Molecule Library Project
Chem 211
Name
1. Compound Names
My molecule
Fall 2008
References:
Molecular Formula
CAS Registry Number [see Lehman Appendix VII]
CA Index Name
Other names. What type of name is it? (IUPAC, systematic, common, generic or trade)
IUPAC or
systematic
Name
Common,
Generic or
Trade
2. Physical Properties
References:
o
(at normal laboratory conditions, 20-25 C and 1 atmosphere)
Boiling point
Melting point
Refractive index
Color
Density
Under normal lab conditions, would your compound be a solid, liquid or gas? Why do you
say so?
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
3. Structure
References:
(draw by hand, a skeletal representation of your molecule using wedges and dashes as needed
to specify unique structure)
4. Molecular Model
Make a molecular model of your compound. If your model kit doesn’t have enough atoms,
use the model kits provided so you can make a complete structure. Hold your model in your
hands. Manipulate it. What do you learn about your molecule from the model? You might
comment on shape, distribution of heteroatoms, flexibility, etc. (~100 words)
Look at and manipulate the model of a classmate’s molecule. In what ways are the
molecules alike? How are they different? (~50 words) Only write about what you learn by
considering the molecular model.
Comparison molecule
belongs to
(classmate’s name)
Alike:
Different:
2
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
3
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
5. Functional groups
References:
Draw your molecule using molecular drawing software or paste in the structure from an
online source. Then indicate functional groups present by circling (or highlighting) them on
the structure and by drawing arrows to them and labeling them. Functional groups you
should consider are those in CGWW Table at the bottom of p. 36 and if you have nitrogen in
a ring, see CGWW pp. 1180-1181.
6. Aqueous Solubility
References:
Would you predict that your compound is soluble in water? Why or why not? Consider the
number and distribution of any polar heteroatoms present.
Might your compound be more soluble in aqueous sodium hydroxide or aqueous
hydrochloric acid than it is in water? (see Chem 211 Lab Manual Appendix B). Why or why
not?
4
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
7. Stereochemical Features
References:
Draw the structure of your molecule (hand drawn, created using molecular drawing software,
or pasted in from an online source) in which stereochemical features are clearly indicated, for
example using wedges and dashes.
Circle (or highlight) and draw an arrow to label any cis-trans structures or chiral centers.
Label any chiral centers correctly as R or S
(See http://www.acdlabs.com/iupac/nomenclature/93/r93_630.htm and
http://www.chemhelper.com/enantiomers.html for explanations of how to determine the
configuration of a chiral center.
If your molecule has no cis-trans features or any chiral centers, write none and explain how
you came to that conclusion. Then label the cis-trans structures and chiral centers of the
following structure.
H
O
H
Cl
8. Infrared Spectrum
References:
Draw the structure of your molecule (hand drawn, created using molecular drawing software,
or pasted in from an online source). Circle the bonds with distinctive IR absorbance.
List the characteristic IR frequencies expected or reported for your compound. Be as precise
as possible with “cm-1” (for ex. an ester C=O absorbs at different cm-1 than a ketone C=O)
Bond or structural feature
Bond or structural feature
, cm-1
, cm-1
5
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
6
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
9. Essay:
Write a short essay about your compound (300-400 words) at a level that would interest other
young scientists; consider your audience to be a senior chemistry or biology major. You
might address these questions or anything else that intrigues you: What is it? How was it
discovered? Isolated? Identified? Why is it interesting to scientists? What sort of research
is being carried out on this compound? Among your references you must include a primary
source (mark with *), secondary source, (mark with #), and tertiary source (mark with ^).
You must provide documentation in your report folder of the primary source you used
(either the first page or the entire research article if you copied it all).
7
Chem 211
Molecule Library Project
Fall 2008
10. Reference List
8