Submission and Grading

Directions for report submission

• Write your document either in Google Docs or Word and save it to the shared folder (shared by
your professor) on Google Drive.

Experimental Paragraph
The experimental section (as found in a literature article) is written so that an experienced
chemist could repeat the experiment. This includes all the experimental data needed to verify the
experimental result. A couple of example paragraph are shown below. These will seem rather
complicated right now and that is normal. These paragraphs often include technical terms that
make them more difficult to understand for students who are learning their way around the lab
and the literature.

Content:
• Includes all the information needed for an experienced chemist to repeat the experiment.
This includes purification methods if you are synthesizing a compound.
• Data to prove the results of the experiment (often this is the NMR, IR, melting point, or
GC-MS data if you are synthesizing a compound).
• If synthesizing a compound, the product mass and percent yield are given.

Style:
• Generally written as a single paragraph in a concise manner which utilizes appropriate
terminology.
• The specific details of how to perform well understood techniques are left out. For
example, the paragraph would simply state that the product was purified by sublimation
or distillation as opposed to writing out every detail about how to do a sublimation or
distillation. Because these techniques are commonly used, it is assumed that the reader
will know how to perform these techniques.
• As a summary of work done, it is always written in past tense (was/were not is/are).
• An experimental paragraph should stand on its own, and not refer to any other part of the
report (such as a figure or table).
• Correct spelling, clarity of sentences and phrases, and proper reporting of quantities
(proper units, significant figures) are just as important in an experimental paragraph as
 they are anywhere else.
• The initial audience should be another Chem221 student who has basic knowledge of the
techniques used. Remember that the ultimate goal is to write this for experts in the field.

Common issues with Experimental section:

1. Forgetting to include the NMR, IR, MS data.
2. Forgetting to include the percent yield.
3. Not writing in a concise manner.

Two example paragraphs:

Synthesis of 3-(Methoxymethyl)thiophene. NaOMe (6.04 g, 112 mmol) was added to a flask

containing CH3CN (50 mL) and cooled to 0 ̊C. 3-Bromomethylthiophene (6.8 g, 53 mmol) in
CH3CN (5 mL) was added slowly and the reaction stirred at rt for 24 h. The mixture was filtered,
diluted with H2O, and the product extracted with 1:1 Et2O/hexane. The aqueous layer was
acidified and extracted with 1:1 Et2O/hexane. The combined organic layers were washed with
brine, dried with MgSO4, filtered and the solvent removed in vacuo. The resulting oil was
distilled (30-35 ̊C @ 0.04 mm Hg) to give 2.15 g (32 %) of a clear, colorless oil. 1H NMR
(CDCl3, 300 MHz): δ 3.34 (s, 3H), 4.43 (s, 2H), 7.04 (dd, J = 5.0, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.17 (m, 1H),
7.26 (dd, J = 5.0, 2.9 Hz, 1H). 13C{1H} NMR (CDCl3) δ 57.7 (CH3), 69.6 (CH2), 122.6 (CH),
125.7 (CH), 127.1 (CH), 139.2 (C). MS (EI): M·+ = 128.0301 (calcd for C6H8OS = 128.0296).

Extraction and Isolation of Vetiverianines A, B, and C. The dried roots of V. zizanioides (5.0
kg) were extracted with MeOH (3 × 20 L). After evaporating the solvent in vacuo, the MeOH
extract (480 g) was applied to a Diaion HP-20 column (2200 g, 85 mm i.d. × 600 mm) and
successively partitioned with MeOH−H2O (3:7, 1:1), MeOH, EtOH, and EtOAc (each 10 L).
The CC of the MeOH-eluted fraction (295 g) on silica gel (2000 g, 85 mm i.d. × 600 mm) was
eluted with a stepwise gradient mixture of n- hexane−EtOAc (7:1; 5:1; 2:1; 1:1) and MeOH and
produced nine fractions (A−I). The third fraction was separated by a silica gel column (1800 g,
80 mm i.d. × 400 mm) and eluted sequentially with n- hexane−EtOAc (7:1; 4:1; 1:1) to yield
nine subfractions (Frs. C-1 to C-9). Fraction C-5 was passed through silica gel (1600 g, 80 mm
i.d. × 300 mm) with CHCl3−MeOH (30:1) and purified by ODS preparative TLC (20 cm × 20 cm)
using MeCN− H2O (1:1) to yield 2 (17.6 mg). Fraction C-6 was fractionated by ODS silica gel (1800 g,
80 mm i.d. × 400 mm) with MeCN−H2O (3:1) and purified by repeated ODS preparative TLC (20 cm ×
20 cm) using MeCN−H2O (3:1) to yield 1 (7.1 mg) and 3 (7.9 mg). Fraction F was partitioned with a
silica gel column (1500 g, 75 mm i.d. × 350 mm) and eluted with n-hexane−CHCl3−MeOH (1:19:1) to
yield nine fractions (Frs. F-1 to F-9). The seventh fraction, F-7, was further purified by ODS silica gel
(600 g, 35 mm i.d. × 300 mm) using MeCN−H2O (1:2) to yield 4 (12.3 mg).
Results and Discussion Section
The results/discussion section should provide a detailed description of the experimental observations, the
results that flow from the experimental observations, and sufficient discussion/explanation of concepts,
theories, or experimental details so that the reader can understand how the experimental observations lead
to the stated results. It is critical that you keep the “purpose” of the experiment in mind as you write this
section. That “purpose” will dictate what important concepts, theories, or critical experimental details
need to be included in this section.

