S205: TMA-4

Another TMA - and they are coming thick and fast at this point. Two TMA's due in the same month! This TMA is a bit of a monster, but turns out to get my best mark so far, so maybe something is sinking in - although I suspect its just how it goes.


Question 1 is about analysis. You are given some weights of elements found in a compound and asked to work out the empirical formula for it. Its really not too difficult, as its sort of like the S103 stuff, but a bit more complex. A nice surprise after some of the nightmare questions!

Question 2 is all about identifying struture. Youy are given IR and NMR spectroscopy data, and based on this and the molecular formula, you have top work out what the structure is. I find the NMR pretty good to do. The IR is a little vague, but you can answer it pretty much just from the NMR data, and use the IR for confirmation.

Question 3 is NMR from the other direction. Given a particular structure, you need to predict what NMR peaks and troughs it should give you. Its not too bad - once you get the idea of carbon equivalence.

Question 4 is looking at oxoacids, and working out their strengths. Its fairly straightforward if you can relate it to Paulings rules and coefficients.

Question 5 is to write an essay plan for the essay that has to be written for TMA-5. An essay - in chemistry, I never thought I'd see the day! Oh well...

As I said, not a bad TMA - which I think is more down to the absence of complex organic reactions than anything else.

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