will work
together as a group to initiate behaviors that are impossible as individual cells. The
discovery that QS controls the production of virulence factors and biofilm formation in
many common human pathogens has driven an explosion of research aimed at both
deepening our basic understanding of these regulatory networks and developing
chemical agents that can modulate QS signaling. The inherently chemical nature of QS
makes studying these pathways with small molecule tools a complementary approach
to traditional microbiology techniques. In fact, chemical tools are beginning to yield new
insights into QS regulation and provide new strategies to inhibit QS. In this presentation,
we will outline our general research approach to the design of synthetic ligands capable
of blocking or activating QS in a range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Recent examples of how we have used these ligands to reveal new knowledge of QS
biology will be highlighted. We will also detail outstanding challenges in the field and
suggest strategies to overcome these issues.
CHED 342
From quantum chemistry to drug discovery: the evolution of Schrodinger, Inc. in
the world of computational chemistry
Richard A. Friesner, [email protected]. Columbia Univ, New York, New York,
United States
We will discuss the evolution of Schrodinger, Inc. from a small company distributing a
single quantum chemistry program to its current status as a comprehensive provider of
computational chemistry solutions, and a collaborative participant in drug discovery
projects. Major challenges in scientific development, software engineering, business
strategy and execution, and fundraising had to be overcome in order to successfully
grow the company to its present size of 280 employees, including more than 100 Ph. D.
computational scientists. A major headwind to success was the disappointment in
industry with the efficacy of physics based simulation throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.
The increasing power of computational hardware (in particular GPUs), combined with
more mature algorithms and computational models, is now revolutionizing the field, to
the point where many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are considering a
major investment in biomolecular simulation. This strategic inflection point is creating
many exciting opportunities for Schrodinger and other developers, including academic
groups.
CHED 343
Expanding chemical biology with genetic code expansion
Ryan A. Mehl, [email protected]. Dept Biochemistry Biophysics, Oregon
State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
How would you like to tune the reactivity of your protein? Genetically encoded, sitespecific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) provides unprecedented
molecular control over proteins and provides access to countless creative chemical
biology applications. Genetic Code Expansion requires that a cell’s translational
machinery be expanded to include new orthogonal tRNA/tRNA-synthetase pairs specific
for new ncAAs. The challenges in reengineering translation and applying this powerful
technology for new chemical biology users will be discussed.
The mission of the Unnatural Protein Facility at Oregon State University is to assist in
training new users and providing access to new chemical biology tools The UP Facility
workshops and conference on Genetic Code Expansion will also be discussed
CHED 344
Crystallography in the undergraduate setting: From diffractometer acquisition to
publishing structures in collaboration with undergraduates
Joseph Tanski, [email protected]. Chemistry, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New
York, United States
As scientific educators, it is important to mentor students in using state-of-the-art
instrumentation and in the communication of new knowledge. Just as chemical
crystallography can be a fast, effective tool to experimentally observe the structure of
molecules and enhance students learning of molecular structure, it can also provide an
inspiring opportunity for students to write short, scientific journal style reports that can
be edited and published in collaboration with a crystallographer. This talk will focus on
strategies for writing a successful grant to obtain a single crystal X-ray diffractometer
and a teaching module used to expose undergraduate students to small molecule
crystallography including the publication of the resulting crystal structures. With
examples of student obtained structures, topics will include: how to justify diffractometer
acquisition at a primarily undergraduate institution to funding agencies, sample choice,
how the discovery based molecular structure determination lab module works, guiding
students in the assessment of molecular packing and intermolecular interactions such
as hydrogen bonding, π-stacking, halogen-halogen interactions, and C-H...X (X = O, N,
halogen) interactions, and the writing of descriptions of crystal and molecular structures
for publication in collaboration with undergraduate students.
This work was supported by grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation, No.
0521237 & 0911324.
CHED 345
Teaching chemical crystallography without a diffractometer
Arun T. Royappa, [email protected]. Univ of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United
States
Since most of what we know about molecular structure comes from crystallography, and
because it is becoming increasingly important in all branches of chemistry, it is clear
that crystallography needs to be a part of the undergraduate chemistry curriculum.
However, most chemistry departments do not have the luxury of owning a single-crystal
X-ray diffractometer. This is especially likely to be true at a Primarily Undergraduate
Institution (PUI). It is nonetheless possible to teach the basics of chemical
crystallography using the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). We demonstrate how
this can be done with two free software tools available from the Cambridge
Crystallographic Data Centre, WebCSD and Mercury, paying particular attention to the
free teaching subset of the CSD. Our approach, a three-hour dry lab exercise involving
these tools, has been implemented and used successfully at the University of West
Florida, a PUI, for several years. Assessment data for the exercise will also be
presented.
CHED 346
Protein crystallography as a research and teaching tool: X-ray crystallography
makes a comeback at Bryn Mawr College
Yan Kung, [email protected]. Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr,
Pennsylvania, United States
Research and teaching in protein crystallography has expanded immensely in recent
years at Bryn Mawr College, a primarily undergraduate liberal arts college in
metropolitan Philadelphia. The college's unique composition, with women
undergraduates and a small coeducational graduate program, in addition to institutional
professional support, regional collaborations, and new developments in our
biochemistry curriculum have enabled a dramatic expansion of protein crystallography
research as well as deep integration of structural concepts in the curriculum. An
overview of the rich history of X-ray crystallography at Bryn Mawr will be presented,
followed by a discussion of how recent curricular changes, research grants, and
collaborations and partnerships have triggered a resurgence of crystallography in
research and teaching at Bryn Mawr. Current limitations and outstanding challenges will
also be presented to explore what the future may hold for the incorporation of protein
crystallography in a primarily undergraduate setting.
CHED 347
X-ray crystallography in a directed-inquiry organic chemistry laboratory
experiment: Endo versus exo revealed
Jane E. Wissinger1, [email protected], Giang T. Hoang2, Victor G. Young1, Tomohiro
Kubo3. (1) Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Plymouth, Minnesota, United States (2)
Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore (3) Chemistry,
University of Florida, Gainsville, Florida, United States
An introductory organic chemistry laboratory experiment was developed which
highlights the utility of single crystal X-ray crystallography for structure elucidation.
Students perform a reaction sequence involving the synthesis of 2,3,4,5tetraphenylcyclopenta-2,4-dien-1-one via an aldol condensation reaction followed by the
Diels-Alder reaction with styrene. Students are presented with three possible products,
the endo and exo diastereomers, and the decarbonylated product. They set out to
characterize their beautiful crystalline product by IR and 1H NMR techniques and
discover that the stereochemistry of the Diels-Alder adduct cannot be unambiguously
assigned, even using the 1H NMR Karplus coupling constants relationships. Students
are then given the link to the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre and the CIF
(crystallographic information file) corresponding to their isolated product for visualization
of its three-dimensional structure. The power of single X-ray diffraction for providing
bond lengths, bond, angles, and conformations is implicit when students are prompted
to explore various aspects of the data. The technique and vast utility of X-ray
crystallography is shared with students through an introductory handout and lecture
presentation. Student surveys show an appreciation for X-ray crystallography’s role in
advancing many fields of science, particularly connecting with biological applications.
Solving the puzzle with X-ray crystallographic analysis
CHED 348
Promoting student success via crystallographic data in the sophomore organic
course setting
Kraig A. Wheeler, [email protected]. Eastern Illinois University , Charleston, Illinois,
United States
Many course themes embraced in sophomore organic chemistry reap the benefit of
crystallographic data from previous studies. These topics are far-reaching and
contribute to many fundamental content areas such as covalent and non-covalent
interactions, reaction mechanisms, and conformational preferences. While the
importance of crystallography to our understanding of a variety of organic chemistry
concepts is undeniable, there often exists a significant disconnect with how the
instruction of crystal structure data is treated in the lecture and laboratory setting. This
presentation builds on the learning principle that well-placed discussions and
experiments that combine the advantages of crystallographic data and traditional
approaches help students gain a more lucid grasp of course material. Several lecture
and laboratory examples that highlight the benefits and effective use of crystallographic
data will be discussed.
CHED 349
Combining X-ray crystallography and computational chemistry with nuclear
magnetic resonance spectroscopy for small molecule structural characterization
Jordan D. Zehr, Christian Hamann, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry
& Biochemistry, Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
Undergraduate students routinely utilize a wide range of spectroscopies (e.g., NMR, IR,
UV-vis, Raman) and mass spectrometry to characterize commercially-available
compounds as well as products from reactions they perform in the laboratory. In
increasing numbers, students are complementing the more common methods of
analysis with X-ray crystallography and computational chemistry. We report the
intentional combination of three powerful techniques – X-ray crystallography,
computational chemistry, and NMR spectroscopy – as a means to more thoroughly
interrogate molecular structure, particularly as students come to appreciate that there
can be differences between the solid phase, gas phase, and dilute-solution phase
structures of molecules. We are investigating a series of sterically crowded products
from an electrophilic aromatic substitution discovery experiment performed in our
organic chemistry laboratory. Students typically predict that the methoxy functional
groups in these molecules are in the plane of the parent benzene ring due to
conjugation. They are surprised to learn that X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals the
methoxy groups to be out of the plane by varying degrees, depending on the size of the
alkyl substituents also attached to the ring. By comparing experimental X-ray
crystallographic structures with calculated gas phase structures, students begin to
develop an appreciation for the effects of crystal packing forces and how these forces
can overcome the structural stabilization predicted by the maximum p-orbital overlap of
the in-plane methoxy groups. In addition to providing an estimate of the energies
involved in this structural distortion, computational techniques can be used to probe the
difference between the X-ray crystal structures and dilute-solution NMR structures:
students can compare predicted chemical shifts for the conformers found in the crystal
structures with predicted (and actual) chemical shifts for the conformers observed in
dilute solution. In summary, students are promoted to a more thorough investigation of
small molecule structure using X-ray crystallography, computational chemistry, and
NMR spectroscopy in combination because they give due consideration to the physical
state required for each method of analysis.
CHED 350
Chemical crystallography: how much of it is suitable for an undergraduate class?
Alexander Y. Nazarenko, [email protected]. Buffalo State Coll, Buffalo, New
York, United States
Classic courses of crystallography are oriented mostly at graduate students and at very
advanced undergraduate students. They always include material that requires good
knowledge of advanced mathematics plus good understanding of quantum physics. All
this is essential for a crystallographer but is out of reach of most undergraduate
chemistry students. At the same time, little attention is paid to chemical aspects of
crystals. Here we suggest a multi-step approach to teaching chemical crystallography at
undergraduate level:
a) Quick 15 min demonstration of crystal structure determination in freshman and
sophomore classes (General Chemistry, and analytical chemistry labs).
b) More advanced demonstration for junior classes can include study of several
samples. After a short introduction and demonstration, students are encouraged to
mount and run the data collection themselves using preset experimental conditions.
c) For senior elective classes (inorganic chemistry laboratory, advanced organic
chemistry laboratory, analytical toxicology, and similar) students synthesize or isolate
compounds of interest, obtain suitable crystals, collect and process data, and obtain
their ‘own’ crystal structure.
Crystalline compounds suitable for these experiments and their sources as well as
possible challenges will be discussed.
Finally, the full one-semester elective class on structural chemistry is suggested. This
class starts with a tutorial-level reminder about point groups and space groups which
uses the already known material from inorganic chemistry. Next, a brief introduction to
single crystal and powder diffraction is given. A series of laboratory experiments include
quick data collection and, most important, data analysis for molecular crystals
(polyaromatic hydrocarbons), crystals with known network of hydrogen bonds (sugars),
ionic crystals (various salts), zwitter-ions (taurine, amino acids), and/or metalorganic
compounds. Fast data collection and processing leaves sufficient time to analyze
molecular structure and intermolecular interactions after each experiment. Additional
examples include Cambridge Structure Database searches and their analyses. In the
end of this class, we prefer to have a full crystal structure determination report in lieu of
any sort of exam.
Above mentioned approaches were tested in 2013-2016 in various classes at SUNY
College at Buffalo.
CHED 351
Education from 824,520 crystal structures
Amy Sarjeant2, [email protected], Peter A. Wood3, Suzanna Ward1, Colin
Groom1. (1) CCDC, Cambridge, United Kingdom (2) Cambridge Crystallographic Data
Centre, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (3) Cambridge Crystallographic Data
Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Most of what we know about chemistry comes from three-dimensional structural
determinations. However, when teaching chemistry, we rarely focus on the best method
for determining molecular structure in the solid state – X-ray Crystallography. The
Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) comprises over 800,000 small molecule crystal
structures, curated and maintained by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre
(CCDC). While the CSD has become the go-to resource for structural chemists,
worldwide, it can also serve as a premiere educational resource. In addition to providing
three dimensional structure of entries the CSD contains a wealth of statistical
information about symmetry, packing, coordination environments, bond distributions,
and intermolecular interactions. By choosing our examples well, we can illustrate a huge
variety of chemical and crystallographic principles using the information contained in the
CSD. This talk will focus on the ways educators can use crystal structure data in the
classroom to augment the learning experiences of students.
