Organic laboratory for Graduate Students
I n the organic chemistry departments of many universities in this country there is much discussion concerning the contents of lecture courses. This is as it should be-but I feel that far too little time is spent in developing the laboratory proficiency of our AIS and PhD graduates. I n this article I will oudline a possible remedy to this situation.' Take the case of the typical graduate student. Shortly after arriving a t graduat,e school and a t a time which ranges from a week or two t o many months in different instit,utions, the student talks with various faculty members about research problems and makes his choice of a preceptor for his graduate thesis work. If hc is like many of his fellow students he has'had very limited training in how to do laboratory experiments in a superior way. Often thc equipment available in undcrgraduate courses is limited for one reason or another (often budgetary). I t is with this preparation that he starts on his laboratory experimentation. Too often, t,his consists of running reactions in a conventionnl way until he has made compounds on which certain measurements are made. Many of thcsc measuremcuts are made on modern instruments and give insight into the problems under investigations. Thus the student, although he may accomplish an important piece of research, is missing a certain amount of training for future r e s e a r ~ h . ~ T o illustrate this, consider a possible consequence of experience limited to "running of reactions in a conventional way." By this I mean that the operation is carried out in the usual solvents in a three-necked flask fitted with a stirrer, addition funnel, and reflux condenser. The workup of the reaction mixture then involves one or more of the following techniques: extraction, chromatography (various types), crystallization, and distillation. Even though a student runs many reactions of varied types in such a way his experimental background is limited. Later in his career, whcn he thinks about his own research he is inclined to think in terms of the experimental approaches with which he is familiar. Thus, one can argue t,hat the teaching of a variety of experimental techniques not only improves laboratory proficiency but also enriches the mental processes which control the type of research to be done in the future. I t would seem then that an advanced laboratory course is desirable. If this premise is accepted, one might ask what should be included in such a course. In general I believe that the course must develop around the interests of the staff a t any institution. I n order to teach such a course in a meaningful way there must be close personal supervision by persons who themselves
opinion are reasonably proficient. At Ohio State such a course has been offered for over twenty years and has included the following less frequently encountered techniques: reactions in liquid ammonia and liquid hydrogen fluoride; high pressure hydrogenation (recently offered less frequently because of the use of complex hydrides); ozonization; electrode reactions; vapor phase reactions; vacuum fractionation; and continuous extraction. I n addition many lectures are given on superior ways of doing laboratory operations, including discussion of different pieces of apparatus for accomplishing the various operat,ions. I do not mean to imply that these reactions are the only ones or the best ones. They are merely those with which members of our staff have been concerned over the years3 I feel strongly that this course should be given in the summer. At Ohio State, our two-quarter course was tried out in all quarters except the summer for many years. Now both quarters are given a t a n accelerated rate in the summer only. Typically a student enrolling in these courses works a t nothing else during the summer except possibly on a foreign language requirement. The big advantage is that the student can really concentrate on laboratory work and does not have to worry about lecture courses, teaching duties, exams, or any of the distractions which occur during other quarters. I n this way he can begin to develop superior laboratory technique which will be of great aid when he starts his research. The best time for a student to take this course is in the summer preceding the autumn when he normally begins graduate work. Such summers often are spent in earning money in temporary but well-paying jobs. However, the small financial advantage gained in this way may be outweighed by a longer-than-necessary stay in graduate school. Thc advantage gained by taking the laboratory course in the summer before starting research will enable a student to finish his MS or PhD thesis program at least three months sooner than if he started research with no more than the typical undergraduate preparation. A great obstacle to giving such a course during the summer is the financial one. At present there is no source of funds available for support of the average ' T h e argrments advanced in this artirle need not he confined to organic chemistry. I n each discipline laboratory work, or extra mathematical proficiency, may he desirable. 'One can also sthte that a certain amount of research is ,,.Instrument dominated!' By this term I mean that the prime motive far carrying ont the research is that a lot of data may be obtained relatively easily because of the capability of the instrnment rather than the motive of saht,ian of difficult problems. I am presently engaged in writing a description of our rourse for publication in book form.
student during these three months. The university teaching assistantships usually cover a calendar year, but the fourth-quarter summer salary often cannot be paid in advance of the three quarter teaching requirement. We have been fortunate at Ohio State in getting special industrial support for a few graduate students, but this support has not been forthcoming on a continual annual basis. It is my hope that support on a national basis be established eventually by The National Science Foundation. In conclusion I reiterate my view that far too little
time is spent in developing the laboratory proficiency of our MS and PhD graduates. This is neither a trivial nor a simple problem. I t deserves serious consideration. Establishment of advanced laboratory courses in graduate schools may provide a remcdy. I feel this approach deserves more support than is a t present the case. Melvin S. Newman The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 43210
Volume 46, Number
6, June 1969
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387
