The syntheses and single-crystal X-ray structures of several first-row transition metal complexes containing the multifunctional acrylamide-derived ligand N-pyrazolylpropanamide (1 = L) are reported. The general synthesis involves treatment of appropriate transition metal salts with an excess of 1 in ethanolic solution in the presence of triethylorthoformate as dehydrating agent. This way the perchlorates of iron(II) and cobalt(II) afforded the complexes [L 2 M(EtOH) 2 ](ClO 4 ) 2 [M = Fe (2), Co (3), in good yields (82 and 85 %)]. Light green

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In the second semester of our sophomore chemistry majors' Integrated InorganidCrganic Laboratory course1 we have developed an approach that works very effectively. The focal point of the course is group multistep synthetic problems. The syntheses are based on departmental research efforts and include the involvement of upper-level undergraduate chemistry students as peer mentors. At the end of the course there are oral presentations in meeting format and the submission ofjournal-format group papers. The direct and intangible benefits to our students and the department have far exceeded our expectations.When we began thinking about modifying our traditional second-semester sophomore-level laboratory course, one of our motivations was to introduce some advanced synthetic techniques. Our department does not offer an upper-level laboratory that stresses synthetic techniques. Our staffing situation precludes offering such a course, but even if that were to change, it is not clear that we would choose to offer one. We feel that an upper-level course likely would be taken only by our ACS-track students, that an additional requiremen; would detract from their research efforts, and that teaching advanced techniques at the sophomore level provides students with some-necessary tools before they begin research.Another motivation was to change students' perceptions about synthetic chemistry and the tools used by synthetic chemists. Prior to initiating the changes we describe here, few students were interested in working on synthetic research projects, and they held some peculiar ideas about instrumentation. For example, they viewed IR as an instrument primarily built for spectroscopists and NMR as almost strictly within the purview of analytical chemistry, rather than as critical tools for synthetic practitioners.We also wanted to provide students with an idea of the kinds of thinking involved in a research problem, especially to students who did not traditionally opt for a research exuerience. We have a number of maiors who complete a cimbined chemistry and business Gogram, go to medical and urofessional schools. attend graduate schools in areas other than chemistry, oo teach g h i g h schools after graduating. Most of these students do not complete an ACS-track major because of other curricular demands.'Course orereauisites are first-semester soohomore-level oroanic chem stry ;no labora~ory. Coreq~ snes are sedond-semester orian c an0 a sophomore-level inorgan c coJrse. Tne laboralory s ndependenl an0 does not necessarl y para le the seqLences of echre topics.' Prior to 1992-1993 we introduced the two nuclei in opposite order. We feel there are advantages to introducing interpretation of NMR spectra using 13C.We, therefore, began constructing a course that would maintain an emphasis on syntheses, introduce some advanced synthetic and purification techniques, make greater use of instrumentation and reinforce spectroscopic interpretation, be based on use of primary literature, provide students with more independence than they...

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