CHED 352
People of the division of agricultural and food chemistry
Kathryn D. Deibler7, [email protected], Michael Appell5, Michael H. Tunick3, Navindra
P. Seeram6, Bosoon Park4, Michael J. Morello1, Charles J. Brine2. (1) PepsiCo Global
RD, Barrington, Illinois, United States (2) Princeton ChitoCare, LLc, Princeton, New
Jersey, United States (3) USDA ARS, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, United States (4)
USDA, ARS, Athens, Georgia, United States (5) USDA-ARS, Dunlap, Illinois, United
States (6) Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island,
Charlestown, Rhode Island, United States (7) Consumer Healthcare, Pfizer, Richmond,
Virginia, United States
The Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (AGFD) of the American Chemical
Society brings together persons particularly interested in the chemistry of agricultural
and food products, both raw and finished; to foster programs of general papers and
symposia on special topics dealing with this field of chemistry; to promote such other
activities as will stimulate activity in and emphasize the importance of research in
agricultural and food chemistry. The Division offers a diversity of opportunities for
involvement and recognition. History and activities will be discussed.
CHED 353
Making chemistry data infrastructure awesome: The CINF multiplier
Erin Davis1, [email protected], Elsa Alvaro2. (1) Cambridge Crystallographic Data
Centre, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States (2) Northwestern University, Evanston,
Illinois, United States
The digital age has brought the world of chemistry the ability to accumulate and transfer
a tremendous wealth of information. The challenge is that there IS now a tremendous
wealth of information. How do people store and find data? How do people learn from
this overwhelming volume of data? How do we extract trends and new knowledge from
this information? How do we manage standards and formats in order to extract trends
and new knowledge? The questions that chemical information brings up are as
numerous as those it answers. In this talk, we explore how the Division of Chemical
Information connects a diversity of chemistry professionals across the enterprise to
address these challenges: exploring how chemical information is created, stored,
managed, accessed, and learned from - in support of and applicable to all avenues of
chemistry research, education, and utilization.
CHED 354
Polymers all around us - The POLY road show
Frank D. Blum, [email protected]. Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma, United States
Polymers are all around us. They are the materials for the people and, usualy, by the
people. Their discovery, development and use will be told in a serices of snippets. The
"POLY Road Show" has several examples from the history of polymers. In the end, we
conclude that we are indeed in the Polymer Age.
CHED 355
Biological chemistry for the people
Yi Tang, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los
Angeles, California, United States
The BIOL division focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of biological
phenomena, covering (among others) structure, function, and regulation of biologically
active molecules; gene structure and expression; biochemical mechanisms; protein
biosynthesis; protein folding; membrane structure-function relationships; bioenergetics;
and immunochemistry. Research by members of the division, from both academic and
industry, have (among others) revealed the molecular basis of diseases, led to the
development of life-saving pharmaceuticals, and enabled the application of biological
tools to improve the everyday lives of people in the world. In this presentation, an
overview of the BIOL division activities and recent discoveries pertaining to the central
theme of the meeting, “Chemistry of the People, by the People, for the People" will be
presented.
CHED 356
New generation chemistry for newborn screening of inborn errors of metabolism
Frantisek Turecek1, [email protected], Michael H. Gelb2, C. Ronald
Scott1. (1) Univ of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States (2) Dept of Chem 36
Bagley Hall, Univ of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
The combination of synthetic organic chemistry with modern analytical methods such as
tandem mass spectrometry has been developed into a powerful tool in clinical
diagnostics of metabolic disorders. In particular, lysosomal storage disorders (LSD)
represent a group of over 40 metabolic diseases caused by deficient enzymes
specializing in catabolic degradation of lipids, saccharides, proteins and their conjugates
such as glycolipids and lipoproteins. LSD are rare disorders that do not present in
affected children at birth and are difficult to diagnose before organ or systemic damage
sets in. In the last decade, sophisticated treatments based on enzyme replacement or
erythropoietic stem cell transplantation therapies have been developed for several LSD
that stressed the need for an early detection of affected newborns by large scale
screening. Our team has been developing diagnostic methods utilizing synthetic
enzyme substrates and product quantitation by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).
The MS/MS methods are suitable for large-scale newborn screening of entire newborn
populations, e.g., >1,500,000 newborns in New York state and >150,000 newborns in
Washington state. The lecture will describe the new chemistry of assays for enzymes
responsible for deficient sphingolipid degradation, mucopolysaccharidoses, and
neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. These assays have been tailored for bioanalytical work
with dried blood spots and are compatible with the workflow in state newborn screening
centers. The new methods allow massive multiplexing of quantitative analyses by
tandem mass spectrometry.
CHED 357
Green gasoline: A better biofuel
John R. Regalbuto, [email protected]. Department of Chemical Engineering,
University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States
In this election year, the issue of alternate transportation fuels has often surfaced. There
is currently a significant amount of confusion regarding the potential fuel economy of
ethanol-fueled vehicles in claims that the higher octane of ethanol permits engine
operation at higher compression ratios, and the resulting higher engine efficiency will
compensate for lower energy density to ultimately give higher fuel economy than
gasoline in the modified engine.
In this paper a simple thermodynamic analysis, validated by experimental data from the
literature, is used to show that increased thermal efficiency of ethanol engines at higher
compression ratios will not nearly compensate for the large difference in energy density
vis-à-vis gasoline. The key is to understand that thermal efficiency and fuel economy
are not the same thing; fuel economy is the product of energy density and thermal
efficiency, and energy density dominates.
The talk will conclude with a roadmap showing the catalytic and biocatalytic routes to
biohydrocarbon fuels from non-food lignocellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural and
forest waste and energy crops such as switchgrass
CHED 358
Making the bones of chemistry visible
Michelle M. Francl1,2, [email protected]. (1) Dept of Chem, Bryn Mawr Coll, Bryn
Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Vatican Observatory, Rome, Holy See [Vatican
City State]
Over a century ago Nobel prize winning chemist Wilhelm Ostwald urged teachers of
chemistry to keep “the bony skeleton of the chemical body” visible through the facts.
Whether communicating chemistry to the general public or to beginning students, the
facts are often not enough. Chemists need to help novices learn to use chemical
information to grapple with novel questions that matter to them. I will propose a simple
conceptual framework to help non-chemists develop a chemical imagination, able to
make predictions and decisions as chemists might, to see through to the atoms and
molecules that make up the world around them.
CHED 359
Teaching students how to communicate chemistry
Holly C. Gaede, [email protected]. Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas, United States
Communication skills are of paramount importance to chemistry majors, no matter their
ultimate pursuits. Nonetheless, students are often reluctant to embrace this reality, and
curricula can be deficient in teaching and developing these skills. I will discuss the
evolution of our senior seminar course, in which chemistry students prepare several oral
and written assignments sourced from recent chemical literature. Student success is
improved by providing detailed motivation for every assignment and explicitly teaching
even basic skills like how to read a scientific paper. Practice and feedback are essential
in developing student competence, and furthermore, students can be desensitized to
public speaking fears by talking frequently in low-pressure situations. Finally, students
gain scientific insight when asked to write and speak for a general audience.
CHED 360
On the nature of chemistry publishing
Stuart Cantrill, [email protected]. Nature Chemisty, London, United Kingdom
The basic unit of scientific publishing — a paper — has not really altered all that much
for hundreds of years, but now that we have the internet, shouldn't this be changing?
This talk will look at different aspects of communicating chemistry in the modern (and
more connected) world — through traditional methods such as journals (and all that
entails, including a behind-the-scenes look at Nature Chemistry’s editorial processes),
but also using ‘new’ media such as blogs and Twitter. Since launching in 2009, Nature
Chemistry has engaged significantly with the chemistry community through these more
informal outlets, showcasing a range of bloggers in the Blogroll column featured in the
journal as well as actively using Twitter to interact with our followers (rather than simply
as a one-way channel to promote our own content). In many cases these interactions
have led to productive conversations that have occasionally resulted in commissioned
content for the journal, some examples of which will be highlighted in this talk.
CHED 361
How to talk to a reporter about your science
Lauren Wolf, [email protected]. American Chemical Society, Washington, District of
Columbia, United States
Scientists, particularly chemists, are detail-oriented people. They measure their
reagents precisely, they report their reaction dynamics to the femtosecond, and they
usually caveat the potential impact of their research out the wazoo. So it’s no surprise
that many chemists shy away from talking to the press. They worry that all that detail
will be stripped out their work and reduced to misinformation. But talking to the press is
important if chemists want to communicate with the public about why their work, and
chemistry in general, is important. So what’s an overly cautious chemist to do? My talk
will discuss how to navigate the relationship between scientist and reporter in order to
inform the public clearly and accurately about why your chemistry rocks.
CHED 362
Tell it slant
Deborah Blum, [email protected]. Knight Science Journalism, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
The poet Emily Dickinson once wrote: “Tell all the truth but tell it slant/Success in Circuit
Lies/Too Bright for our infirm Delight/The Truth’s superb surprise.” In this presentation,
I’ll look at the way science writers, like myself, employ narrative story telling techniques
in order to show members of the general public that - contrary to what they learned in
high school - chemistry is both fundamental to their daily lives and fascinating. I’ll
include the way I’ve told both true crime and public health stories in making this case
CHED 363
3D Printing molecular prosthetics
Martin D. Burke, [email protected]. Univ Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana,
Illinois, United States
The talk will describe recent efforts to create a 3D printer for molecules that enables the
development of prostheses on the molecular scale (and many other types of small
molecules that perform high-impacting functions).
CHED 364
Supramolecular soft materials for energy and medicine
Samuel I. Stupp, [email protected]. Northwestern University, Evanston,
Illinois, United States
Supramolecular materials have the potential to mimic the structures and dynamics of
biological systems, and it is therefore a rich platform for the development of bio-inspired
materials. The interesting features of supramolecular soft materials include, nanoscale
control of dynamics, highly responsive behavior to external stimuli, capacity to self-heal
defects, noncovalent co-localization of functional domains, and the use of self-assembly
to optimize function, among many others. The development of these materials poses a
great challenge to chemists since it requires the integration of many fields including
synthetic organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, physical
chemistry, and computational chemistry, among others. This lecture will describe
supramolecular soft materials that mimic the photosynthetic machinery in biological
systems by integrating the necessary functions to generate solar fuels. As a second
topic, the lecture will discuss the development of bioactive supramolecular materials for
biomedical targets such as regenerative medicine and the development of targeted
therapies.
CHED 365
Design of materials for organic light-emitting diode displays
Nora S. Radu, [email protected], Gene Rossi, Frederick Gentry, Norman Herron,
Tiffany N. Hoerter. DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology enables for more vivid color, higher
contrast, faster response, thinner panels, a wider viewing angle and lower power
consumption than traditional liquid crystal displays. We will present our recent progress
in designing small molecule and polymeric materials that will enable display
manufacturers to deliver superior OLED device performance with lower manufacturing
costs for large-format displays.
CHED 366
3D Printing of flexible electronics and sensors
Jennifer A. Lewis, [email protected]. School of Applied Sciences and
Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
The ability to pattern functional materials in planar and three-dimensional forms is of
critical importance for several emerging applications. We have developed a
multimaterial 3D printing platform that enables the rapid design and fabrication of soft
functional devices in arbitrary shapes without the need for expensive tooling, dies, or
lithographic masks. In this talk, I will describe our recent efforts to create soft electronics
and sensors for applications ranging from wearable devices to intelligent biochips.
CHED 367
Authentic research in introductory chemistry laboratory course
Julianne Vernon1, [email protected], John P. Wolfe2, Deborah Goldberg1. (1)
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United
States (2) Chemistry, University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Given that early research experiences tend to increase persistence in STEM, it is
important to develop models to scale up the number of students who have such
experiences. This work describes the implementation of faculty-led research projects in
the introductory chemistry laboratory course. Two research streams, snow chemistry
and solar cell technology, were offered for the first time last fall. Pre and post survey
instruments were given to the research sections as well as to the control group, nonresearch sections. The survey focused on students’ persistence in STEM, self-efficacy
in chemistry, and interest in conducting research. Focus groups were conducted as well
to gain better insights into students’ experience in the research sections.
CHED 368
Updating the organic laboratory curriculum: Modification of classical lab
experiments through the incorporation of technology and techniques used in the
contemporary research environment
Robert G. Aslanian, [email protected]. Chemistry, New Jersey City University,
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
The practice of organic chemistry is changing due to advances in synthetic methodology
and technology. In order to provide our students with a skillset that is pertinent to the
needs of academics and industry, and thus make them more competitive, curricula must
be evaluated and updated to deliver relevant knowledge and experience. We undertook
a redesign of two classic organic reactions, the Diels-Alder reaction and the Fisher
esterification, with the goal to provide a laboratory experience that would mirror the
types of approaches a chemist in the real world would take to running these reactions.
Both reactions were modified by the introduction of the modern concept of green
chemistry, use of microwave synthesis and in the case of the Fisher esterification, gas
chromatographic analysis. This presentation will disclose some of the new experiments
we have developed to meet this goal.
CHED 369
Transforming the organic lab experience: Implementation and evaluation of an
organic lab module curriculum at a four-year institution
Tina G. Goudreau Collison2, [email protected], Jeremy A. Cody3, [email protected],
Thomas D. Kim1, Brian L. Edelbach4, Jason P. Anderson4, William Marmor2, Rodgers
Kipsang2. (1) Dept of Chemistry, Rochester Inst of Tech, Rochester, New York, United
States (2) Rochester Inst of Technology, Rochester, New York, United States (3)
School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Rochester Inst of Technology, Rochester,
New York, United States (4) Chemistry, Monroe Community College, Rochester, New
York, United States
This work discusses the full implementation of our innovative macroscale organic
chemistry lab modules. A description of changing from a traditional expository organic
chemistry lab curriculum to delivering these novel organic lab modules will be
discussed. The results obtained using Reformed Teaching Observational Protocol
(RTOP) will be outlined and correlated to the transferability of the modules between
different instructors and the transportability of the modules between different institutions.
