Discovering Chemical Aromaticity Using Fragrant Plants

Introductory organic chemistry is often perceived as inaccessible by students. This article describes a method used to link organic chemistry to everyday experience, asking students to explore whether fragrant molecules are also aromatic in the chemical sense. Students were engaged in this activity,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of chemical education Vol. 87; no. 8; pp. 793 - 795
Main Author Schneider, Tanya L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Easton American Chemical Society 01.08.2010
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society
Subjects
Aromaticity
Chemistry
College Science
Flowers & plants
Molecular Structure
Odors
Olfactory Perception
Organic chemicals
Organic Chemistry
Science Activities
Science Instruction
Smell
Students
Teaching Methods
Undergraduate Study
Natural Products
Aromatic Compounds
Second-Year Undergraduate
Inquiry-Based/Discovery Learning
Plant Chemistry
Communication/Writing
Organic Chemistry
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Summary:Introductory organic chemistry is often perceived as inaccessible by students. This article describes a method used to link organic chemistry to everyday experience, asking students to explore whether fragrant molecules are also aromatic in the chemical sense. Students were engaged in this activity, excited about their results, and performed well on subsequent assignments that required their understanding of the concept of chemical aromaticity. It was clear that this approach promoted interest, not just in deciphering chemical aromaticity, but also more generally in molecules that exist in nature, making the study of organic chemistry more real for the class.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/ed100218z