Volume 2, Issue 2 -

The use of reactive molecular carbon precursors is required if the preparation of carbon nanostructures and nanomaterials is to be achieved under conditions that are sufficiently benign to control their nanoscopic morphology and tailor their chemical functionalization. Recently, oligoyne precursors have been explored for this purpose, as they are sufficiently stable to be available in tangible quantities but readily rearrange in reactions that yield other forms of carbon. In this chapter, we briefly discuss available synthetic routes toward higher oligoynes that mostly rely on transition metal-mediated coupling reactions. Thereafter, a comprehensive overview of the use of oligoyne derivatives as precursors for carbon nanostructures and nanomaterials is given. While the non-templated conversion of simple oligoynes into carbonaceous matter exemplifies their potential as metastable carbon precursors, the more recent attempts to use functionalized oligoynes in host–guest complexes, self-assembled aggregates, thin films, colloids or other types of supramolecular structures have paved the way toward a new generation of carbon nanomaterials with predictable nanoscopic morphology and chemical functionalization.

This chapter attempts to show how the practice of chemistry teaching and learning is enriched by the incorporation of green chemistry (GC) into lectures and labs. To support this viewpoint, evidence from a wide range of published papers serve as a cogent argument that GC attracts and engages both science and nonscience students, enhances chemistry content knowledge, and improves the image of the field, while preparing the world for a sustainable future. Published pedagogy associated with green and sustainable chemistry is critically reviewed and discussed.

The group of the rare earth elements (REEs) serves as valuable indicator of numerous geological processes such as magma formation or fluid–rock interaction. The decay systems of the radioactive REE isotopes 138 La, 147 Sm and 176 Lu are used for geochronometric dating of a range of events, starting from first steps of planetary formation to younger steps of geodynamic development. Thus, the abundance of all REEs occurring in a large range of concentrations as well as precise isotope ratios must be analysed in different geomaterials. The inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source and various types of mass spectrometers (MS) represent the basis to fulfil the analytical requirements of geoscientific studies. Today, ICP-quadrupole MS and ICP-sector field MS (SFMS) with a single detector or multiple ion collection (MC-ICP-MS) are standard instruments for REE analyses in the geosciences. Due to the need for in situ analysis, laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS has become an important trace element microprobe technique, which is widely applied for determination of REE concentrations and isotope compositions in geoscientific laboratories. The quality of concentration analysis or isotope ratio determination of REEs by ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS is affected by many parameters. Most significant are interferences caused by polyatomic oxide and hydroxide ion species formed in the plasma as well as fractionation effects leading to non-stoichiometric behaviour during element determination or to biased isotope ratio measurements. Laser-induced fractionation and isobaric interferences have to be considered as additional effects for LA-ICP-MS. As analyte elements and matrix are unseparated, mineral standards matching the matrix of samples are a prerequisite for accurate and precise REE concentration and isotope ratio determination. Application of fs lasers instead of the more common ns lasers in LA-ICP-MS systems turns out to be a significant step to reduce laser-induced fractionation and to overcome effects of sample matrices.

Many logistic and instructional changes followed the incorporation of the 12 principles of green chemistry into organic chemistry laboratory courses at the University of Detroit Mercy. Over the last decade, institutional limitations have been turned into green chemical strengths in many areas, including integration of atom economy metrics into learning outcomes, replacing overly toxic equipment and reagents, and modifying matters of reaction scale and type.