Additionally, preliminary data using the Meaningful Learning in the Lab (MLLI)
instrument will be reported.
CHED 370
Why onions make you cry? A GS-MS experiment for undergraduate chemistry
laboratory
Yan Sun1, [email protected], Omowunmi A. Sadik3, Alexsandra S. Silva2. (1)
Chemistry, SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, United States (2) Dept of
Chemistry, SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, United States (3) State Univ of
New York Suny, Binghamton, New York, United States
An undergraduate laboratory exercise involving GS-MS analysis of onion lachrymatory
factor (LF) will be presented. The lachrymatory factor, propanethial S-oxide, is one of
the major flavor compounds in onions and can make people “cry” when its vapor comes
into contact with eyes. Students extract the LF from different types of onions and
quantify their contents using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection.
This experiment can be adapted for upper-division undergraduate students in analytical
chemistry, organic chemistry or biochemistry and can serve as the place where GC-MS
can be introduced into the undergraduate curriculum. This exercise teaches students
the interpretation of mass spectra, the GS-MS instrumentation, the extraction
techniques and the chemistry of enzymatic reactions.
CHED 371
Introducing mini-laboratory projects based on name reactions in organic
chemistry for the sophomore organic chemistry laboratory
Renuka N. Manchanayakage, [email protected]. Chem Dept, St. John
Fisher College, Rochester, New York, United States
Despite the accepted pedagogical value of integrating research into the laboratory
curriculum, this approach has not been widely adopted. There are many challenges to
this change, especially in organic chemistry, where a large number of students are
required to take the course, special glassware or setups may be needed, and
dangerous chemicals and safety are of special concern. At St. John Fisher College,
organic chemistry laboratory curriculum has been revamped by incorporating mini-lab
projects based on organic chemistry name reactions, in order to foster increased
independence and confidence in a laboratory environment. The projects can be
incorporated under limited facilities, still giving students a ‘research-like’ experience.
After introducing chemistry literature search using SciFinder, a name reaction is
assigned to each student early in the semester. Students are first required to write an
introduction including a literature review of the assigned name reaction. Students are
then given a short experimental protocol which they use as the basis for developing
their experimental plan which includes the reagents, major techniques, purification and
characterization methods and waste disposal procedures. Students have two to three
weeks to complete the project and submit a formal laboratory report including an
introduction with the literature review, an experimental section, a complete discussion of
their results and list of references.
CHED 372
Kinetics and photochemistry of ruthenium bisbipyridine diacetonitrile complexes
– An interdisciplinary inorganic and physical chemistry laboratory exercise
Teresa L. Rapp, [email protected], Susan R. Phillips, Ivan J. Dmochowski.
Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
The study of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes can be widely applied across disciplines
in the undergraduate curriculum. Ruthenium photochemistry has advanced many fields,
including dye-sensitized solar cells, photoredox catalysis, light-driven water oxidation,
and biological electron transfer. Equally promising are ruthenium polypyridyl complexes
that provide a photolabile moiety for transiently ‘caging’ biologically active molecules.
Photo-uncaging involves the use of visible light to break one or more bonds between
ruthenium and coordinated ligand(s), which can occur on short timescales and in high
quantum yields. In this work we developed laboratory exercises employing a model
’caged’ acetonitrile complex, Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)2(acetonitrile)2, or RuMeCN. Students
made RuMeCN in an advanced synthesis laboratory course and performed UV-Vis
spectroscopy and electrochemistry. The following semester students investigated
RuMeCN photolysis kinetics in a physical chemistry laboratory. These two exercises
may also be combined to create a 2-week module in an advanced undergraduate
laboratory course.
CHED 373
Teaching instrumental analysis with homebuilt as well as commercial
instruments
Neil D. Danielson, [email protected]. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami
University, Oxford, Ohio, United States
There are four major instrumental analysis topics taught in most laboratory courses:
molecular spectroscopy, atomic spectroscopy, chromatography, and electrochemistry.
However, commercial instruments used to teach these topics can promote the “black
box effect” and overemphasize the computer control aspect. We have shown that
spectrophotometry and fluorescence can be effectively demonstrated using Lego blocks
to align the cuvette with the LED light source and a photodiode detector with a current-
to-voltage breadboard circuit. Aspects of Beers law such a pathlength using two
cuvettes and stray light can be easily taught with the Lego colorimeter. The LED light
power can be easily adjusted for Lego colorimetry and Lego fluorimetry showing it is not
a factor for the former technique but is critical for sensitivity for the latter technique. One
downside is the Lego fluorimeter can only detect ppm levels of quinine but when our
students measure that same 0.1 ppm quinine solution on a commercial instrument, the
idea that fluorescence is considered a trace technique is made clear. We have designed
and characterized two flame emission instruments of differing complexity for teaching
instrumental analysis to our chemistry and biochemistry majors. Alkali metals such as
potassium in instant breakfast drink can be easily determined by both instruments.
However, trace transition metals in this same sample cannot be determined and it is
important student gain experience in ICP atomic emission spectroscopy for that
analytical problem. Again the contrast between the two instruments provides a vivid
learning experience. We teach gas chromatography using a homebuilt instrument
assembled from readily commercially available components such as a drink carbonation
CO2 tank to provide the carrier gas, a septum based or HPLC valve injection port, a
standard 30 m wide-bore capillary column, a consumer convection oven with a
thermocouple, and a photoionization detector modified as a flow cell. However, student
use of a GC-FID with an autosampler and a GC-MS is also part of this experiment, to
demonstrate precise temperature effects and qualitative analysis of unknowns such as
auto touch-up paint. Electrochemistry techniques such as potentimetry, cyclic
voltammetry, and coulometry tend to be simpler and more easily understood by
students. However, we improved the coulometric starch –iodine endpoint precision by
using a photodiode and the current-to-voltage circuit for detection.
CHED 374
Medical research volunteer program (MRVP): Innovative program promoting
undergraduate research in the medical field
Bilal R. Kaafarani, [email protected], Michael M. Dagher, Jessica A. Atieh,
Karl C. Mansour, Marwa K. Soubra, Mariya M. Akkawi, Samia J. Khoury, Hani Tamim.
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Most educational institutions lack a structured system that provides undergraduate
students with research exposure in the medical field. The objective of this paper is to
describe the structure and function of the Medical Research Volunteer Program (MRVP)
which was established at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, as well as to
assess the success of the program.
The MRVP is a program that targets undergraduate students interested in becoming
involved in the field of medical research early on in their academic career. It provides
these students with an active experience and the opportunity to learn from and support
physicians, clinical researchers, basic science researchers and other health
professionals. Through this program, students are assigned to researchers and become
part of a research team where they observe and aid on a volunteer basis. This paper
discusses the structure and function of the MRVP’s four major pillars: the students, the
faculty members, the MRVP committee, and the online portal. Moreover, details of the
MRVP process are provided. The success of the program was assessed by carrying out
analyses using information on MRVP participants (both students and faculty).
The MRVP is a program that provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to
learn about research firsthand as they volunteer and aid in different research projects.
Consequently, faculty members get the help needed to conduct their research and are
offered an opportunity to influence future generations. It has been shown that so far the
MRVP has been successful in reaching its goals, for both students and faculty.
CHED 375
Analyzing Cu and Pb in pore water in Tokyo Bay, Japan by anodic stripping
voltammetry (ASV)
Hidemitsu Katsura1,2, [email protected]. (1) IPROM, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia (2) TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF MARINE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (
FORMER TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF FISHERIES), Tokyo, Japan
Generally free heavy metal ions are poisonous to biological actives. However we have
been known that if heavy metal ions are complex formation, toxicity is decreasing to
biological activities. Meanwhile existing state of heavy metal ions is very important to
geochemical behaviour. Thus it is very important to investigate existing state of heavy
metal ions in sea water and pore water in sediments of the bottom of the sea. Hence the
objects of this research were as follows:
#1 Developing methods of analysis by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) for free
heavy metal itons with free ligands.
#2 Analyzing concentration of copper, lead and their ligands with existing state in pore
water in sediments of the bottom of Tokyo Bay, Japan.
#3 Analyzing oxidation reduction potential for these samples.
The sediments samplings were taken place in June 1990 in Tokyo Bay, Japan by
Smith-McIntyre mud-sampler. After the sampling I took samples of pore water by
centrifuge from natural sediments and anthropogenic oxide sediments. I analyzed total
concentration of copper and lead, concentration of free ions of copper and lead and
concentration of free ligands in these pore water samples with and without
anthropogenic infrared ray radiation. The total concentration of copper in pore water
from reductive sediments was 60 ppb to 129 ppb, total concentration of lead in pore
water from reductive sediments was 4 ppb to 40 ppb and total concentration of free
ligands in pore water from reductive sediments was 0.91 micro mol/L to 2.6 micro
mol/L.. Meanwhile concentration of free copper ions in pore water from reductive
sediments was 29 ppb to 101 ppb. I also analyzed these concentration in pore water
from anthropogenic oxidized sediments and results were changed samples from natural
sediments. However it did not have any accurate trend.
CHED 376
Leveraging resources on VIPEr to teach inorganic chemistry
Elizabeth R. Jamieson2, [email protected], Chip Nataro1, [email protected].
(1) Lafayette Colg, Easton, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Ford Hall - Chemistry Dept,
Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States
The Interactive Online Network of Inorganic Chemists (IONiC) has worked to improve
teaching and learning in inorganic chemistry for over ten years. The foundation of this
community is the Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource (VIPEr,
www.ionicviper.org). With over 900 registered faculty users from around the world,
VIPEr is a vibrant community of committed educators who have developed over 700
learning objects (LOs) for use in the classroom. This talk will highlight the ways that
faculty can use the IONiC network and VIPEr resources to incorporate current research
and active learning strategies in their inorganic chemistry course(s). The presenters will
discuss how they leverage the community to teach their own inorganic courses and
recent innovative ways that people have used VIPEr to crowdsource assessment data,
collaboratively develop classroom materials, share what they are doing and incorporate
new methods of teaching into their classes. VIPEr: come for the content, stay for the
community.
CHED 377
Evolving state of inorganic chemistry at Merrimack College
Anthony L. Fernandez, [email protected]. Merrimack Colg, North
Andover, Massachusetts, United States
In several recent articles it has been shown that undergraduate inorganic chemistry
courses can vary widely in terms of their topical coverage. Over the past 16 years, the
inorganic chemistry curriculum at Merrimack College has undergone significant changes
in the topics included in the course, in the laboratory curriculum, and in its location in the
typical course sequence followed by chemistry and biochemistry majors. Additionally,
the pedagogic approach employed in the course has become much more studentcentered over this time. This presentation will focus on how inorganic chemistry has
been taught and is currently being taught at Merrimack College. The overall structure of
the current course, the student-centered pedagogy, examples of assigned student
activities, and the laboratory curriculum will be discussed.
CHED 378
From breadth to depth: An integrated approach to providing depth for students in
inorganic chemistry
Alexsandra S. Silva, [email protected], Wayne E. Jones,
[email protected], Dongsheng Ji, Yan Sun, Zakiya Skeete, Wei Wu, Anting
Chen. Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton,
Binghamton, New York, United States
The traditional 1 year inorganic chemistry course is often perceived as a mile wide and
an inch deep. Touching on topics including solid state, organometallic, bioinorganic,
main group, and others, while not providing depth. We have introduced a one semester
breadth course designed to introduce students to all areas of inorganic chemistry and
then providing a range of inorganic 2 options. The second semester options provide
students the opportunity to select one aspect of inorganic chemistry to which they have
been exposed and dig into depth in that topic. In addition, the hands-on experience is
an important part of our program. We will discuss the laboratory component of the
curriculum. Special attention will be given to Inorganic and Materials Laboratory, a
course designed to bridge traditional disciplinary boundaries and to provide researchoriented experiences; we will also describe how independent studies courses enriches
the students’ experience in our department.
CHED 379
Metallome chemistry and evolution: A different approach to teaching inorganic
chemistry
Alvin L. Crumbliss, [email protected]. Dept of Chem, Duke Univ, Durham,
North Carolina, United States
We will present the details of an introductory seminar course based on the metallome
(the collection of metals essential to life) and how it interacts with the environment and
the other “omes” (proteome, genome and metabolome) on a geological time scale. A
systems chemistry approach is used whereby an analysis structure {external pressure –
response - emergence – changed entity} is used to explain how environmental changes
since the Big Bang influenced element formation and metal ion speciation, and thus bioavailability and bio-utility. That is, how the metallome came to influence the proteome,
genome and metabolome, and the evolution of life. This provides an opportunity to
teach the chemistry of the representative and transition elements, as well as
bioinorganic chemistry. The chemistry of the metallome can serve as a vehicle to teach
three major types of equilibrium reactions - solubility, redox and complexation – as well
as kinetics, particularly ligand exchange kinetics and catalysis. For example, the Great
Oxidation Event 2.3 billion years ago changed metal ion solubility by oxidizing CuS and
ZnS to the corresponding sulfates, and iron(II) to iron(III), thus affecting their bioavailability. Microbes adjusted to this change by producing chelators to complex iron(III)
and maintain solubility and bio-availability. No text (although introductory chemistry texts
are used as reference resources) is used so students learn to read and analyze primary
literature from Scientific American to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
This approach presents students with an upfront coherent rationale for studying the
principles of inorganic chemistry. An additional benefit of this approach is that students
learn how interdisciplinary research is done as the course is centered on the inorganic
chemistry bridge between geology and biology.
