In the experiment, we converted some unknown starting material to some unknown product. Then in order to determine what the structures of these two unknown molecules were we ran, collected, and interpreted IR, NMR, and GC-MS. We had to apply the rule of 13 in order to determine the molecular formulas of the unknowns as well as determine the degrees of unsaturation in the compound. Then from that data we were tasked with determining how the starting material became the product via an arrow pushing mechanism. The mechanism that was involved was a fairly basic one, but one that reinforces some of the basic ideas in organic chemistry. The mechanism started off with the protonation of a hydroxyl group from an acid, then that group leaving the molecule as water. Next, was a 1,2-methyl shift which caused a very stable carbocation to form. However, the other hydroxyl group on the molecule, specifically the oxygen atom, donated its electrons to form a pi bond to the carbocation, thus forming a ketone with a positive charge. Then the water molecules deprotonated that ketone and restored acid catalyst. Thus many of the basic concepts and reactions were able to be deduced from this …show more content…
So much waste can result from certain types of reactions and experiments, so it was interesting to see how experiments can be made greener, and thus leave a smaller environmental footprint, “On college campuses, the waste generally gets transported to a central waste-handling location, where it is packed or combined for transport to a hazardous-waste incinerator”(1). Thus, if more experiments were greener, there would be less need to incinerate the waste resulting in wasted power as well as environmental pollutants. Specifically, in this experiment, a Diels-Alder reaction was able to be conducted with a minimal amount of byproduct or waste, thus leading to a more environmentally friendly experiment. Additionally, the reaction was able to take place at room temperature, thus preventing the wasting of electricity in order to heat up the reactants on a hot