CHEM71A — Organic Chemistry Lab II

A number of very interesting reactions were performed this semester.  The required level of lab maturity was also higher than the first semester of Organic Chemistry, which was already so much more than what was expected in the General Chemistry laboratories.  With each “raising of the bar” in these lab sections I found myself getting more out of my experiment and the work I was doing.

Overall, this portion of second semester Organic Chemistry was to be the most engaging portion of the entire two semester long lecture/lab course.  It was a treat to learn how to safely handle and simultaneously react some rather dangerous compounds. I found each laboratory experience to be thoroughly satisfying, which is unfortunately something that cannot be said of the majority of my laboratory sections for my other lower division courses.

Lab Reports

Triphenylmethanol
The Diels-Alder Reaction of Cyclopentadiene with Maleic Anhydride
Nitration of Methyl Benzoate
1,4-Diphenyl-1,3-Butadiene