CHED 380
Inorganic curriculum for undergraduate students at Yale
Jonathan Parr, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Yale Univ, New
Haven, Connecticut, United States
The inorganic course offerings for undergraduates at Yale are varied and cover topics in
coordination chemistry, bioinorganic and organometallic chemistry as well as green
chemistry and alternative energy. The laboratory course includes x-ray diffraction,
organometallic synthesis, bioinorganic and homogeneous catalysis, affording students
the opportunity to use IR, UV-vis and NMR to characterize their products and
investigate their reactions.
CHED 381
Inorganic chemistry at Trinity College
M Parr, [email protected], Ralph O. Moyer. Chemistry, Trinity College, Hartford,
Connecticut, United States
Unlike organic chemistry and physical chemistry, the syllabus for a common core in
inorganic chemistry appears more divergent and less uniform, partly due to the breadth
of the material. The Chemistry Department at Trinity College offers two semesters of
inorganic chemistry for chemistry and biochemistry majors who are typically in their
junior year. The second semester includes a laboratory component where students can
explore the role of magnetic susceptibility, x-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods
for structural characterization of inorganic and organometallic systems. The evolution of
the inorganic curriculum at Trinity over the last 40 years is the focus of this presentation.
CHED 382
Advanced inorganic chemistry lecture and laboratory at Fairfield University
John R. Miecznikowski, [email protected]. Fairfield University,
Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry is an upper-level lecture and laboratory course at
Fairfield University for junior and senior chemistry and biochemistry majors and minors.
The one-semester lecture and laboratory courses have Physical Chemistry as a corequisite. The lecture course meets for 150 minutes per week and the laboratory course
meets for four hours each week. Students earn three academic credits for the lecture
course and two academic credits for the laboratory course. The lecture course
introduces students to the interdependence of chemical bonding, spectroscopic
characteristics, and reactivity properties of coordination compounds and complexes
using the fundamental concept of symmetry. The laboratory course is a synthetic
inorganic lab with an emphasis placed on characterization. In the laboratory, students
have the opportunity to synthesize, characterize, and investigate the physical and
reactivity properties of coordination, organometallic, and air-sensitive complexes. In my
presentation, I will describe the topics presented in the lecture course and I will describe
the laboratory experiments that the students perform. I will also give the student
learning outcomes for both the lecture and the laboratory courses. In addition, I will
describe some of the instructional methods used in both the lecture and laboratory
courses.
CHED 383
Adapting advanced inorganic chemistry lecture and laboratory instruction for a
legally blind student
Matthew J. Guberman-Pfeffer 2, [email protected], John R. Miecznikowski1. (1)
Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States (2) Department of Chemistry ,
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States
To explore and explain chemical phenomena, visual observations and representations
are often used in the lecture and laboratory. The translation of conventional chemical
drawings and laboratory observations into a ‘language’ that is more accessible to a
diversity of students, particularly visually impaired or blind students, is an instructional
issue of increasing relevance The American Chemical Society's publication Teaching
Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and
Graduate Programs, directs instructors to “Verbally describe or explain…visual
information.” However, best practices for how to describe visual concepts or
representations (e.g. symmetry properties, character tables, and molecular orbital
diagrams), as well as instances when tactile presentations of material are more helpful
than verbal explanations, are poorly documented in the literature. The paucity of
instructional guidance in particularly acute for advanced chemistry courses.
In my presentation, I will discuss content-specific, field-tested strategies and techniques
that facilitated my success as a blind student in an advanced inorganic chemistry
lecture and laboratory. These approaches attempt to make each step in the logical
progression from Lewis structures, to molecular geometries, symmetry operations, point
group assignments, and qualitative molecular orbital diagrams intelligible to a visually
impaired student. The discussed methods may aid the instruction of other blind, as well
as sighted students, by offering an alternative perspective from which instructors can
communicate the same material.
CHED 384
Introduction of sustainability topics into the inorganic chemistry laboratory
Marta Guron, [email protected], Jared J. Paul, [email protected].
Department of Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States
At Villanova University, Inorganic Chemistry and the laboratory experience are offered
for first-year chemistry majors. Students are introduced to bench-top synthetic
techniques as well as advanced instrumentation at this stage of their chemistry careers
with the idea of giving students the motivation and tools to begin independent research
projects as early as possible. Recently, we have further modified the laboratory
experience to incorporate sustainability throughout the semester with the aims of
exposing students to this critical idea early and often. A particular focus is placed on
chemical safety and life-cycle assessment, encouraging students to not only pay
attention to the chemicals they are using, but also to think about safer alternatives for
both conducting the experiment and ultimately disposing of waste chemicals once the
experiment is completed. We encourage students to think about the long-term impacts
of the waste they generate and the nuances in all the chemistry they do.
CHED 385
Linking directed essays about current social and political issues to a collegewide citizenship core competency
Mitchell J. Robertson, [email protected]. Southwestern Illinois College,
Belleville, Illinois, United States
At Southwestern Illinois College, Citizenship is one of three general education core
competencies for all degree graduates. The Citizenship core competency has two
tracks: civic and social accountability and personal accountability. Civic and social
accountability is a topic that has not been directly addressed, if at all, in our general
chemistry courses. In fact, many aspects of the Citizenship core competency are not
taught in any particular course; rather, they are developed, augmented, and refined
through learning and engagement in other topics in a college environment and
experience. In my general chemistry courses, students write directed essays about
current social and political issues in science. The essays themselves are part of a
module on Blackboard that includes readings from popular media and a multiple-choice
assessment about the readings. The students then write the directed essays after
completing the readings and assessment. As such, the essays allow for assessment of
Citizenship in a chemistry course with an evaluation that is directly related to science.
The essays contain a wealth of information about the students' knowledge, disposition,
and even actions that pertain to the civic and social accountability track of the
Citizenship core competency, as well as to several departmental educational goals. The
presentation will include an overview of the Citizenship core competency and an
explanation of how data from the essays are linked to departmental and college-wide
outcomes.
CHED 386
Using the real world in the chemistry classroom
Cynthia Maguire, [email protected], Nasrin MirsalehKohan. Chemistry &
Biochemistry, Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas, United States
For almost the past decade, chemistry faculty at Texas Woman’s University have
emphasized the use of real world situations and citizen science opportunities as ways of
teaching in our classes, whether for majors or non-majors. We have learned a lot about
this approach to education as a result. Every citizen needs to understand chemistry, so
we have taken the approach that making chemical knowledge applicable to the real
world problems we face is nothing less than essential. This has taken many forms which
will be included in the presentation. One example is introducing a lecture topic by
discussing a related civic issue, such as the recent public debates over fracking to
introduce a lecture on work and energy. Another is making a civic engagement
assignment in a course so that students must utilize their new knowledge in the
community (a high-impact practice). And through our university-wide experiential
education program, “Learn by Doing,” we are even partnering with informal science
organizations to meet student the student learning outcome, Effectively connect
classroom theories to real-world experiences through practical application of
knowledge. This presentation will give an overview of the many ideas used, what
worked well and what didn’t, and perhaps even what we think we know about why some
ideas didn’t work out. We will also preview our newest idea for putting citizen science
projects to work in our courses for both chemistry majors and non-majors.
CHED 387
Letters-to-the-editor in an on-line chemistry course
Alton J. Banks, [email protected]. North Carolina State Univ, Raleigh, North
Carolina, United States
Chemistry and Society (CH100) is a course designed for non-science-major students at
North Carolina State University.
The online version of this course featured the construction of "responses" by members
of the class to appropriate persons in the form of letters-to-the-editor of a local
newspaper, to a congressman, or to the head of a professional organization. The
course is organized around the A.C.S Text, Chemistry in Context, and features
discussions on topics affecting everyday citizens.
CHED 388
Make your own orange juice and other experiments and activities for consumer
chemistry
David A. Katz, [email protected]. Eductaor/Consultant , Tucson, Arizona, United
States
A non-major chemistry course, often a watered-down version of general chemistry, may
be the only chemistry course many individuals ever experience. Such a course should
discuss a range of topics including consumer products, current issues, and modern
technologies rather than reiterating the classic chemical principles in simplified form.
Also, the general chemistry course should include these topics and issues. This author
has modified both the non-major course and general chemistry courses to include a
wider range of topics. In addition, this author has presented papers, demonstrations,
and hands-on workshops to diverse audiences from pre-K through college students and
the general public in schools, museums, hotels, firehouses, and community centers,
both indoors and out, to produce informed citizens who can make intelligent decisions
on science affecting their lives, society, and related local and national legislative issues.
CHED 389
How much arsenic do we eat? A general chemistry course for non-science majors
Julian F. Tyson, [email protected]. Chemistry Department, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
I have taught a course with this title in face-to-face (F2F) mode four times and in the
online (OL) mode 10 times. About 90% of the material is common to both. Currently
(spring 2016), there are 180 students in the F2F version and 17 in the OL version. The
course is pitched to students as follows: “How much arsenic do we eat? We'll examine
how to answer the question and why we should be interested. Along the way you'll pick
up (a) an understanding of how chemical principles can be used to find out about the
composition of materials and of the scope and limitations of chemical measurement
technology, (b) the background knowledge needed to make a sensible decision about
how much rice you should eat, (c) some basic chemistry concepts, and (d) a feel for
what it means to think like a chemist." The arsenic contamination of food (principally
rice) and drink (principally drinking water and fruit juices) is a topic of current media
interest and is thus a real-world problem that affects everyone, as almost everybody,
including the students in my classes, eats rice. UMass Amherst expects a 4-credit
course to involve 12 hours of relevant study (including class contact) per week.
Students write arsenic-related papers on topics selected from a list (of >50) that I have
created, write reports on material retrieved from the Web of Science (I create the search
parameters), and work on OWL homework (selected assignments from the gen. chem.
for scientists course). In the on-line course, there is a series of numerical problem sets
on the concept of concentration, which is one of the hardest concepts for many
students. Students read a series of papers of increasing technical complexity (starting
with Consumer Reports and finishing with PNAS), whose content is examined in the
weekly quizzes and the midterm and final exams. In class, as well as some fundamental
chemistry topics, I talk about the need for reliable information about chemical
composition and explain how difficult this is to obtain for the various arsenic species
(some of which are nontoxic) found in food and drink. I explain risk assessment, doseresponse relationships, and statistical significance testing, in addition to the basic
framework within which science is done. I bring in examples from my own research, one
aspect of which is a collaboration with the Museum of Science, Boston to create a
citizen-science project that will involve measurements (of the arsenic content of rice) in
participants’ own kitchens.
CHED 390
Whodunit mystery: Using a forensics context in general chemistry
Bradley D. Fahlman, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States
Forensics-based television programs remain one of the most popular genres, with many
textbooks and teaching materials now featuring forensics-based examples to enhance
student motivation and interest. In the spirit of a context-first approach, we will describe
the use of a forensics case study for a non-science majors chemistry course, written as
a storyline with embedded chemistry content. This context presents an interesting
strategy to incorporate a number of fundamental chemistry concepts such as
stoichiometry, limiting reagents, reaction classifications, solutions, molarity, and many
others.
CHED 391
Involving students in chemistry through real-life connections
Connie Gabel, [email protected]. Chemistry, Metropolitan State University of
Denver, Louisville, Colorado, United States
Showing students the relevance of chemistry and how it connects to their lives as well
as its relationship to important events in history facilitates interest in a challenging
subject. Significant connections can also be made to public health issues to highlight
the role of chemistry in solving these dilemmas in a global environment. Current events
such as the use of caffeine, its increased availability, and its link to nutrition and health
heighten student interest. Creating an awareness of the many chemical compounds
present in a substance such as chocolate helps non-chemistry majors realize the
complexities of chemistry. Linking the teaching of chemical structures to substances
such as ethanol and vinegar connects their understanding of chemistry to everyday life.
Discussing the use of the salt form of amine-containing drugs facilitates the
understanding of the importance of solubility. Numerous other examples are used to
engage students in learning chemical concepts in context.
CHED 392
Team-teaching in first year seminar courses geared toward STEM majors
Karen J. Castle, [email protected]. Chemistry, Bucknell University, Lewisburg,
Pennsylvania, United States
This talk will focus on team-teaching in first year foundation seminar courses taught
within the Discovery Residential College at Bucknell University. Discovery is a livinglearning community for students with a broad interest in science, designed in the fall of
2013 to encourage high levels of student academic engagement. Students enrolled in
Discovery live together, take one of four available first-year seminar courses related to
the theme of scientific discovery, experience a variety of co-curricular programming, and
work very closely with faculty and student staff members during their first academic
year. There are four faculty members associated with Discovery, each teaching one of
the four first-year seminar courses and advising 25% of the students. The four seminars
meet together weekly for a two-hour block of time known as "common hour" in addition
to regular class hours. Team-teaching is used in a variety of ways in Discovery college
including the design and implementation of common hour activities, programming for
field trips, and oversight of final projects that involve student-made videos. The
effectiveness of these team-teaching approaches on success and retention of students
in STEM majors will be discussed.
CHED 393
Professor swap: A strategy to promote interdisciplinary learning
Sarah L. Carberry, [email protected]. Chemistry, Ramapo College of NJ, Saddle
Brook, New Jersey, United States
One of the four pillars of education valued at Ramapo College, New Jersey’s public
liberal arts college is “interdisciplinary” learning. The Professor Swap program teams up
faculty and allows them to teach for a day in a discipline outside of their school. During
the swap the professors teach for one class period in a different course subject but
relate it to their own field of expertise. This pushes intellectual boundaries of both the
faculty members and the students. The swap of an Organic Chemistry class (in the
School of Theoretical and Applied Science) with Energy and Society class (in the
School of Social Science and Human Studies) will be discussed.
