This novel collection of twenty-two experiments, covering all areas of practical chemistry, has been introduced for the basic chemistry courses of Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and similar courses at other institutions where chemistry is taught at the undergraduate level. The experiments are modern and interesting and can be carried out with the existing facilities in any chemistry undergraduate laboratory. The emphasis is on experiments, which involve chemicals and products encountered in the day-to-day life of an average student. Each experiment also includes a write up on the theoretical background required to understand the chemistry behind the experiment and to enjoy the experience of doing it in the laboratory. The new experiments included in this revised edition cover the area of electrochemistry, an important component of undergraduate practical chemistry. This book would be useful to all undergraduate chemistry courses especially the IITs.
Anil J. Elias is a professor at the chemistry department of IIT Delhi, one of the well-known chemistry departments of India. He holds a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from IIT Madras and has gained further experience as an Alexander von Humboldt fellow in Germany and later at the fluorine research laboratories of the University of Idaho, USA. He has been teaching undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students at IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi where he has introduced a variety of novel chemistry experiments. His research interests are in the area of main group and organometallic chemistry. He has published more than 45 research papers including review articles.
Foreword / Preface to the revised edition / Preface / General safety instructions / Experiment 1: Extraction and identification of DNA from green peas and onions / Experiment 2: Preparation of a superabsorbent polymer and exploration of its properties / Experiment 3: Determination of the amount of calcium in milk powder by EDTA complexometry / Experiment 4: Potassium trioxalatoferrate III: Synthesis, analysis and photochemistry / Experiment 5: Analysis of kidney stones by permanganometric titration / Experiment 6: Preparation of [Ni(NH3)6]2+ and its analysis by different methods / Experiment 7: Estimation of iodine in iodized common salt using iodometry / Experiment 8: Estimation of phosphoric acid in cola drinks by molybdenum blue method / Experiment 9: Synthesis of fluorescein, a classic fluorescent dye / Experiment 10: Synthesis and chemiluminescence of luminol / Experiment 11: Extraction of caffeine, an alkaloid, from tea leaves / Experiment 12: Diels–Alder reaction of anthracene and maleic anhydride / Experiment 13: Preparation of potash alum from scrap aluminum / Experiment 14: Photochemical reduction of ferric oxalate in cyanotype blue printing / Experiment 15: Paper and column chromatography of plant pigments / Experiment 16: An experiment to determine the energy of activation, Ea / Experiment 17: Determination of partition coefficient of acetic acid in water and butanol / Experiment 18: Aspirin synthesis: Conventional and with microwave assistance / Experiment 19: Kinetics of the iodide-hydrogen peroxide clock reaction / Experiment 20: Acetylation of ferrocene and its purification by column chromatography / Experiment 21: Potentiometric titrations using the pH meter and determination of pI / Experiment 22: Conductometric titrations and determination of dissociation constant / Appendix 1: Strength of solutions in terms of molarity and normality / Appendix 2: Preparation of standard solutions of acids and bases / Appendix 3: Notes on procurement of chemicals and preparation of solutions / Index