Name:
Industrial Chemistry Mini-Project
The goal of this project is to have you investigate and become an expert in the history and science of a
specific organic compound. Below are the organic compounds you can choose to research – although if
you have an idea for a different molecule you would like to study, feel free to come and ask about it!
Below are the chemicals you can choose to research. Please choose no more than one!
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Progestin (the hormone in birth control pills)
Nylon (a common clothing material)
Vanillin (artificial vanilla flavor)
Vitamin D3 (an important vitamin in your body)
Ibuprofen (Advil)
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Penicillin (an antibiotic)
Saccharin (Sweet ‘n Low artificial sweetener)
Neoprene (synthetic rubber)
Mauveine (purple dye – the first synthetic dye)
Quinine (malaria drug)
DDT (a very controversial synthetic pesticide)
Kevlar (the molecule in bullet-proof vests)
Trinitrotoluene (TNT – explosive)
There are three stages to your project:
1. RESEARCH – DUE Tuesday 12/13 at the beginning of class.
Step 1 is to start gathering information about your compound, and reading that information. I will
check to see that you have information from a minimum of 3 credible sources, and that you have
either taken directed notes or summary notes about your reading.
2. DRAFTING - DUE Wednesday 12/14 by the end of class.
Step 2 is to draft each of the sections of your poster. You can do this on the computer, on lined
paper, in your notebooks, on scratch paper, etc – it’s up to you! I will be looking over your drafts
before I give you your poster board.
3. FINAL POSTER – DUE Monday 12/19 at the beginning of class.
Step 3 is to make your poster! You’ve done the leg work at this point – research and drafting –
now it’s time to take what you’ve learned and create an interesting, informative, and visually
appealing poster!
FRONT:
Name
Project Title
BLOCK
DATE
Molecule’s Common Name
HISTORY & DISCOVERY
Who discovered this molecule?
How did he/she/they make the
discovery? Was the molecule
originally used for the same
purpose as it is today?
Molecule’s Chemical Name
LEWIS STRUCTURE
Draw Lewis Structure
USES
SKELETAL STRUCTURE
What is this molecule used for? & FUNCTIONAL GROUPS
Why do industrial chemists bother
to synthesize this molecule? How
might people’s lives be different if
Draw Skeletal Structure.
chemists had never discovered how
Label all functional groups.
to synthesize this molecule?
BACK:
WORKS CITED:
CHEMICAL REACTION
Provide a detailed, labeled, and
annotated (explained) diagram of the
chemical reaction that chemists use
to synthesize this molecule. What
type of reaction is it? How do you
know?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What connections can you make
between what you’ve learned about
molecular structure (covalent
bonding, organic chemistry,
chemical reactions) and what you’re
able to understand about how
industrial chemists synthesize this
molecule?