CHED 394
Team teaching across the disciplines: An interdisciplinary study of chemistry,
religion and philosophy for the development of human meaning and purpose
Karen S. Wendling, [email protected], Patrick McCauley. Chestnut Hill College,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
In today’s society no one can legitimately afford to ignore chemistry – the information it
provides about the past, its modern significance, and its ability to shape the future.
Chemistry, like all science, is dedicated to discovery and practical application. As a
scientific discipline it is inherently incapable of formulating the ethical boundaries and
restriction of its own inquiries. Human beings themselves must bring ethical limits to
unbounded scientific curiosity. For many people the introduction of the scientific method
actually undermined the credibility of traditional ethical structures which had historically
been used to guide scientific inquiry. Questioning traditional ethical structures, often
presented as part of religion, can result in a deep uncertainty of one’s own character. A
team-teaching approach allows for the simultaneous study of chemistry and
religion/philosophy which mimics the conflict and ultimate synthesis that must take place
in the minds of students as they develop as ethical decision-makers in an age of
science.
This paper describes two undergraduate courses created and team-taught by the
authors, where each author represents a different discipline. The authors have taught
two courses exploring the conflict and synthesis between science and
religion/philosophy: a discussion-based honors seminar and a summer undergraduate
course open to any interested student which fulfills a general education requirement.
Both team-taught courses required the students to learn about selected topics in
chemistry and religion/philosophy. Specifically students learned about the chemical
basis of Darwinian evolution and modern advances in atomic and quantum chemistry.
These areas of focus were selected because they represent dramatic shifts in the
understanding of humanity’s place in the universe. Students were exposed to the
philosophical works of Plato, Kant, Nietzsche, and Schleiermacher while studying these
worldview-altering scientific advances. Students were ultimately challenged to develop a
new interpretation of the interaction between science and religion by analyzing
selections from literature. In addition to describing these courses, this paper details the
facilitation process for our discussion-based honors course and the team-teaching
approach we applied to the more traditional course that also allowed for chemistry
laboratory experiments to be performed by the students.
CHED 395
How to efficiently steer the ship while steering clear of dictatorship
Monica Ilies, [email protected], Daniel B. King. Chemistry, Drexel University,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Uniform content coverage, equal student workload, standard benchmark assessments
and consistency in grading are significant challenges in large enrollment courses with
multiple lecture sections. Working in a team with more than 3 instructors also poses
major issues when it comes to ensuring: i) constant high quality of content delivery; ii)
fair ethics; iii) common meeting times for accurate planning, discussion of student
progress or troubleshooting; and iv) cohesive bridging of diverse expertise, teaching
philosophies and personalities without killing creative personal input through rigid rules
imposed by a common core. We will present a team-teaching model that we
implemented a couple of years ago in a high enrollment course at Drexel University: the
introductory general chemistry sequence (CHEM 101-CHEM 102) for STEM majors.
Despite the very large scale (~1200 students; 25-30 instructors; 5-6 lecturers; ~45
recitation and ~55 laboratory sections), the model has been successful in solving the
above issues, while also providing a nice balance between following instructions and
making independent decisions. We use a specific design for the course website, with
detailed information, including an exact course schedule that attempts to sync lecture
content with recitation, laboratory, and online homework components, while allowing
instructors to experiment with different teaching methods and motivational techniques.
All lecturers participate in the writing of exams. The organization improves from quarter
to quarter based on teachers' and students' suggestions. The model is an example of a
consistent, yet flexible, collaborative approach that can be easily tailored to any class
size and subject matter. We will discuss in detail the logistics and the outcomes,
including quantified performance and feedback from both students and instructors.
CHED 396
Six sections, and one syllabus: Team teaching general chemistry
Stephanie M. Taylor, [email protected]. Science and Mathematics Education,
University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States
Team teaching any course comes with rewards and pitfalls. In order to teach over 1,000
general chemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas, a team of 5 instructors gather
weekly to ensure we are, in fact, a team. Balancing the ideas of five Ph.D chemists
takes a dose of cooperativity, tact and bull-headedness. Yet from potential frustrations
comes a course where both students and instructors continue to strive to learn -- even
in general chemistry. In our course, a common syllabus helps set the tone for the
semester. Common exams written by the current team keep all accountable, while
weekly meetings keep each of us on track. Here, the syllabus is set, but the class time
is your own. Explore the sections of General Chemistry at a university where exploring
and growing into your own teaching philosophy is strongly encouraged, yet we remain
coupled to common exams. While frustrating at times, the students clearly benefit from
instructors who are on the same page -- often literally.
CHED 397
Team-teaching general chemistry laboratory
Joseph C. Ulichny, [email protected], Sarah J. Hansen, DONGHONG SUN.
Columbia Univ Chemistry Dept, New York, New York, United States
This talk will discuss a team-teaching approach for a one semester stand-alone General
Chemistry Laboratory course. This course is co-taught by two full time instructional
faculty members and encompasses topics from the entire General Chemistry Lecture
series in our department. Team teaching this course has proven beneficial for students,
as well as the faculty, given the increased flexibility that arises from having two
instructors. Additionally, students have the opportunity to get different viewpoints on the
same chemistry content, providing opportunities for greater understanding. We will
discuss the benefits this teaching approach has on course material development,
teaching assistant training, assessments, and administrative aspects. While this
collaborative approach has increased consistency in many areas, it has also allowed
each instructor freedom regarding lecture delivery.
CHED 398
Forensic chemistry: a team-taught course with emphasis on student centered
learning
Donald E. Mencer, [email protected], Terese Wignot. Chemistry, Wilkes
University, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Forensic chemistry courses are multi-disciplinary by virtue of the subject material. A
strong emphasis on analytical chemistry is a must with special emphasis placed on the
demands of sampling as it pertains to science that must stand up to scrutiny in the
courtroom. Biochemistry underlies forensic examinations related to hairs, bodily fluids
(ex. serology), drugs, forensic toxicology, and other areas. Some of the course must
also be devoted to an examination of how the science interfaces with the legal system
(topics related to criminology and criminal justice). At Wilkes University, a teamapproach to teaching a forensic chemistry course (primarily for chemistry and
biochemistry majors) has been employed in every offering of the course. The analytical
chemist and biochemist involved have utilized a number of strategies to enhance the
course. A guest speaker from a local crime lab has been utilized to provide a grounding
of the course in the real world. The instructors have also relied heavily on case studies
to support the presentation of the scientific foundations for the course. Standard lecture
has been augmented with a variety of student-centered approaches to learning.
Students have also been expected to develop and implement hands-on projects that
have covered areas such as: (a) DNA analysis, (b) fingerprinting, (c) gun-shot residue
detection, (d) hair and fiber analysis (by microscopy and spectroscopy, (e) drug
detection with both screening tests and follow-up testing (ex. GC-MS detection of
cocaine), (f) blood spatter detection, and more. Students also write papers and do
classroom presentations on case studies to highlight important applications of science
to real-world courtroom cases. Successes and challenges of running a course in this
format will be detailed.
CHED 399
Strategies for effective use of thermal laboratory in the courses of
thermodynamics, material balance, heat transfer and cleaner production
Gabriel Camargo1, Gonzalo Martinez2, [email protected], Ruth
Alejandra Catacoli3, Salvador Vargas2, Robinson Cardona 2, Andrea Ochoa3,
[email protected], Carolina Villanueva2. (1) Mechanical
Engineering, Universidad Libre, Bogota, Colombia (3) Environmental Engineering,
Universidad Libre, Bogota, Colombia
The science students need integrated knowledge to solve the challenging problems in
the near future. The thermal plants laboratory can be used as a powerful tool in courses
such as Chemistry, material balance, thermodynamic, fluid mechanic, heat transfer and
cleaner production among other. These courses are fundamentals in the chemical,
environmental, industrial and mechanical engineering programs. Despite of this fact,
sometimes the different practices in the laboratory, are routine and boring activities only
registering data without any challenge labor and without connection between past
courses. There are not connection between theory and practice.For example, the unit
systems is the first theme in all material balance, thermodynamics and fluids mechanic
courses, but is hard topics although was seen in chemistry or physics lectures.
Other concept like difference between energy, work and heat are not clear for most
students. In thermodynamic the link between the pure substance properties and the
tables of them is a very difficult theme, confusing and frustrating. The application of the
first law of thermodynamics in control volumes and the table of properties is not a
straight linkage. There is more, sometimes the function of equipment is not clear or
totally ignored. So the energy balance for specific process equipment has no meaning
in the reality.
In the heat transfer course, the correlations for heat transfer coefficients are messy and
difficult part, Find the appropriate correlation for one process with the right values of the
properties of the substances is only part of a routine without real value. . .
For all these reason the Mechanical department with the collaborating of Environmental
Department, planned a different guide of laboratory linked material balance, fluid
mechanics, thermodynamic and heat transfer courses. The plant distribution in the
laboratory is used for prepare PFD diagrams and tables, the measure instruments are
employed for conversions factors and to calculate Reynolds, and other dimensionless
numbers using the thermodynamic properties tables. There are, for now these
practices:
- Identification system
- First law for transient systems
- Calculate the correlation for heat transfer coefficient in different heat exchangers
- Evaluate the products of combustion.
All these activities are thinking for reinforce in the students the concept of the energy,
primary energy carrier and the activities related with the cleaner production.
CHED 400
Successfully predicting the product(s) of an inorganic reaction: What are the
cues that make this possible?
George M. Bodner, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Purdue
University, W Lafayette, Indiana, United States
One of the goals of research on problem solving in chemistry is to help teachers better
understand how students think in order to develop better instructional strategies to help
them learn chemistry. Roughly 50 years ago, in spite of the first author’s strong interest
in inorganic chemistry, there was no way for him to predict the product(s) of an
inorganic reaction. He either “knew” them because he had seen the reaction (or an
analogous reaction) previously or he would have to approach the reaction as something
that needed to be “learned.” This paper will compare and contrast the results of a study
of the performance of individuals from four sample populations on tasks that asked
them to predict the product(s) of 20 “simple” inorganic reactions. The sample population
(n = 28) included students enrolled in a general chemistry class for engineers;
sophomore or junior chemistry majors; graduate students; and faculty who thought of
themselves as “inorganic chemists.” Results of this study will be viewed in terms of the
meaning of “success” on these tasks, the cues that helped individuals be “successful”,
and possible implications this research might have for increasing beginning students’
success on these tasks.
CHED 401
Physical inorganic: Current practices and course impact
Abigail H. Shelton, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry and Physics,
University of TN at Martin, Martin, Tennessee, United States
The only inorganic course offered at the University of TN at Martin is a senior level
lecture course titled Physical Inorganic. The three-credit hour course is taught every fall
and introduces point groups, reducible representations, character tables, molecular
orbital theory, crystal field, and solid state chemistry, with an emphasis on connections
to physical chemistry. There is an undercurrent of literature throughout the course,
culminating in student oral presentations. There is not a laboratory component of the
course despite the desire. I will present the course design and expectations, as well as
course impact from the perspective of student evaluations and departmental exit exam
scores during the four consecutive years I have taught the course.
CHED 402
Humanizing chemistry: Incorporation of cultural themes into the foundational
inorganic chemistry sequence
Craig A. Bayse, [email protected], Marie M. Melzer. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old
Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States
The Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at Old Dominion University established a
foundational inorganic chemistry course sequence in 2010 in response to revisions to
the ACS curriculum. This sequence includes separate lecture and lab courses that
require only completion of general chemistry. Students enrolled in this course are
traditional chemistry majors from the freshman to senior levels in addition to a larger
percentage of chemistry minors from biology and other majors. Due to the wide variety
in experiences and backgrounds, the lecture portion was redesigned in recent years to
put a human face upon the chemical concepts. Each of the four units concludes with a
discussion of a couple of passages from from Hugh Aldersey-Williams' book Periodic
Tales relevant to the theme of the unit to supplement the main textbook (RaynerCanham and Overton's Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry). These discussions bring in the
cultural and historical impacts of elements as a means of guiding students toward the
ubiquitous nature of chemistry in human existence so that they see applications of
chemical concepts beyond the course material. To further reinforce this theme, each
unit includes discussion board assignments that ask students to look around them to
find examples from their life that connect to the course material. The laboratory course
was also designed to account for the broad range of experience by front-loading
experiments that develop qualitative skills and instrumental tools (IR, UV/Vis, magnetic
suspectibility). Labs were selected to engage students' interest through colorful
reactions and selected connections to bioinorganic and materials applications.
CHED 403
Cafeteria-style advanced inorganic chemistry curriculum at Luther College
Claude L. Mertzenich, [email protected], Bradley M. Chamberlain. Luther College,
Decorah, Iowa, United States
Advanced inorganic chemistry (AIC) teaching at Luther College has undergone
significant changes since the introduction of a new cafeteria-style chemistry curriculum
ten years ago. Before the 2005-2006 academic year, AIC theory was taught as a
traditional semester-long course, without lab, every other year, and it utilized a standard
AIC text such as Shriver or Miessler & Tarr. Starting in 2005-2006, AIC coursework was
split into three, half-semester courses: (1) Coordination & organometallic; (2) physical
inorganic; and (3) solid-state. Although an AIC laboratory had been offered prior to
2005-2006, for logistical reasons it was not highly populated. After 2005-2006, three
administrative changes were made to the laboratory course: (1) The lab was moved to
the January term; (2) the laboratory became a more significant way for students to
satisfy the inorganic portion of the chemistry major; and (3) the lab was also designated
as a course which satisfies a certain all-college requirement. Given these laboratory
changes, the number of students increased to a sustainable level. The division of the
AIC curriculum, as described above, has allowed faculty to teach subjects that
correspond better to their areas of expertise and has allowed for more focus and
cohesion within the courses. However, some areas of AIC are no longer taught,
including acids/bases, redox, and non-aqueous media. The pros and cons of the current
Luther College AIC curriculum will be discussed and compared to the former (pre-2006)
traditional format.
