JUNE,1955
a
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE UNDERGRADUATE CHEMICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM ETHALINE CORTELYOU Amour Research Foundation, Chicago, Illinois W. P. CORTELYOU Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois
FOR the 1955-56 school year the National Coopera- 3. Classificatia sf Cations Based on Qualitative Chromatographic Separation by Means of Specific Solvents tive Undergraduate chemical Research Program < ~ a ( a ) Determine the Rr values for a group of employing CUR) offers19 projects for student participation. The as solvents specified mixtures of two alcohols diluted outline used for each project is: with (a1 water and ibl acetic acid. Keeo temoernture. cation eoneentration,and developmenttime Eonstant: Typical unit assignment ( b ) Sheets and rolls of Whatman filter paper prepared for Special equipment needed paper chromatography. Wide-mouthed jars or bottles, 12 to 15 inches tall, are useful. Special chemicals needed (c) Salts to prepare cations. Solvent solutions, e. g., acetic Minimum student prerequisite acid, sulfuric acid, butsnol, isopropanal, and other Name and address of director alcohols, if desired. ANALYTICAL PROJECTS 1. Sensitivity of Inorganic Qualitative Analysis Reagents (a) Determine the number of milligrams (in solution) of each
of a group of cations required to give a characteristic reaction with 1.0 ml. of each of several different reagent solutions under specified conditions. ( b ) Twenty-four small reagent bottles (30-100 ml.) with droppers in the stoppers, or any convenient means of counting thedrops of solutionsused. ( e ) Salts to prepare the cation solutions. Sometimes specialorganic reagents. ( d ) Completion of a course in systematic qualitative analysis. ( e ) W. P . Cortelyou, Raosevelt University, Chioago 5, Illinois. 3. The Magnitude of Some Simple Quantitative Technique Errors ( a ) Is i t necessary to grease the lid of a desiccator? ( b ) Usual instruments and equipment needed for gravimetric quantitative analyses. ( d ) Quantitative analysis. fe) Ethaline Cortelvou. Deoartment of Chemistrv and nois
4. The Development of Quantitative Volumetric Determinatia of Paint Pigment Constituents
(a) Comparison of five assigned internal indicators for the
titration of rino. (c) Special indicators assigned.
( d ) Quantitative analysis. ( e ) Clovis Adams, The Sherwin-Williams Company, 115th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. 5. The Detection of Ions by Differential Diffuion (a) To devise methods for detecting the presence of anions and cations by their different rates of diffusion in gelatinous media, such as concentrated gels of gelstine or polyaloahols. ( b ) Petri dishes, watch glasses, and reagent bottles with droppers in the stoppers. ( e ) Salts to prepare ianio solutions and developers; also organic reagents. ( d ) General chemistry and qualitative analysis. ( e ) Marvin Antelman, Research Director, Marantes Labaratories, 7 South Cambridge Avenue, Ventnor City, New Jersey.
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
INORGANIC PROJECTS ~
6. Solubilities of Inorganic Sulfamates in Water ( a ) Determination of the solubility of barium sulfamate in
water a t 209, 30", 40", and 50°C.; includes preparation and purification of the barium sulfamate. ( b ) Screwcapped bottle8 of approximately 126ml. capacity; suitable shaking device for nix or eight hot,tles in a thermostat. (c) Reagent grade sulfamic acid. ( d ) G o d background in quantitative analysis. (e) Sister Agnes Ann, Immilculilte Heart College, Los Angeles 27, California. 7. Solubilities of Inorqunie F l u o d e Salts in Organic Solvents ( a ) Determination of solubility of potassium fluoride in dioxane a t ~everaltemperatures. (b) Conntant-temperature bath; containers not affected hy compounds used, probably polyethylene bottles. (e) The inorganic fluoride rand the organic solvent used. ( d ) Elementary quantitative analysis and elementary organic ehemistry. (e) John H. Walkup, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky. 8. Solubilities of Inoryanie Halides (other than Fluorides) in 0 7 ganie Solumts (a) Dotermination of solubility of lithium bromide in n-hutyl alcohol a t 0", 25", and 100°C. ( 6 ) Conatsnt-temperature bath; screwcapped glass bottles of sppronimstely 100-125 ml. capacity; shaking deVLCO.
(c) None other than good grade solvent and solute. ( d ) One quarter of quantitative analysis or s t least be pursuing same. (e) Kirhy E. Jmkson, University of Alabama, University, Alabama.
ORGANIC PROJECTS g.
