Question

You and your lab partner have been awarded a contract from the U. S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) to identify two secret additives in a radar-reflective coating for nuclear submarines in the Russian fleet. Unfortunately, the vials containing the additives were shattered by machine gun bullets as the agent transporting them hurriedly scaled a barbed wire fence at the Russian-Polish border. While each sample was recovered uncontaminated, their identifying labels were lost and the new containers are labeled simply as A and B. Preliminary analysis has revealed that one compound is [Co(NH3)4Cl2]NO3, KỊCr(NHs)2(NCS).], K4[Mn(NCS)6], or [Cr(en)3]C13 2H2O, while the other compound is NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate), Ca(CH3COO)2 (calcium acetate), potassium thiocyanate (KNCS), or Pb(NO3)2 (lead nitrate). Your task is to determine the correct formulas for the two additives and provide some reactivity data for the transition metal-containing compound. Specific questions to address in your report are: (1) What are the correct formulas for compound A and compound B? Provide at least two types of experimental evidence (i.e., based on observation or measurement) for each compound to support your assignments (2) Is the transition metal compound stable in aqueous solution at room temperature for at least one hour? (3) Is the transition metal compound photosensitive to visible light in aqueous solution? Instruments are available to measure the electronic absorption spectra, pH, and conductivity of the compounds in solution. You may choose which instruments to use. You also will have access to a photochemical light source. Common reagents that have been available to you during the semester will be provided. Given only these resources, devise a plan that, when carried out in the laboratory, will provide the information requested. The plan need not be lengthy (1-2 pages will suffice), but it must provide specific information about how you will address the questions above to reassure your program officer at the ONR that you are on the right track. You will work as a team, so you and your lab partner should devise the plan together. Collaboration with other students in the course also is encouraged, but each lab team (group) must submit their own plan written in their own words (one plan per team)

For my chemistry class, we are to create an experimental plan using these guidelines. I would like help with what the experimental plan should look like, maybe general direction about what techniques we should use and what values/results we should be trying to find. Thank you!!

Answer 1

Organic compounds are often identified using spectroscopy. The process of testing compounds using spectroscopy is fairly simple (the compounds are placed into the machine and the read-out is printed). The difficult part comes in learning how to read the print-out and determining what it is telling you.

In infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we identify the compound based on specific groups. Certain ranges of frequencies for each type of spectroscopy indicate different groups Jr