CHED 404
What about the rest of the elements? How inorganic chemistry fits into a liberal
arts education
Jason K. Vohs, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Saint Vincent
College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, United States
Most instructors of inorganic chemistry must be selective about what gets included in
their portion of the chemistry curriculum. While metals compose the majority of the
periodic table, are participants in a vast array of chemical applications from catalysis to
materials, and produce compounds that have colors that span the visible spectrum, they
are often relegated to a tiny fraction of the chemistry program at most colleges. In many
cases, a chemistry major may only be required to take a single semester of inorganic
lecture, and may be lucky if a lab course has a majority of experiments where carbon is
nowhere to be found. Moreover, inorganic laboratory techniques tend to be more
involved when air and moisture sensitive reagents come into play. It is imperative that
students receive instruction in these techniques to be both competive and safe when
they enter the world as professional chemists. How does one choose experiments that
both excite and instruct students from among hundreds of potential activities? Herein is
described how Saint Vincent College structures its inorganic lecture and lab courses
while being attentive to our liberal arts mission.
CHED 405
In or out? Inorganic chemistry curriculum at Barry University
Tamara D. Hamilton, [email protected]. Physical Sciences, Barry University,
Aventura, Florida, United States
Inorganic Chemistry at Barry University is a one-semester junior-level course with lab
required for all chemistry majors, including those in the biochemistry track. The course
roughly follows the content of the first half of Meissler and Tarr's text, with much
consideration given to the relevancy of each subject matter to medicine and health care
occupations, as roughly two-thirds of students taking the class aspire to those fields.
Current coverage includes atomic structure, simple bonding theories, coordination
chemistry, symmetry, molecular orbitals and the solid state. The laboratory includes IR
and UV-Vis spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility and working with X-ray
crystallography data. Decisions about course content for this and an upcoming elective
advanced course will be discussed, as well as how active learning techniques, a
literature presentation, and assignments from the Cambridge Structural Database are
applied in the course.
CHED 406
Teaching molecular orbital theory in the context of computational chemistry
Ronald See, [email protected]. Chemistry, Indiana Univ. of PA, Indiana, Pennsylvania,
United States
Computational techniques are an important and growing part of modern chemistry, and
packages to carry out these techniques are easily available and often included in many
undergraduate chemistry courses. However, there is often difficulty in translating the
computational results into a vocabulary that is recognizable to non-computational
chemists. In part, this stems from the way that molecular orbital (MO) theory is
presented in inorganic (and other) undergraduate chemistry courses. A survey of
inorganic chemistry textbooks reveals that MO theory is frequently presented in an
abstract context, often containing concepts that inappropriately blend MO and valence
bond theory. In contrast, MO theory has been taught at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania using an approach that integrates the concepts of MO theory with the
computational output of programs such as Gaussian and Spartan. It is believed that this
approach makes MO theory more understandable and concrete to the student, and also
better equips the student to make use of computational techniques in subsequent
research experiences. Examples of this approach, which were used in undergraduate
chemistry courses, will be presented.
CHED 407
Incorporation of benchtop NMR spectroscopy into undergraduate inorganic
laboratories: An active-learning approach
Susanne Riegel, [email protected], Juan Araneda. Application Chemistry,
Nanalysis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
NMR Spectroscopy is one of the most widely used characterization techniques in
chemistry. Despite pedagogical shifts towards active-learning and guided-inquiry
approaches, incorporation of NMR spectrometers directly into undergraduate curriculum
has remained largely limited due to mitigating factors of size, cost and availability of
high-field spectrometers. As a result, students rarely gain hands-on access to this
instrumentation, particularly in the beginning stages of their programs. Moreover, as
NMR Spectroscopy is primarily introduced in organic chemistry, the majority of
undergraduate exposure is strictly in a structural elucidation 1H/13C NMR context.
An emergence of a new class of benchtop NMR spectrometers that are affordable and
do not require weekly upkeep or maintenance can facilitate the introduction of this
technique into beginning or advanced inorganic chemistry courses. Herein, we describe
methods for unique incorporation of the NMReady benchtop spectrometer into inorganic
undergraduate laboratory experiments, illustrating how students can learn the proper
technique to prepare samples, and use other important NMR nuclei (e.g., 19F, 31P) to
monitor and characterize reaction mixtures and products.
CHED 408
Developing chemical safety information quality assessment tools
Ralph Stuart1, [email protected], Robert E. Belford2. (1) Dept of Env Hlth Safety,
Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire, United States (2) Univ of Arkansas at
Little Rck, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Many social issues about chemicals in the environment revolve around chemical health
and safety information and its quality. An important emerging resource in this respect is
Wikipedia; Wikipedia is one of the top ten most accessed web sites on the Internet and
the only one that establishes editorial oversight to maintain information quality from
anonymous contributors. Entries about chemicals in Wikipedia consist of a structured
"Chembox" and the less structured text of the entry. However, for the casual user, it is
not clear what the source of the information presented is or its reliability. Thus, the
quality of Wikipedia as a general source of this information is unclear.
Our work has begun to assess the importance of this issue by harvesting chemical
safety information from the Wikipedia Chemboxes and comparing the results to more
authoritative sources collected in the PubChem database. This presentation will discuss
the variety of uses of chemical health and safety information by the public and what our
findings about Wikipedia's information quality suggest about this source of such
information.
CHED 409
Assessing the effectiveness of using climate change activities to teach general
chemistry content
Daniel B. King1, [email protected], Jennifer E. Lewis8, Karen Anderson6,
Douglas E. Latch7, Susan Sutheimer5, Gail H. Webster3, Catherine H. Middlecamp4,
Richard S. Moog2. (1) Drexel Univ, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (2) Chem
Dept, Franklin Marshall Coll, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States (3) Guilford
College, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States (4) Nelson Inst for Environmental
Studies, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States (5) Green
Mountain College, Poultney, Vermont, United States (6) Madison College, Madison,
Wisconsin, United States (7) Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, United States (8)
Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Temple Terrace, Florida, United
States
Much of the instruction in general chemistry is disconnected from everyday applications.
While there are many valid reasons for leaving out these applications (e.g., large
content requirements, limited time), this omission likely contributes to the difficulty many
students experience in the introductory chemistry courses. One way to address this
issue is to use everyday applications as a way to teach general chemistry content,
instead of simply including the applications as supplementary examples. As part of an
NSF-funded project, we have created a set of in-class activities that use climate change
context to teach general chemistry topics. These activities were written using the POGIL
(Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) methodology and cover topics from both
the first and second terms of general chemistry. In addition to using climate change as a
model, each activity includes a section where students use socio-economic data to
answer application questions related to the chemistry content. The goal of this part of
the activity is to require students to use data in situations where they might previously
have simply answered on an emotional level.
In an attempt to determine the effectiveness of these activities, we have created twoquestion assessments associated with each activity. Each assessment consists of one
question that is focused on the chemistry content and one question that is focused on
the climate change context. These assessments were administered during the next
class after the activity had been completed. Student scores on these assessments
suggest that students are able to demonstrate understanding of both the chemistry
content and the climate change context. Key features of one of the activities and the
corresponding assessment will be presented.
CHED 410
Helping students place chemistry in its social context through laboratory
exercises
Leonard Demoranville, [email protected], Kari Young, Olivia Kane.
Chemistry, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, United States
Centre College’s general education curriculum is formed around several commitments,
one of which is “placing the academic discipline and methodologies in context with
issues of societal and personal choices”. Prior assessment of our one semester
accelerated general chemistry course suggested more emphasis could be placed on
helping students form the connection between chemistry and societal issues. Due to the
heavy content load of the course, it was determined that re-designing laboratory
exercises to achieve content, laboratory skill and social context learning goals would be
a possible way to aid students in achieving these connections while maintaining the
pace of the course. In the summer of 2015, we revised the laboratory schedule so each
lab exercise was formed around a socially relevant question. Most laboratory exercises
were modified from existing laboratory manuals and published scholarly literature. The
laboratory schedule was implemented in fall of 2015. Student survey data from fall of
2015 suggests that students completing this set of exercises were more aware of the
impact of chemistry on societal issues than those that did not. Further refinements to
the individual lab experiences are expected to further enhance this connection to social
context.
CHED 411
Exploring the triple bottom line through the drug portfolio project
Karen Anderson, [email protected]. Madison College, Madison,
Wisconsin, United States
Veterinary technician students take chemistry as part of their 2-year associate degree
program. The drug portfolio, a semester-long project, prompts them to apply their
chemistry knowledge. Students choose drugs relevant to their program pharmacology
course. Throughout the semester, they investigate the various chemical and physical
properties of their drugs, such as structure, solubility, and stereochemistry. In addition,
this year’s project includes a section on people, profit, and the planet as linked to their
chosen drugs. See how the students weave sustainability into their projects and what
they, as real-world citizens, consider important.
CHED 412
Distributed drug discovery (D3) update: First global student collaboration in
neglected disease discovery
William L. Scott3, [email protected], Jack G. Samaritoni3, Lukasz Popiolek5, Amy B.
Dounay2, Doug M. Schirch1, Daniel Garcia Rivera4, Anna Biernasiuk6, Anna Malm6,
Martin J. O'Donnell3. (1) Chemistry, Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, United States
(2) Chemistry and Biochemistry, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, United
States (3) Chemistry and Chemical Biology, IUPUI, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
(4) Faculty of Chemistry, University of Havana, La Habana, Cuba (5) Organic
Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland (6) Pharmaceutical Microbiology,
Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
The Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) program educates student scientists in applied
synthesis and biological evaluation while connecting them with critical humanitarian
drug discovery needs. As they learn theory and practice they become part of a large,
internationally distributed research resource for the discovery of drugs to treat neglected
diseases. We present here our first international collaboration to educate students in the
fundamentals of organic synthesis and drug discovery while they search for antibiotic
drug leads. It teams students at the Medical University of Lublin (Poland) and three sites
in the United States: Colorado College, Goshen College and Indiana University Purdue
University Indianapolis (IUPUI). We will partner with the University of Havana in the fall
of 2016.
Students utilize our simple, inexpensive and powerful D3 Lab 2 procedure (Figure 1) to
synthesize, many new molecules for testing as potential antimicrobial agents. This is
done in replicated fashion across sites using inexpensive Bill-Board equipment. The
molecules made are then sent to Poland for biological evaluation and the results shared
with all the participating institutions. Students are given the biological results so that in
subsequent syntheses they can use this data to choose, from a limited number of
options, the next set of molecules to make.
This project trains students in the basic elements of drug discovery, teaches them
important synthetic methodology and laboratory procedures, connects them to a critical
real-world context – the discovery of drugs for neglected diseases – and brings them
into collaboration with international students.
CHED 413
Civic engagement and undergraduate research:of the student, by the student and
for the student
Richard D. Sheardy, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Texas Womans University, Denton, Texas, United States
We now know that a “learn by doing” approach can enhance student learning. We have
also discussed and analyzed the role of civic engagement in enhancing student learning
in the lecture hall. However, the role of undergraduate research, a perfect example of
learn by doing, has not been included in those conversations. As we continue to focus
more on improving enduring understanding for students, the incorporation of civic
engagement in undergraduate research becomes an apparent approach to that end.
The question then becomes “How do we do this without losing content?” The primary
avenue to the answer is through the laboratory experience, whether a teaching or a
research laboratory. This talk will present strategies for implementation of civic
engagement into undergraduate research and will feature examples by faculty who
have had success in coupling civic engagement and undergraduate research in both
small and large classes at all levels.
CHED 414
What’s in your water? A class tackles PFOA pollution in Bennington, Vermont
Janet B. Foley, [email protected]. Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont,
United States
Recently perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a surfactant used in a variety of polymer
applications, was discovered in the town water supply and wells in Hoosick Falls, NY
and private wells in Bennington, VT. Measurements have recorded concentrations in
ppt (parts per trillion). Community members and state agencies are concerned. The
properties of PFOA offer challenges to predicting its solubility, its adsorption in soil and
its health concerns. Three members of the faculty at Bennington College received a
RAPID Response NSF grant to work with students, community members, and state
agencies to figure out the extent of contamination of wells, the possible percolation
routes through the soil and bedrock, and to look at policies that affect the safety
classification of industrial chemicals. Through this process we hope to train students
how to form questions about chemicals in the environment, how to critically evaluate
data, and how to work with different constituencies to generate the best information that
we can with what we know.
Structure of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
CHED 415
Rubric development for judging scientific thought and creativity in the ACS
competition, Chemagination
Barbara Ameer1, [email protected], Randy A. Weintraub2. (1) Medicine,
Rutgers - Robt Wood Johnson Medical School, Princeton Jct, New Jersey, United
States (2) Science Math & Technology, Rowan College at Burlington County,
Pemberton, New Jersey, United States
Chemagination is an ACS competition for high school students and is aligned with the
ACS goal of fostering “innovative, relevant and effective chemistry education.” Offered
annually since 2002, this local section competition at Princeton University has recently
grown in popularity. Annual surveys indicated a desire by students for detailed
understanding of the 5 categories of scoring. They are scientific thought, creativity of
ideas and generating a future solution to improve lives, clarity of communication,
thoroughness and teamwork among the 2 or 3 students per team. In response, a rubric
was developed for use by the judges, who are 9 doctoral level scientists from the
Princeton and Trenton local sections.