Content:
• General description of experimental details (i.e., state how and why the experiments were done, but
don’t give detailed experimental methods). This description should include information critical to
explaining/interpreting the experimental results. Keep in mind that specific experimental details
(i.e. specific amounts of chemicals used, workup procedures) are often reported only in the
experiment section.
• Interpretation of results.
• State your results and compare them with known values/results, if applicable. If the results are
quantitative in nature, report the quantitative data and include results of any statistical analysis.
This is what was written in the abstract, but should be much more detailed in this section.
• Clearly state any important conclusions or questions that result from the experiment(s).
• Significant errors that may have influenced the experimental results.
• Spectroscopic data and an interpretation of that data to prove the structure of a compound.

Style:
• Can be several paragraphs to several pages in length.
• As a summary of work done, it is always written in past tense (was/were instead of is/are).
• This section should tell a complete story and be able to stand mostly on its own. Do not assume that
the reader has read any other portion of the report (i.e., provide a little context for the reader
assuming they have not read the introduction or abstract that would be present in a full paper).
This need for this section to stand mostly on its own is somewhat due to the fact that you are not
writing an abstract or introduction; however, even if you had written those, it is still a good idea
to make things as clear as possible. All important details must be covered in the results and
discussion section.
• Correct spelling, clarity of sentences and phrases, and proper reporting of quantities (proper units,
significant figures) are important.
• The initial audience should be another Chem221 student who has basic knowledge of the
techniques used. Remember that the ultimate goal is to write this for experts in the field.
We will likely not include the Abstract Section until the 2nd semester.

Abstracts
Abstracts are a standard element of scientific papers. An abstract is a short, concise paragraph
that relates the important concepts and results of the paper to the reader. In a minute or less a
reader can learn the rationale behind the experiment, general approach to the problem, pertinent
results, and important conclusions or new questions. Abstracts are generally between 20 and 200
words, but regardless of length, it is critical that the abstract is concise yet complete (i.e., no
fluff!!). In general, your abstract should follow this outline:

Content:
• Give a descriptive opening sentence that summarizes the objective, hypothesis or overall
questionof the experiment. Do not begin your abstract with phrases like "In this lab" or
"The objective of this experiment was." These either are not necessary or can be stated in
a more professional/formal way.
• Briefly (no more than 2 sentences) describe how the experiment was done in general terms.
This is not a chronological story of what you did in lab. It should be very short and
concise using appropriate technical terminology.
• State your results and compare them with known values/results, if applicable. If the results
are quantitative in nature, report the quantitative data and include results of any statistical
analysis.
• Clearly and concisely state any important conclusions that result from the experiment(s).

Style:
• Single paragraph and concise. An image/graphic may be included below the abstract.
• As a summary of work done, it is always written in past tense (was/were not is/are).
• An abstract should stand on its own, and not refer to any other part of the document.
• Correct spelling, clarity of sentences and phrases, and proper reporting of quantities
(proper units, significant figures) are just as important in an abstract anywhere else.
• The initial audience should be another Chem221 student who has basic knowledge of the
techniques used. Remember that the ultimate goal is to write this for experts in the field.

An example abstract:

The efficiency of simple and fractional distillations were examined by distilling a 1:3
cyclohexane:toluene solution and then determining the composition of the resulting distillates
using gas chromatography. The distillate from the fractional distillation was 10:1
cyclohexane:toluene while the distillate from the simple distillation was 3:1
cyclohexane:toluene. These data indicate that fractional distillation was more efficient than
simple distillation.