Engaging Students in Spectroscopic Analysis of Organic Compounds: A Collaborative Tournament Approach for Third-Year Chemistry Students in Northern France

Abstract

The ability to elucidate the structure of organic compounds from their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra is an essential skill, particularly for those engaged in the fields of synthetic and analytical organic chemistry. Spectral analysis constitutes a fundamental component of the curriculum for all chemistry students, as it requires the development of critical thinking skills. To engage and motivate students in the structure’s elucidation course, a gamified learning activity was designed in the form of a tournament involving third-year chemistry students from three universities in Northern France. In this tournament, the students are divided into teams comprising of four to five individuals. They are tasked with elucidating the structures of organic compounds based on their NMR, IR, and MS spectra in the shortest possible time with the fewest possible incorrect answers. The tournament was conducted in two distinct phases, each with a duration of 1.5 h and 1 h, respectively. The initial phase is competitive and involves teams of students from the same university, while the subsequent phase is designed to facilitate interaction and comparison between students from different universities, allowing them to discuss and evaluate their respective knowledge and methodology. The students were invited to evaluate the tournament approach by a questionnaire. The students expressed appreciation for the tournament and recommended its repetition in future years, citing its value in advancing their spectroscopy skills. Additionally, the students found the opportunity to interact with students from other universities and engage in discussions about their training programs and methodologies to be a valuable experience.