Methods: From a Scopus literature search on “science rubrics and education,” articles
were evaluated for suitability for criteria that has been used over the past 5 years in our
local contest, as an interpretation and refinement of judging criteria used upon initiation
of the competition. A strawman rubric was compiled by high school and college level
educators. Feedback was then obtained from current and past judges of
Chemagination, secondary and graduate school educators involved in Chemagination,
and a chemistry graduate student.
Outcome: The newly created rubric delivers one composite score, rather than separate
scores – one for the ChemMatters feature article with magazine cover design and the
other for the poster, as an accurate and effective presentation of the article. Judges
found the dual scoring process cumbersome and redundant. The final agreed upon
rubric expands scoring items from 5 to 12, with weightings ranging from 2 to 5 maximum
points each, summing to a score of up to 50. Greater weight is assigned to dimensions
fundamental to this unique competition, ie, scientific thought and justification, creativity,
and team presentation to judges at the poster session.
Conclusion: A competition-specific rubric was devised to aid judges and to enrich the
quality of interaction between judges and students, with rubric feedback on individual
team performance that can guide them in subsequent competitions. Implementation will
make the judging process more streamlined, efficient and defensible while enhancing
satisfaction with the learning experience for both judges and students.
CHED 416
Theoretical basis for a new set of solubility rules
Richard H. Langley, [email protected], Cassie A. Davis, Monica Cervantes. Stephen
F Austin State Univ, Nacogdoches, Texas, United States
The use of “traditional” solubility rules has fallen into disfavor during the last few years,
partly because of the decrease in use of qualitative analysis experiments in
undergraduate laboratories and partly because the rules appear to be simple
memorization without any theoretical basis. In a previous presentation, a set of three
“new” solubility rules were offered. At the time, the main emphasis was on the new rules
with a minimal discussion of the underlying theory. In this talk, there will be a more
detailed discussion of the theoretical basis of these new rules. The solubility of ionic
compounds depends on the charges of the ions, the ionic radii, and degree of covalent
bonding present. Suggestions on how to present the material to students in introductory
chemistry courses will be included to help in the application of the rules to writing
correct net ionic equations and to solubility product constant calculations.
CHED 417
New chemistry: Embracing the human element
Tammy Hawley, [email protected]. UNC Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina, United
States
In the twentieth century, chemistry’s linear profit-driven model made profound
discoveries — and consequently large amounts of toxic waste and byproducts — which
greatly contribute to the modern challenges humanity faces. This oversight provoked
the adoption of practices and principles such as green chemistry and green engineering
as a way to practice high-level chemical experimentation without acting unsustainably.
With the growing integration of green chemistry and engineering in industry and
academia, Paul Anastas’ talk Green Chemistry Next highlighted the lingering issue of
“preventing getting stuck in a metric driven loop”. We began to seek out why this might
happen, realizing the necessity to re-ask “What does it mean to be chemists, members
of society, and human?" In response to these questions, we took a humanistic approach
and began to address key components needed to help students rise to the challenges in
the new era of chemistry.
New chemistry is intended as a guide to allow society and chemists to prosper and grow
sustainably, by acknowledging the human element and finding ways to cooperate with it
rather than control it. New chemistry encourages a shift away from shareholder and
consumer desires as the primary driving force behind research, instead impressing
ethical guidelines that assist chemists in devising their new role in society as
environmental and social stewards. These guidelines help them to ultimately embrace
green chemistry and engineering principles, and avoid reverting to the linear thinking
which caused these problems in the first place.
The introduction of curiosity as a core component of new chemistry allows for continual
expansion and intellectual stimulation of the individual, leading to growth in fundamental
research and subsequent applied research opportunities, and making innovative
breakthroughs inevitable. These components are essential for tackling the increasingly
complex problems humanity faces, such as those recently noted by George Whitesides
at Harvard: public health, mega-cities, climate instability, and dissipative systems.
CHED 418
Best practices in peer learning sessions: Advice from peer leaders and peer
mentors
Gabriela A. Szteinberg1, [email protected], Michelle Repice2, Regina Frey1,2. (1)
Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States (2)
Teaching Center, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, United
States
Peer learning programs in science courses allow for deeper and more effective learning.
At Washington University in St. Louis, we provide Peer-Led Team Learning and
Chemistry Peer Mentoring programs to enhance student success in the General
Chemistry course sequence. New peer leaders and peer mentors are trained through a
seminar course on academic mentoring. The final project in this course is a book with
essays providing advice, written by each new peer leader and peer mentor. We
analyzed twelve years of peer leader and peer mentor advice books using qualitative
discourse analysis and a community of practice theoretical lens, to identify which
challenges were encountered by the peer leaders and peer mentors during their first
semester of leading/mentoring. The peer leaders/mentors also described strategies to
deal with the challenges. We present the main challenges faced by peer
leaders/mentors and their advice or best practices to deal with the challenges.
Instructors may use this advice in their own courses or for training in their peer learning
programs.
CHED 419
Implementation of the semi-flipped classroom model: case studies
Alison Keimowitz, [email protected], Zachary Donhauser,
[email protected]. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States
In summer 2015, both authors participated in a workshop training instructors on using
technology to flip the classroom and provide context outside of class while allowing
more active learning exercises during class time. Both authors used this training to
adopt a semi-flipped structure, producing short videos in lieu of in-class lecture on an
approximately weekly basis, for courses that had previously been taught without the use
of any videos. The courses modified were at the introductory level, general chemistry,
and at the advanced level, the thermodynamics semester of physical chemistry. In both
general chemistry and physical chemistry the same end-of-term exam was given both
before and after the course structure modification. Results of this assessment, student
comments, and instructors’ subjective impressions will be presented.
CHED 420
Thinking about problem solving: writing a recipe
James F. Kirby, [email protected]. BC-SCI, Quinnipiac Univ, Hamden,
Connecticut, United States
Asking a student “How did you solve that problem?” often leads to shrugs and stares.
To make them think about process, a problem was presented and the students were
asked to write out a “recipe” for solving the problem: every step that would be followed
to complete the problem. After that was complete, students were asked to try to solve
the problem, using their recipe and to note any spot where they realized what was
missing. Student comments on the exercise will be presented.
CHED 421
Elucidating the formula for enhanced student achievement: Assessment of
student performance in general chemistry at a University in Jamaica
Kamilah S. Hylton, [email protected], Natalie Guthrie-Dixon. Chemistry,
University of Technology, Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica
Prior to 2009, Chemistry was taught separately to engineers, chemistry majors and to
those in the health sciences such that there were three different Chemistry modules
being taught to first year students. A curriculum review, coupled with a financial
evaluation led to the conclusion and consequent decision that it would be most efficient
to offer a single General Chemistry module to first year students required to take a
chemistry module. Since its inception, however, the module has been plagued with
underperformance which required that an anomaly report be written for virtually every
year. Anecdotally, the blame has been placed solely on the fact that the module is
pitched at a level that is far above the ability of the students and so it needs to be made
simpler and certain content removed. This paper seeks to review student performance
over the past six years since its inception with a view to identifying trends and assessing
interventions so that more informed decisions can be made to enhance student
achievement of learning outcomes in General Chemistry I.
CHED 422
General chemistry performance as a predictor of performance in organic
chemistry
Andrew G. Karatjas2, [email protected], Jeffrey A. Webb1,
[email protected]. (1) Chemistry , Southern Connecticut State University , New
Haven, Connecticut, United States (2) Science Department, Johnson and Wales
University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
A high level of student performance in organic chemistry is dependent on mastery of
key topics from general chemistry courses. However, a high grade in a general
chemistry course does not always lead to a successful outcome in organic chemistry
courses. In this study, we explore this topic. Students in general chemistry I & II take the
American Chemical Society final exams. As this exam is used in all of the general
chemistry courses at Southern Connecticut State University, it provides a common
measuring point for those students. Performance on both final exams was compared to
student performance in subsequent organic chemistry courses. In addition to comparing
the overall result, questions on the final exams were categorized by subject and
performance in specific subject areas were compared to performance in organic
chemistry to examine the subjects that show correlation to high levels of performance in
organic chemistry.
CHED 423
Flipped learning in the broadcast chemistry class
Michael A. Christiansen, [email protected]. Chemistry & Biochemistry, Utah
State University, Vernal, Utah, United States
In flipped classrooms, lecture is pushed outside of class through online videos (content
delivery), which frees up in-class time for active, higher-learning activities. Despite a
growing literature focus on flipped learning over the past five years, little attention has
been paid to flipping classes that are simultaneously broadcast to multiple geographic
locations. In such settings, the perceived divide between instructors and distance-site
students is greater, adding another variable to the unique dynamic of flipped learning. In
this talk, I will discuss three years of experience at flipping broadcast courses, and I will
share my strategies for shrinking the perceived divide between the instructor and
distance students. This involves a holistic balance of engaging instruction, classroom
technology, and online videography.
CHED 424
Conducting productive online office hours and review sessions from home
through desktop streaming programs
Meagan K. Mann, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay
State University, Clarksville, Tennessee, United States
While technology has brought us a great deal of convenience, it has also brought
frustration through its limitations. A particular concern for chemistry instructors is the
inherent limitations of communicating chemistry via an email system. Students and
instructors alike have experienced the frustration of attempting to communicate complex
equations and structures through a standard alphanumeric keyboard. One way to
circumvent this issue is through the use of desktop streaming services; a sector of
online technology that brings a streaming video of your computer desktop to remote
users. Presented here is an outline and tutorial of desktop streaming technologies and
how they can be utilized to conduct productive online office hours and review sessions
for your students.
CHED 425
Using Facebook as a platform for role-playing case studies in the general
chemistry course
Andrea Geyer, [email protected]. Chemistry and Mathematics, University of Saint
Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
This presentation will highlight the design, implementation, and assessment of using
Facebook as a tool for role-playing case studies for a general chemistry course. The
creation of two case studies designed to appeal to broad range of science majors will be
detailed. The importance of role playing a broad range of societal members from nondegree personas to scientists to CEOs in order to understand the need for scientific
literacy in the public sector will be included. The intentional selection of recent wellknown topics in the scientific literature that can generate bias, controversy, and ethical
scenarios as central themes in the case studies will be discussed. An analysis of
student feedback and learning assessments including database searching, recognizing
bias, case study execution, and student reflections will be presented.
CHED 426
Mobile app and web-based audio-visual technology tools to enhance students
learning in a general chemistry course
Ganesh Naik, [email protected]. Chemistry, College of Saint Mary, Omaha, Nebraska,
United States
General Chemistry course is a prerequisite course for a First Year Science and
Engineering majors. The students enrolled in this course have varied level of interest in
chemistry. As an educator, we need to utilize different teaching strategies to engage the
students in learning and appreciating fundamental concepts in chemistry. This paper
discusses the efficient use of web-based audio-visual materials and iOS and Android
tablet/mobile phone applications to enhance student learning The mobile applications
were used as interactive tools in classroom instruction and to review important
chemistry concepts such as atomic structure, periodic table, properties of the elements,
chemical bonding etc. In conjunction with these technology tools, online quizzes on the
material were developed to assess the student learning outcomes. The intended
outcome of this activity was to reinforce the discussion of difficult course concepts and
to improve student performance on course examinations. At the end of the semester,
assessment data was collected in the form of students’ reflections, course evaluations,
and grades. The data collected over the last three years clearly suggests that student
confidence in regard to the chemistry concepts increased tremendously as compared to
that of previous semesters, and there was a significant reduction in the number of
students failing or withdrawing from the first year general chemistry course.
CHED 427
Development of pocket size personal servers for use in the classroom: Hardware
and software aspects of them
Joseph Solch1, [email protected], Christina S. Gilpin2, Roger K. Gilpin1,
[email protected]. (1) Chemistry, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, United
States (2) Select-O-Sep, Freeport, Ohio, United States
Online courses fit into two general categories: those that are taught: 1) completely in the
distance learning mode, and 2) in the classroom with the Web-material used to enhance
learning. Likewise, Web-based delivery has gone from its infancy, just two decades ago,
to a commonly used teaching tool that has been delivered, almost exclusively, over the
Internet using centrally located servers maintained by public and private facilities. In
more limited use are the personal servers of some educators that are accessible via the
Internet. Unlike the latter case, Part I. of today's two part talk will consider various
hardware and software aspects of fabricating miniature servers that will fit in the palm of
your hand and can be transported to and used locally in the classroom. The talk is
intended to be technical enough for geeks to assemble their own systems but will also
provide access to premade images for those with less skills.
Two different types of hardware will be discussed that are based on either the use of: 1)
Raspberry Pi microcomputers (ARM processors), or 2) “plug and play” microstick
computers (Intel ATOM processors). Both systems have wireless and Bluetooth
accessibility. Their onboard memory ranges from one to two GB and they have USB
support and microchip storage capability. The capabilities and limitations of the
hardware will be discussed, as well as development issues related to the use of both
Linux and Windows operating systems in terms of the pros and cons of each. The units
will be demonstrated onsite for those that bring a portable device with wireless
capability.
