Establishing a Spectroscopic Analysis Procedure for Identifying the Molecular Structure of Organic Compounds to Enhance Chemistry Students' Problem-Solving Skills

Cao Cu Giac^1, and Tran Van Thanh²

¹Vinh University, Vietnam

²Hung Vuong Gifted High School, 48 Hung Vuong Street, Pleiku City, Vietnam

Cite this paper:
Cao Cu Giac and Tran Van Thanh. Establishing a Spectroscopic Analysis Procedure for Identifying the Molecular Structure of Organic Compounds to Enhance Chemistry Students' Problem-Solving Skills. World Journal of Chemical Education. 2025; 13(1):1-6. doi: 10.12691/wjce-13-1-1

Abstract

This study aims to guide students in quickly determining the structure of organic compounds based on spectral data obtained from spectral databases. We have established a spectral analysis process that combines mass spectrometry (MS), infrared spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet-visible spectrum (UV-Vis), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) spectral interpretation techniques to determine the molecular structure of common organic compounds. This process is applied to third-year chemistry education majors to enhance their problem-solving skills in spectral analysis for determining the structure of organic compounds. The research results show that the new process has improved the accuracy and reduced the time for spectral analysis to determine the structure of organic compounds, which is considered a challenging task for chemistry students. Participating students have shown significant progress in improving their problem-solving skills by analyzing spectral data to predict the structure of the target organic compound. This new spectral analysis process not only provides an effective tool for determining the molecular structure of organic compounds but also plays a significant role in chemistry student training, helping them develop the necessary skills to solve complex problems in the field of chemistry.

Keywords:
Mass spectrometry infrared spectroscopy ultraviolet-visible spectrum nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy organic compound molecular structure problem-solving skills

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