A simple spectrophotometric method for the evaluation of formation constants for aqueous copper(I) has been developed, based on the kinetics of reduction of Co(III)(NH(3))(5)X complexes. The method has been applied to the aqueous copper(I)-acetonitrile system to determine the successive formation constants beta(1), beta(2), and beta(3) as 4.3 x 10(2) M(-)(1), 1.0 x 10(4) M(-)(2), and 2.0 x 10(4) M(-)(3), respectively, in 0.14 M NaClO(4)/HClO(4) at 21 +/- 1 degrees C.

The kinetics of the oxidation of catechol by aqueous copper(II) have been studied as a function of reactant concentrations at pH 6.4-7.2. To follow the reaction, a spectrophotometric method has been developed that circumvents the problem of precipitation of decomposition products of the initial o-quinone oxidation product. The rate law shows that the reactive species is the monocatecholate complex of Cu(II), and that this species undergoes rate-limiting intramolecular electron transfer with k = 1.9 x 10(-5) s(-1) (22 +/- 1 degrees C, mu = 0.125 M NaClO(4)). The results have allowed a reanalysis of previous work on the autoxidation in the aqueous Cu(II)-catechol-dioxygen system, and comparisons to mechanisms of copper(II) oxidases.

A simple kinetic method has been applied to measure the formation constants of aqueous copper(I) with fumaronitrile, dimethyl fumarate, and fumaric and maleic acids. At 0.14 M ionic strength, the values of beta(1) are (0.85 +/- 0.02) x 10(3), (6.1 +/- 0.1) x 10(3), (7.3 +/- 0.1) x 10(3), and (2.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(3) M(-1), respectively. The values for the last two olefins are compared to previous results. Values of beta(1) for hydrogen maleate and beta(2) for fumaronitrile also have been determined. A reanalysis of much earlier work has been done, and all the results are discussed in terms of the effect of substituents on the olefin on the beta(1) values. The structure of bis(fumaronitrile)copper(I) nitrate also is reported. The nitrile is N-coordinated to copper(I), which has a distorted tetrahedral geometry, while the overall structure consists of macrocyclic Cu(6)(fumaronitrile)(6) rings which extend in three dimensions.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students have, for generations, chosen university Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) programs for themselves with little or no information about what they may get out of those programs, except as implicitly communicated within the culture and curriculum. However, in Canada, B. Sc. programs typically must explicitly state their program outcomes, at least in their initial submission to their respective provincial ministries of post-secondary education. We undertook a survey of all Canadian institutions’ B. Sc. programs in chemistry to provide a national snapshot of the values and priorities encompassed in institutional delivery of these programs. Our results show a definite preference for knowledge over other learning domains, particularly in translational skills, chemistry, science and the laboratory. Alignment with provincial degree-level expectations, mostly standardized across Canada, is discussed as well.

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