updated last Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Week 4 Problem Set - 30BL (Turn in your computer assignment during week 5)


Part I: Phase Transfer Oxidation (due in prelab)

1. A student acquires a GC spectrum for his final compound.

Solvent: diethyl ether, Column: HP-5, 30 m, 0.25 mm, Temperature:  T=80 oC (isothermal)

Results:

Time (min) Height (pA) halfwidth (min)
1.2 12000 0.12
4.50 100 0.2
6.75 30 0.28

a. Which conclusions can he draw about his final compound?

b. How could he determine which of the observed peaks belongs to his target compound?

c. Why do peaks with a lower retention time usually exbihibit less width than peaks at higher retention times?

d. How would the spectrum change if the temperature would be T=80 oC in the beginning and increased to 100 oC within 10 minutes?

e. How is the "retention time" of a compound defined?

2. A separatory funnel is used this week during the work-up. Answer the following questions.

a. Which tests should be performed prior to using the separatory funnel?

b. The procedure asks to vent the separatory funnel frequently during the extraction. This is particularly true if a solvent like diethyl ether is used. Explain briefly.

c. Why is it necessary to remove the stopper from the top when draining the solution?

3. Referring to the reaction carried out in the lab, answer the following questions.

a. Assuming that bleach is used in excess, how could one test if the reaction is completed?

b. (NBu4)(HSO4) is used in the reaction. What does this compound exactly do?

c. After the reaction, the reaction mixture is extracted with sodium bicarbonate. Which purpose does this step serve? Show pertinent chamical equations.

d. Assuming that you have about 30 mL of solution after the extraction, which contains 5% of water (by volume), how many grams of anhydrous magnesium sulfate should be used to remove the water? Show your work. The

PART II. (Reduction of Camphor, In-lab assignment)

This assignment is to be completed in the UCLA Science Learning Center computing labs during the lab period (or afterwards if you don't complete it in the allotted time). The assignment is due during meeting 5 and is worth 10 points.

1. Optimize the above structural geometry of borneol, camphor and isoborneol. (see below instructions). Compare the heat of formation of borneol and isoborneol. Which one is thermodynamically more stable? How can you rationalize the differences?

2. Determine the dipol moment for borneol, camphor and isoborneol. (see below instructions). In the GC spectrum, camphor has the shortest retention time, then isoborneol and borneol last. Can you rationalize the GC results based on the calculated dipole moments of these compounds? (Note: The GC column is relatively non-polar.) Do not apply any constraints in this part!


Instructions:


See these Helpful Hints for manipulating structures!

Note:

1 au = 1 hartree = 627.5 kcal/mol
1 eV = 23.06 kcal/mol
1 hartree = 27.21 eV
1 Ångstrom = 1.889762 atomic units = 10-8 cm

PART III. (Aldol Condensation, In-lab assignment)

1. Calculate the dipole moment for dihedral angles:

0 through 180 degrees in 15 degree increments.

Plot the dipole moment of benzil vs. the dihedral angle.

Newman Projection of Benzil

Instructions: