Introduction to Organic Laboratory Techniques: A Small-Scale Approach

In this laboratory textbook for students of organic chemistry, experiments are designed to utilize standard-scale ("macroscale") glassware and equipment but with smaller amounts of chemicals and reagents. The textbook features a large number of traditional organic reactions and syntheses, as well as the isolation of natural products and experiments with a biological or health science focus. The organization of the text is based on essays and topics of current interest. There are six introductory technique-based experiments and eleven project-based experiments. In addition, there is a section of green chemistry experiments. The book contains a comprehensive treatment of laboratory techniques, including small-scale and some microscale methods.

Donald L. Pavia is Professor of Chemistry at Western Washington University. He earned his B.S. degree in chemistry from Reed College, Portland, Oregon and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. In 1970 he joined the faculty at Western Washington University as an assistant professor, and now holds the rank of Professor. He is the co-author with Gary Lampman, George Kriz and Randall Engel of two organic laboratory books that include both techniques and experiments: INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC LABORATORY TECHNIQUES: A MICROSCALE APPROACH, Third Edition (Brooks/Cole, 1999), and INTRODUCTION TO LABORATORY TECHNIQUES: A SMALL-SCALE APPROACH, Second Edition (Brooks/Cole, 2004). Their most recent book, MICROSCALE AND MACROSCALE TECHNIQUES IN THE ORGANIC LABORATORY (Brooks/Cole, 2002), includes techniques only, and can be used with a faculty member's own experiments. Professor Pavia is also a co-author, with Gary Lampman and George Kriz, of an organic spectroscopy book, INTRODUCTION TO SPECTROSCOPY, Third Edition (Brooks/Cole, 2001). Other interests include the use of computers in teaching organic chemistry, both for lecture presentation and for the simulation of laboratories. Professor Pavia is the author of several computer programs. One is SQUALOR (Simulated Qualitative Organic Analysis) designed for teaching the methods for solving organic unknowns. In 1986 he won an EDUCOM/NCRIPTAL award for this program. His research interests center on the synthesis and reactions of valence tautomeric and photochromic compounds, especially pyrylium-3-oxide tautomers. Autoxidations are a special interest. Outside interests include classical music, opera, woodworking, metalworking, and collecting antique trains. He and his wife Neva-Jean have three children.