Design and Exploration of Iron Salt-Catalyzed Synthesis of Chromene[2,3-b] Indoles as a Laboratory Experiment for Undergraduates

• Yuqing Fang ^[1] ; Peng Hou ^[1] ; Cuiyun Zeng ^[1] ; Changfeng Wan ^[1] ; Shuiliang Chen ^[1]
  1. [1] Jiangxi Normal University

     Jiangxi Normal University

     China

     
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 100, Nº 8, 2023, págs. 3029-3035
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Integrating new synthetic methods and experimental techniques from the latest research reports into undergraduate laboratory experiments is of great significance, as it enables students to learn the cutting-edge technology of organic chemistry and cultivates their experimental skills and innovative thinking. In this study, an experiment on the iron salt-catalyzed synthesis of chromone [2,3-b] indole derivatives, based on the latest report, was developed to train senior undergraduate students’ experimental skills and increase their basic knowledge in organic synthesis, especially those majoring in Organic Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, among others. Incorporating this experiment into laboratory activities can strengthen students’ fundamental knowledge of organic chemistry, including Grignard reaction, substitution, addition, carbocation, tautomerism, intramolecular cyclization, and elimination, and enhance their skills in modern organic synthesis techniques, such as Schlenk technology for anhydrous and anaerobic operation, thin-layer chromatography for monitoring reaction progress, and column chromatography for the separation and purification of products. Additionally, this approach can help cultivate students’ scientific thinking and creativity and stimulate their enthusiasm for scientific research. The feasibility of introducing this latest scientific achievement into undergraduate laboratory experiments was verified by randomly selecting 12 undergraduates majoring in Applied Chemistry as pretest samples. The assessment results showed that the product yield obtained by different groups of students ranged from 72.6% to 85.8%, indicating a relatively high level of achievement, and the average score of the post-test was 81, which is a satisfactory outcome for such a comprehensive experiment.