Module code: CFS4026-B
This module will introduce the fundamental techniques required to work safely and efficiently in the laboratory and will cover the following key areas:
Health and Safety: You will develop your skills in the safe handling of chemicals, in making accurate qualitative observations, quantitatively analysing compounds prepared in the laboratory, and in reporting and interpreting experimental results.
Synthetic Chemistry: You will gain experience and knowledge in the synthesis of organic compounds and
coordination complexes, including reactions involving main group chemistry. You will learn synthetic techniques and purification methods, including, but not limited to, refluxing, recrystallisation, distillation and biphasic separations of organic compounds. Principles of Green Chemistry will be introduced to allow you to learn how to assess the environmental impact of laboratory work.
Analytical and Physical Chemistry: You will learn about spectroscopic techniques (1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Infrared and UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry) and use these methods in the analysis of what you synthesise in the lab. You will use measurements of physical parameters to investigate aspects of physical chemistry, including determination of activation energies and enthalpies of solution.
Record Keeping and Presentation of Results: You will learn how to record experiments accurately in your laboratory notebook, in line with standard industrial specifications. Through preparing laboratory reports you will be introduced to the standard formats and drawing packages used by professional chemists to share their results. You will also be taught how to use Microsoft Excel for the analysis and interpretation of your results.
Mathematics: You will be tutored in the basic numeracy skills necessary to study a degree in the chemical sciences and will apply these skills to your experimental work.