CHED 428
Development of pocket size personal servers for use in the classroom:
Application of these devices to teach quantitative analysis
Roger K. Gilpin2, [email protected], Christina S. Gilpin1, Joseph Solch2. (1)
Select-O-Sep, Freeport, Ohio, United States (2) Chemistry, Wright State University,
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Online courses fit into two general categories: those that are taught: 1) completely in the
distance learning mode, and 2) in the classroom with the Web-material used to enhance
learning. Likewise, Web-based delivery has gone from its infancy, just two decades ago,
to a commonly used teaching tool that has been delivered, almost exclusively, over the
Internet using centrally located servers maintained by public and private facilities. In
more limited use are the personal servers of some educators that are accessible via the
Internet.
Since 2001, the authors have been using this mode of Internet delivery for the
instructional materials (i.e., centrally located servers) in freshman chemistry for majors
courses, advanced junior and senior analytical courses, and post-B.S. graduate
courses. However, unlike delivery, over the fifteen year period that today's talk will
consider, significant changes in the way many students interact with Internet-based
materials has changed significantly. Initially students used either desktop or laptop
computers equipped with word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software as
well as adequate size displays. This was true for a time period from 2001 until about
2010 to 2011. However, with the introduction and proliferation of handheld devices (i.e.,
smart phones) and social media, many students’ learning expectations and work habits
have changed dramatically.
Part II of today's two part talk will consider the use of miniature servers that will fit in the
palm of your hand and can be transported to and used locally in the classroom as well
as allow students to use the device remotely to control chemical instrumentation and
process data in the laboratory. The talk is intended to discuss the use of these devices
under actual course conditions and to point out their pros related to course
management issues.
CHED 429
Teaching large groups of students with online and offline tools: GENI for local
authentic research and translation tools for global bilingual lectures
Benjamin J. McFarland, [email protected]. Seattle Pacific Univ, Seattle, Washington,
United States
Internet and computer tools have transformed my experiences educating large groups
of students in two very different contexts: teaching chemistry lecture/lab courses to
dozens of students in the U.S. and teaching pathological biochemistry lecture courses
to hundreds of students in Burundi.
1.) In the U.S., one educational problem that technology can address is how to facilitate
authentic research experiences in the classroom for large numbers of students. The
collaborative online platform GENI (Guiding Education through Novel Investigation)
provides an application that transfers protocols among institutions and into
undergraduate teaching laboratories, then collects the data from students for analysis
and publication. I have used this tool for several years to conduct bioinformatics
research with four 16-student lab sections and to prepare recombinant immunoproteins
with two 16-student lab sections, and others have used it in molecular biology and
genetics contexts. Education researchers on our team developed and applied
qualitative and quantitative assessment tools to measure the effectiveness of GENI.
The results from these assessments shaped our use of GENI as a tool, and showed
that students achieved distinct learning gains from these authentic research
experiences.
2.) In Burundi, at Hope Africa University in Bujumbura, I spent a sabbatical teaching
pathological biochemistry in English to large groups of Francophone medical students.
The variable nature of online access (and electrical power) required different strategies
in this context, including off-line or limited-bandwidth solutions for using computers in
teaching. These challenges were met with specific hardware and software solutions,
which allowed the course to be translated and taught to different groups of students at
different times, as assessed by a multiple-choice final exam that more than 200
students passed as part of their medical school curriculum.
These experiences show how, even with different technological strategies in different
contexts, technology can form chemical thinkers in large student groups.
CHED 430
Using technology to flip general chemistry courses in a large public university
setting
Melissa A. Deri1, [email protected], Donna McGregor1,2, Pamela Mills1,2. (1)
Department of Chemistry, Lehman College of the City University of New York, New
York, New York, United States (2) Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of
the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
It has been well established that active learning strategies encourage student learning
more effectively than traditional lecture-based teaching. However, it can be a struggle to
both deliver content and institute active learning practices in the classroom, especially in
such a content-heavy discipline like chemistry. One approach to increasing active
learning time is to move the content delivery outside of the classroom, most often
through online lectures or videos. This shift, known as flipping the classroom, opens up
class time and provides the opportunity for more interactive and engaging teaching
practices that can reach students with more varied learning styles. An improvement in
student performance in a flipped classroom represents the power of active learning as
well as the effectiveness of the flipped course design and the new methods of content
delivery.
In this study, we present student performance data from flipped general chemistry
courses run collaboratively at two colleges within a large public university system in an
urban setting. The courses were flipped by creating a specialized course website where
students could access a series of custom videos with linked online homework.
Additionally, since the flipped courses were run with small through very large class sizes
ranging from about 20-1000 students, student response devices were incorporated into
the course for in-class problem solving sessions. We will discuss the technologies
integrated into the course, both in and out of the classroom, as well as the effects of
flipping on student performance outcomes.
CHED 431
Chemistry teaching fellowship program at the University of Toronto: Thirteen
years of student-driven curriculum renewal
Kris S. Kim2, [email protected], Darius Rackus2, Scott A. Mabury1, Barb
Morra2, Andrew Dicks3. (1) Univ Toronto Chemistry Dept, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2)
Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (3) Chemistry, University of
Toronto, Ajax, Ontario, Canada
The Chemistry Teaching Fellowship Program (CTFP) is offered to graduate students
and postdoctoral researchers at the University of Toronto as an opportunity to
undertake curriculum development and chemistry education research. Program projects
are run with faculty supervision and have focused on designing new laboratory
sessions, lectures, and tutorials. In its thirteen-year history, many CTFP projects have
been implemented in the undergraduate curriculum and some have been published in
the Journal of Chemical Education. The history of the CTFP and its impact on
undergraduate education and graduate student professional development will be
presented, with a selection of projects used as case studies. The CTFP provides a
successful model of student-driven curriculum development that can be incorporated in
other chemistry departments.
CHED 432
STEM Academy: A bridge program for scholars
Robbie Montgomery, [email protected]. University of Tennessee Martin,
Martin, Tennessee, United States
The STEM Academy is a two-week summer program to prepare students to be
successful in their STEM courses at The University of Tennessee at Martin. The
program is being developed to assist in increasing student preparedness in challenging
STEM courses and in turn increase retention rates of STEM majors. Currently students
receiving the S-STEM Scholarship at UTM are required to participate in the academy
each summer. The program is designed to meet the needs of the scholars and covers
courses in chemistry, biology, geosciences, mathematics, computer science and
engineering. The course content is tailored to the needs of the scholars to review
material that they are weak in and to introduce material they will see in the upcoming
semester to ideally give them a head start. This talk will focus on the design and
implementation of the program at UTM, as well as the successes and failures of the
academy to date.
CHED 433
Developing a peer-educator training curriculum for the SAGE-Chemistry
academic support program
Claire J. Siburt1,2, [email protected], Ian Stewart2, Donna M. Hall1. (1) Academic
Resource Center, Duke University, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States (2)
Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
The Science Advancement through Group Engagement (SAGE) Program is an
academic support program for diverse learners that combines facilitated learning
communities with individualized learner development and is tied directly to individual
chemistry course sections. SAGE was launched in 2009 by the Academic Resource
Center in conjunction with curricular reform in the Chemistry Department at Duke
University. SAGE has successfully supported multiple cohorts of diverse and
underrepresented learners in gateway chemistry courses. Data on the effectiveness of
the pilot SAGE Program and a description of the Problem Manipulation Methodology
now used in SAGE have been published in J. Chem. Ed. Recent funding from an
institution-wide HHMI grant, has allowed dedicated staff to expand the reach of SAGE
to include an integrated peer-educator development component. Peer-educators are
undergraduate students that have succeed in gateway chemistry courses and serve as
facilitators of small group learning communities or as one-on-one tutors. Significant
restructuring of the training and support of peer-educators has included developing a
training curriculum for chemistry peer-educators and operationalizing logistics such as
recruiting, payroll, and promotion of peer-educators. The peer-educator training
curriculum includes content and skills ranging from management of group dynamics,
principles from educational psychology and the learning sciences, innovations in
chemical education research and pedagogy, the ethics of mentoring, and diversity
topics such as implicit bias and stereotype threat. Evidence of peer-educator
development is captured using multiple qualitative measures over time and will be
discussed. Feedback from both the students and the peer-educators is collected
regularly and will be presented. Supervision methods and associated professional
development opportunities for graduate students will also be presented.
CHED 434
Training tomorrow’s chemists in Florida International University, the largest
public Hispanic serving institution
Vasileios Anagnostopoulos, [email protected], Leonel Lagos, Ines Triay. Applied
Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States
FIU, the largest public Hispanic serving institution in the continental United States (with
a project of 65,000 students by 2018), is one of the nation’s largest producers of
scientists and engineers from underrepresented groups (over 61% Hispanic and over
13% African American).
The Applied Research Center (ARC) at FIU has focused on bringing both
undergraduate students and graduate students to the forefront of research and
professional training through the DOE-EM workforce development program under a
Cooperative Agreement with the US Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental
Management. This is an innovative program designed to create a “pipeline” of minority
scientists and engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the DOE workforce
in technical areas of need, such as chemistry, cyber security and materials science, in
collaboration with academic, government and DOE contractor organizations.
Furthermore, the ARC-FIU coordinates the FIU Nuclear Research Program and
collaborates closely with the Department of Chemistry in the recently inaugurated
Radiochemistry track PhD. This track will prepare students with an interest in the
broader chemical aspects of nuclear and radiological sciences, with coursework and
research experience at the doctoral level. Graduates of the program will be able to find
employment in these areas in industry, government, and academia.
CHED 435
Increasing biological content in the typical organic chemistry course
Steven A. Fleming, [email protected]. Dept of Chem, Temple Univ,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
The teaching tool “Bio-Organic Reaction Animations” (BioORA) is a program designed
for instructors of organic chemistry, if they choose to cover the supramolecular organic
events that occur in bio-organic chemistry. It is also a tool for instruction in biochemistry.
The timing for developing BioORA fits perfectly with the new MCAT, which has an
emphasis on biochemistry. The timing also has a natural fit with the more visual
oriented student learning styles. We will discuss data that suggests students are
increasingly turning to online teaching tools in favor of textbooks. The material in
BioORA includes: enzymes, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. We have 23
animations designed to help students understand and explore the 3D nature of
biomolecules. BioORA is available online at no cost to the user. It is compatible with
Mac and PC platforms. A review of the content of this software and the results of
assessment of BioORA will be presented.
CHED 436
POGIL in organic chemistry lecture: implementation and evolution
Sarah S. Preston, [email protected]. School of Arts & Sciences, Ursuline
College, Mentor, Ohio, United States
This presentation will discuss the changes and adjustments made to the format of an
organic chemistry lecture course intended for chemistry and biology majors taught at a
small, Catholic, women-focused, liberal arts college. Ten years ago, the course was
taught in the traditional lecture format and utilized "clickers" and other in-class group
problem solving activities. On-line lectures were created, at first as a necessity, for the
second semester of the course because of the smaller number of students and the
amount of classes missed by students due to snow days, athletic contests, and family
obligations. Eventually that entire course was tranformed to a flipped/POGIL format.
The first semester organic chemistry course was then converted beginning with the later
topics of the course, until finally, the entire year was converted. The last two years have
introduced McGraw-Hill's LearnSmart and Connect on-line activities and assessments
as pre-lecture preparation and post-lecture review.
CHED 437
Transitioning to a mechanism-based approach in undergraduate organic
chemistry lecture
Anne R. Szklarski, [email protected]. King's College, Wilkes-Barre,
Pennsylvania, United States
For many years the organic chemistry curriculum at King’s College, a small liberal arts
school in Pennsylvania, has focused on introducing reactions and concepts according to
functional group. In an effort to have students develop a deeper understanding of the
material rather than rely on rote memorization, the chemistry department recently
transitioned to a mechanism-based approach. The effects of this change were
examined using student performance on exam questions. These questions, focused on
drawing reaction mechanisms, predicting products, and developing synthetic routes,
were compared for groups of students before and after the curriculum change. The
results of this analysis, along with the benefits and challenges associated with content
reorganization, will be discussed.
CHED 438
Increasing STEM retention through multiple programs within chemistry program
Fehmi Damkaci, [email protected]. Department of Chemistry, SUNY Oswego,
Oswego, New York, United States
We have developed a peer-mentorship program, introductory math for chemists course,
fresman seminar course for majors, as a part of our NSF STEP grant program, to
increase the retention STEM. Curriculum for the peer mentorship program weas
developed by surveying freshman chemistry students' interest and expectations. The
peer mentorship was embeded into general chemistry laboratories, and therefore
provided to all STEM students taking general chemistry courses. In its third year, peer
mentorship the program attracted great interest from junior and senior chemistry
students who would like to be peer-mentors by taking one credit course. Both freshman
students and peer-mentors are surveyed at the beginning and the end of the semester.
More than 86 % of the students (n=756) who attend one of the sections with peermentors taught that it was helpful for them to understand the chemistry concepts in the
lab. Students also indicate that peer-mentorship program made them aware about
research possibilities on campus, how to reach out to the faculty members, etc. Peer
mentorship within introductory labs resolves the problems of scheduling peer
mentor/mentee meetings. It allows each student in the lab meets weekly for 3 hours
with a mentor, which provides ample time to talk while reactions take place. It is easy to
implement at no cost by using current structure in place. It allows setting up the
curriculum for the peer-mentorship based on the freshman interest. It is helpful in
developing teaching and networking skills in peer-mentors before they graduate.
retention rates of the cohorts with and without peermentrhisp will be discussed. In
addition, introductory math course for chemist to help student at pre-calculuas level with
their chemistry courses was developed. The curriculum of the courses and lessons
learned will be discussed. Also, the curriculum and survey results from feshman
chemistry seminar course will be discussed.