However, in real-world applications, the fields are not as distinct as they are made out to be in the classroom and traditional academic laboratory. To some extent, it is necessary to build up technical skills in the laboratory. These labs also provided "an opportunity to test one's own hypothesis ... allowing for creativity and a personal interest in the lab."
To select participants, students were given the choice of taking the normal biology course or volunteering to participate in the experimental course. The “comparison group” was normally selected so that their demographics matched those of the experimental group, specifically in terms of gender, GPA, major, grade level, and previous research experience. The students in the experimental laboratory reported a statistically significant increase in their confidence in every part of the laboratory, including data interpretation, question development, and presentation of results.
In the laboratory, students take a research approach in which they formulate and test their own hypotheses. Students were selected based on their interest in the laboratory using a questionnaire (only 36 were selected due to equipment and faculty limitations). Post-course exercises were conducted during the last laboratory exercises of the spring semester and were given to students in the interdisciplinary (ID) lab as well as in the traditional course.
Note: The valeryl chloride derivative is not included in the table because it was not a derivative that I worked with directly. A lack of response may be due to impurities in the product to the point where the product is almost perfect. Although this is probably a safe assumption due to the fact that a change in the ester unit should not affect the physical properties much, it is possible that some derivatives, unlike blattellaquinone, are liquids.
If a product was synthesized and there was nothing in the GC/MS to indicate that it was, it was a very minor product. Currently, the second semester of organic chemistry is held in the spring, while the animal behavior course is held in the fall. Until now, crude samples have been refrigerated, but are unlikely to be stable for months and probably need to be discarded and resynthesized.
Ultimately, students design their own experiments and answer their own research questions, making for a more impactful lab experience. Using a metal clamp, attach the neck of the RBF to the bars on the back of the lid or stand with a ring and place the magnetic stirring bar in the RBF. Separate the organic layer and refrigerate the product until the next laboratory period.
The lab course helped me better understand what science looks like in the "real world."
Trial 1: Blattellaquinone 2-‐Week Synthesis
After standing for one week, a TLC was taken and the dichloromethane was evaporated using a rotary evaporator. This TLC was alarming because the spot appeared lower on the TLC plate than it had the previous week and more closely matched the starting material than the reacted solution. Another TLC was taken comparing Emma Robinson's product from the same reaction, the starting material combined with Emma Robinson's product and the starting material alone.
After evaporating the dichloromethane, acetonitrile (15 mL) and DI water (15 mL) were added to the solution. For comparison while monitoring the reaction, TLC was taken on this solution and then allowed to stir. The combined organic solutions were washed 1x with concentrated sodium bicarbonate (20 mL), 1x DI water (20 mL) and finally, in a new separatory funnel, 1x with brine (20 mL).
The next week the product was washed 1x with saline (5ml) and a TLC was taken which showed a spot that had moved further up the TLC plate than the starting material. The organic layer was analyzed by GC/MS and suggested formation of the product as there was a small peak at 222, which is the molecular weight of our target product. However, there was concern that the melting temperature was set to high (level 5) and it was carried out again.
The level was increased to 2.5 and the product melted completely at 56 ˚C, which corresponded to the literature value of 56.5 ˚C. However, there were problems with the chosen melting temperature, as the first test showed that the sample would not melt even at temperatures up to 87 ˚C (started melting at level 2, increased to levels 2.5 and 3). A second test was performed with a new melting temperature at level 50 and the product melted at 56 ˚C.
Trial 2: Blattellaquinone 1-‐Week Synthesis
Trial 3: Blattellaquinone Synthesis
Trial 4: Acetyl Chloride Derivative
Trial 5: Butyryl Chloride Synthesis
Trial 6: Blattellaquinone One-‐Pot Synthesis
The TLC indicated that the intermediate had formed because its position had moved further on the plate. The first GC/MS was under the file: KG-‐26, name: blattellaquinone one pot, (my doctor D'Angelo research Kyma). The solution was then placed on the rotary evaporator to evaporate the dichloromethane.
After one week at room temperature, there was solid crystal formation, indicating that our product disappeared from the GC/MS column before it could be read. Dichloromethane was added and a TLC was taken where the spot looked like a large smear running almost all the way up the plate.
Trial 7: Half-‐Scale Blattellaquinone Synthesis
The next week, the solution was placed on the rotavap and then pentane (10 mL) was added to recrystallize the product. The weight of the solid was obtained (0.154 g) and then it was stored in the refrigerator. The following semester, the solid product was dissolved in ∼2 pipettes of dichloromethane and a GC/MS was taken under the file names: KG-32 and KG-32b.
