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in the Chemical laboratory
CXXIV. Safety in the Organic Laboratory: A Modernized Mole Table
John W. Hill5 and Robert J. Pasleris: Falls. 54022
Far many years we and other organic chemistry laboratory instructors have had our students prepare s table of physical constants as a required Part of the Preparation far a laboratory experiment. The table typically lists physical constants of all organic and inorganic suhstanees which take part in the main reaction and important side reactions. Weight, number of moles, density, solubilities, and melting point or boiling paint are usually included. Directions for the preparation of sueh a table are found in many laboratory manuals.' With the increasing interest in laboratory safety, as evidenced by more stringent regulation by state and federal agencies, we have required the addition of two columns t o the tables. Students are required t o include the twin hazards of flammability and toxicity in their "mole tables". The most convenient sources that we have found for sueh data are the Handbook o f Laboratory S o f e t ~and , ~ the Merek Inde.q3 and Safety in the Chemical Loborotory.' These assignments are not meant to replace the usual cautions in the directions for the experiment. Instead, the intent is to teach the student how to evaluate for himself some of the hazards involved and to acquaint him with some sources of sueh information. Student acceptance has been excellent. Safety consciousness in the laboratory has been elevated. Students don't have to be reminded as often to wear safety glasses. They check around for flammable solvents hefore lighting a burner. They even use the hoods more frequently when handling volatile or noxious liquids. For example, see Adams, R., Johnson, 3. R., and Wilcon, C. F., Jr., "Laboratory Experiments in Organic Chemistry," 6th Ed., The Macmillan Co., New York, 1970, pp. 155-156. Steere, N. V., (Editor), "Handbook of Laboratow Safetv." 2nd Ed.. The Chemical ~ u b b e ;CO., ~idveland,1971. 3Stecher, P. G., (Editor), "The Merck
University of Wisconsin, River
Index," 8th ed., Merck & Co., Rahway, N.J., 1968. 'Steere, N.'V., "Safety in the Chemical Laboratory," Vals. 1, 2, and 3, The Chemical Education Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1967, 1971,and 1974. "uthor to whom correspondence should he addressed. Now a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, ~ ~ dWI 53706. i ~ ~ ~ ,
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Volume 52, Number 5, May 1975 / A291
