b'Introducing Biocatalysis in an Undergraduate Research Laboratory Using a Cyclopropanation ReactionSarah E. YoungbloodSponsor: Dr. Gopeekrishnan Sreenilayam, Department of ChemistryBiocatalysis is the use of enzymes and proteins to perform chemical transformations. Enzymes and proteins are increasingly used in organic reactions due to excellent chemo-, regio- and stereo- selectivity, environmental sustainability, milder reaction conditions, improved productivity, simplified work-streams and greater economical saving potential. The purpose of this project is to design a biocatalysis experiment that we can incorporate into an undergraduate organic chemistry teaching laboratory. In recent years, there have been a number of studies reported regarding the use of heme containing proteins and enzymes in catalyzing non-natural C-C insertion reactions (1). In this study, we use commercially available wild-type bovine hemoglobin as a non-native biocatalyst to perform a cyclopropanation reaction with commercially available styrene and ethyl diazoacetate as the substrates. In order to identify the best reaction conditions, we optimized various conditions such as enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, substrate ratio, pH, time of the reaction, effect of reductant, and effect of organic solvents. Reactions were done under aerobic, semi-aerobic, and anaerobic conditions. The catalytic activity of the hemoglobin enzymes, percentage conversions, and stereo selectivity of the reaction was determined by chiral gas chromatography standardized with a calibration curve.Creating Biodiesel from Used Coffee GroundsCarly M. EavesSponsor: Dr. Thomas Manning, Department of ChemistryMany people in todays world rely heavily on fossil fuels, primarily coal and oil, to provide their energy or power. However, scientists have since discovered that fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, when they are burned. This has been a major cause of climate change and global warming. Therefore, the search for alternative energy sources has become more critical now than ever. One possible source of alternative energy is biodiesel. Biodiesel is a vegetable oil or animal fat-based diesel that is made up of long chain alkyl esters. It is typically made by reacting lipids with alcohol, producing fatty acid esters. The goal of the researchers in this experiment was to find the most optimal way to convert coffee oil from used coffee grounds to biodiesel with the highest yield using transesterification. Through a series of three trials, the optimum conditions for the reaction were discovered to be 40%v MeOH and 1.5 wt% KOH (catalyst).26'