Preparation and Characterization o f Diamides from Methylme Bis-(4-phenyl i s o ~ ~ n a land e ) Alkyl or Aryl Bromides lhrough the Grignard Reaction:
-
+(Then HCL)
C H ~ ( ~ H C O ) 2RMgX ?
(a) Condensation of the RMgX compounds of three or four
slkyl or aryl bromides with methylene his-(4phenyl isocyanate) and subsequent hydrolysis to the diamide, methylene bis-(p-acyl aniline). The purification of the diamides and determination of physiral constants. ( b ) Two-neck, round-hottomed flasks. (c) Mcthylme bis-(4-phenyl isocyanate), alkyl or aryl bromides, mrtilllio magnesium for Grignard reagents, dry other. ( d ) Elementary organic chemistry. (e) Roy G. Bassort, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. and Properlies of Acylacenaphthenes 10. P~eparafion ( a ) Preparation and properties of 5-(p-toluy1)-acenaphthene. ( b ) General orgsnie laboratory equipment. (c) Acenaphthene, ptoluyl chloride, carbon disulfide, hydroxylrtmine hydrochloride, phenylhydrazine hydrorhlorido, etc. ( d ) Organic chemistry. ( e ) Edith J. H. Chu, Immaculate Heart College, Los Angelea 27, California. 11. Charaeterznation of Amines as Salls of Ozalic Acid ( a ) Preparation and crystallization of desired salts and determination of melting points of these derivatives. ( b ) Good standard thermometer. (e) Primary smines.
f~, d ) Two semesters of oreanic chemistrv and oreferablv a course in qualitative organic chemistry. (e) Harry Cohen, Roosevelt University, Chicago 5, Illinois. Preparation of Certain Sehiff Bmes and Their Reduction with Lithium Aluminum H y d d e (a) Synthesis of octadecylbenzylideneamine and reduction to K-octadeoylbenzylamine. ( b ) Three-neck flask, mechanical stirrer, Claisen flask, and, for most preparations, a.vacuum pump. (c) Lithium aluminum hvdride. (d) Elementary organic ehemistry. (e) Bertin L. Emling, St. Vincent College, Latrohe, Penw sylvania. The Reaction of Alcohols with Activated Aryl Halides ( a ) The product of an alcohol, 2,4dinitrofluorobensene, and s. tertiary smine catalyst is isolated and purified. The melting point is the physical property sought. (h) Ordinary laboratory apparatus. (e) A series of nloahols and 2,4dinitrofluorohenzene (Eastman or Matheson). ( d ) Organic ehemistry. ( e ) John D. Reinheimer, The College of Waoster, Wooster,
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14. Synthesis of Polynt~clearThiophene Compounds ( a ) Synthesis of 2,5-dimethylhenzothiophene. (b) Standard organic equipment, such as vacuum pump, chemical ~tirrer,and three-neck flaak. (c) p-Thiacresol, lithium metal, chloroacetaldehyde, diethylacetal, and dimethyl sulfate. ( d ) Organic chemistry. ( e ) F. G. Bordwell, Chemistry Department, liorthwestern University, I'ivanston, Illinois.
PHYSICAL PROJECTS 16. Determination qf Rqlraetive Indeses of Binary Liquid dliztures at Various Concentrations and Various l'emperatwes (a) Determination of refractive indexes of diaxane-ethylene glycol solutiana of various concentrations a t some given temperature. (h) Good refmetometer, canstsnt-temperature water bath, circulating pump. (c) The liquids to he used. (. d.) Elementary ouantitative analysis and rlementary organic oh&&tq.. ( e ) R. I. Ruah, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky. lfi. Binary Azeotropes to Members qf Hydrocarbon Honroloyoti8 Series with Glycol Ethers (a) Study of the vapor-liquid equilil;rium compositions as a function of boiling temperature for azeotlapic agent with one or more pure hydrocarbon homolagues. ( b ) Efficient fractionation column, Abbe ~rfrsrtometrr, manastat desirable but not necessary. (c) Carefully purified liquids. ( d ) Physical chemistry taken conaurrently. (e) William F. Kieffer, The College of Wooster, \Vooster, Ohio. 17. Detemination of Ternary Azeotmpes Containing Water and Amines and/or Alcohols (a) Investigation of toluene, methyl cellosolve, and ethyl alcohol system. (e) Carefully purified liquids of the particular system studied. ( d ) Physical ehemistry taken concurrently. (e) H. E. Weieissler, Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, Texas. 18. Delermination of the Reliability of Ideal Laws in Typical Practical Circumstances (a) Determination of the molecular weight of naphthdene from its freezing-point depressidn in benzene a t several concentrations to observe departure from ideality as afunction of concentration.
