Two-step synthesis of paracetamol (acetaminophen), a practical illustration of carbonyl reactivity for Year-One biosciences students

Ifat Parveen; Michael Rose; Helen Phillips; Steve Flower; Tim Woodman; Cameron Garty; Michael Threadgill

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00549

Two-step synthesis of paracetamol (acetaminophen), a practical illustration of carbonyl reactivity for Year-One biosciences students

Ifat Parveen, Michael Rose, Helen Phillips, Steve Flower, Tim Woodman, Cameron Garty, Michael Threadgill

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

An understanding of basic organic chemical reactivity is key for many biosciences students. The reactivities of different carbonyl groups affects their function in many biomolecules. A practical class, the two-step synthesis of paracetamol, has been devised to illustrate the electrophilic reactivities of carbonyls which was covered in the accompanying lecture program. Students also examine the UV, IR, NMR and mass spectra of the esters and amides, building further on the understanding gained in lectures. The practical work itself has been devised to be able to be run in biosciences laboratories with limited chemical facilities. The class has been enhanced during four academic years, with strong support from the students.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3955 - 3959
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Chemical Education
Volume	100
Issue number	10
Early online date	15 Sept 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00549
Publication status	Published - 10 Oct 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The students taking this module were in their first year of undergraduate study and had a wide range of previous experience in a laboratory setting. Thus, this experiment was designed with simple equipment and relatively simple manipulations. Each laboratory class of 40 students was supported by an academic class leader, a senior teaching technician, and a postgraduate demonstrator, who provided demonstrations of the use of equipment and of techniques.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

Keywords

Adaptation to Limited Laboratory Facilities
Amides
Esters
First-Year Undergraduate/General
Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives
Integration of Spectroscopy
Organic Chemistry
Paracetamol
Reinforcement of Chemical Reactivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
Education

Access to Document

10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00549Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "An understanding of basic organic chemical reactivity is key for many biosciences students. The reactivities of different carbonyl groups affects their function in many biomolecules. A practical class, the two-step synthesis of paracetamol, has been devised to illustrate the electrophilic reactivities of carbonyls which was covered in the accompanying lecture program. Students also examine the UV, IR, NMR and mass spectra of the esters and amides, building further on the understanding gained in lectures. The practical work itself has been devised to be able to be run in biosciences laboratories with limited chemical facilities. The class has been enhanced during four academic years, with strong support from the students.",

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AU - Flower, Steve

AU - Woodman, Tim

AU - Garty, Cameron

AU - Threadgill, Michael

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Two-step synthesis of paracetamol (acetaminophen), a practical illustration of carbonyl reactivity for Year-One biosciences students

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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