General Rules for the Microscale Laboratory

The organization of the experimental procedures given in Chapters 6, 7, and low is arranged in the following fashion. A short opening statement de- H[www] scribing the reaction to be studied is followed by the reaction scheme. 

Generally, a brief discussion of the reaction follows, including a mechanistic interpretation. In a few cases of particiolarly important reactions, or where the experiment is Kkely to precede presentation of the topic in the classroom, a more detailed description is given. The estimated time needed to complete the work, and a table of reactant data come next. For ease in organizing your laboratory time, the experimental section is divided into four subsections reagents and equipment, reaction conditions, isolation of product, and purification and characterization. 

We then introduce a series of questions and problems designed to enhance and focus your understanding of the chemistry and the experimental procedures involved in a particular laboratory exercise. Finally, a bibliography offering a list of literature references is given. Although this list comes at the end of the experimental section, we view it as a very important part of the text. 

The discussion of the chemistry involved in each experiment is necessarily brief. We hope that you wiU take time to read and expand your knowledge about the particular experiment that you are conducting. You may, in fact, find that some of these references become assigned reading. 

A prompt ( ) in the text indicates that experimental apparatus involved with that stage of the experiment are shown in the margin. Important comments are italicized in the text, and Warnings and Cautions are given in boxes and also indicated in the margins. 

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