JUNE. 1955
325
past, industrial and research foundation chemish have given invaluable aid by suggesting projects. Their daily use of chemical data often means they are better informed than the average chemistry teacher on both the validity and availability of data in many fields. Each of the 19 National Project Directors directs the Sometimes in the pursuit of a large research problem research on his project by issuing assignment sheets to missing bits of data, such as physical constants, must each student participant through the student's teacher, be determined, but these results are not published. No a Loral Project Director. Each project is subdivided doubt many industrial chemists have tucked away in int,o assignments, or research units; each assignment their notebooks some of the data sought in the 19 curusually requires about 50 hours of work for completion rent projects. The project directors would appreciate of any library search needed, the laboratory work, and receiving any such data t o use in evaluating student a renearch report. results. Ordinarily the same assignment is made to two or The donation of unusual or pure chemicals to be supmore students, independent of and unknown to each plied to students studying them is another form of inother, in different schools. Each student works under dustrkl aid that would be most welcome. Many of the the direct supervision of his own teacher. When a participating schools have limited budgets, and the teacher decides a student has completed an assignment, purification of chemicals is so time-consuming that a he supervises the preparation of a research report to be student seldom can purify a chemical and have much of submitted to the National Project Director. his 50 hours left for research. Better checks ~vouldbe Each National Project Director sets his own criteria obtained if all students working in a chemical had samfor accepting or rejerting a report; often acceptance is ples from the same source. hased upon the checking of results obtained by two or The chemistry departments of most small liberal-arts more students. A Certificate of Acceptance is awarded colleges operate on very limited budgets so that they to each student submitting an acceptable report. Each are seldom able to purchase the latest scientific instrucertificate is signed by the student's teacher, the Nat- ments. Many industries, on the other hand, are able tional Project Director, and.by the president and sec- to replace adequate equipment with the latest advances retary of Handbook Publishers, Inc., which furnishes in more efficientand more accurate instruments to speed the cert,ificates. up the solution of their problem. Almost any industry Suitable data may be selected for publication in the can find a school nearby that would be more than grate"Handbook of Chemistry." A National Project Di- ful for donations of laboratory equipment that has been rector may publish data obtained on one or more assign- replaced by newer models. ments as a paper, giving full credit to participating stuMany large companies support graduate fellowships dents, teachers, and schools. One NaCUR project for research in fields of interest to them. A much has been rompleted and the results were published.' smaller financial donation mould help a school particiSeveral st,udents have report.ed their results in papers pate in one of the program projects. before student groups of the A. C. S. and of state acadAny project suggestions for the 1956-57 NaCUR emies of science. On January 31, 1954, students of list would be appreciated very much. Any chemist Sister Mary Louis of Notre Dame College in Baltimore suggesting a project may decide for himself how much discussed four NaCUR projects on a college television aid he wishes to give on it; he may want to: program. The program mas originally organized at the St. (1) Do nothing more than suggest the projert. (2) Explain the reason for suggesting the project Louis Ameriran Chemiral Society meetings in 1948 to and the possible applications of any dat,a obstimulate undergraduate research and to supply chemtained. ical data. It has also served as a stimulant to teachers in small schools who have previously felt their research (3) Outline previous research in the field. (4) Suggest the procedure and methods to be efforts were handicapped by limited funds, facilities, followed. time, and research quality students. By sponsoring a (5) Act as consultant. NaCCR project, a teacher may direct the activities of (6) Direct the project himself. many students with the assistance of other teachers and the research equipment of several schools. Any teacher or industrial chemist int,erested in diIn addition, the program offers industry an excelleut recting a new project should write to one of the authors opportunity to cooperate with college teachers in stim- as soon as possible, since a project is listed under the ulating st,udent interest in chemical careers. In the direction of the first person to request it. An outline 1 EMLING, BEETIN,"Some alkyl heni;enesulfonates," J . Am. of a project for the 1956-57 school term must be sent to the authors by January 10, 1956. C h m . Soc., 74, 4702-1 (1952).
(d) Physical chemistry. ( r i Nathan Yaeol. Roosevelt University, Chicago 5, Illinois. 19. chemical ~ e a n s Cleaning ~ l t r a m i $ pipeti ( e ) George F. Hand, State Microscopical Society of Illinois, 7512 Oloott Avenuc, Hammond, Indiana.
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