The Use of GC/MS, UV/Vis, and Modeling for the Limited Identification of Unknown Acetophenones as an Introductory Characterization Experience in an Upper-Level Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory Course

We describe a simple experiment to start students off in an advanced synthesis and characterization laboratory course. The experiment achieves three fundamental objects. First, adding to prior knowledge of IR, MS, UV/vis and NMR spectroscopy from the introductory organic chemistry course, it gives students a solid grounding in the use of GC/MS and HPLC with UV/vis instrumentation and data analysis, preparatory to further use of these analytical techniques in the course and elsewhere. Second, it gives students an appreciation for the potential utility and rigor required in the application of computational chemistry. Third, it brings to the student’s attention the continued importance and significance of classical/historical practices in the field of structure elucidation.