Every student has a powerful wireless signal transmitter, his or her cell phone, that can be used to replace the “clicker” as a personal response device. Our mobile phone-based response system (iQlickers) collects and analyzes the answers or opinions sent in by the students as SMS (short message service) messages. The statistic of the answers is displayed online in the lecture hall. On the basis of the statistic, group discussion and peer instruction can be conducted. No setup in the lecture halls and purpose-built response pads (clickers) or receivers are needed. The operation cost of our system is very low, but class interaction can be greatly enhanced.Keywords: Distance Learning/Self Instruction; First-Year Undergraduate/General; Inquiry-Based/Discovery Learning; Organic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Problem Solving//Decision Making; Second-Year Undergraduate; Student-Centered Learning; Testing/Assessment;

Binaphthyl-based chiral sulfonimide (CSI) is demonstrated for the first time to be an efficient, strong Brønsted acid in asymmetric organocatalysis. A series of CSIs were synthesized and screened in the asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with imines. Good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities have been achieved. It was proved that it was crucial to wash the CSI catalyst with HCl before use.

With benzobisoxadisilole 1 as a 1,4-benzdiyne equivalent, oxadisilole fused triptycene 5 and extended triptycene 6 were synthesized. Triptycenes 5 and 6 are new precursors of triptycyne 7 and extended triptycyne 8 respectively via the phenyliodination/fluoride induced elimination protocol. Using these two arynes, a series of triptycene derivatives were synthesized.

Oxidation of alkyl substituted aromatic compounds to ketones and carboxylic acids can be achieved by 70% aqueous TBHP (tert-butyl hydroperoxide) under microwave irradiation with no additional organic solvent, metal based reagent or catalyst. Methyl aromatics (toluenes and xylenes) can be oxidized directly to the industrially important benzoic and phthalic acids. An addition of a tiny amount of ionic liquid and simultaneous cooling improves the efficiency of these oxidations. For other alkyl substituted aromatics, ketones are obtained in good yields.

A fast and cost-effective method using HPLC/UV has been developed for determination of acrylamide in deep-fried flour-based leaven dough foods available in Hong Kong. The samples were purified by a simple solid-phase extraction method which combined Oasis HLB and Bond Elut-Accucat cartridges. The aqueous sample solution was centrifuged at 14,500 ×g and 0 °C for 15 min to successfully remove the fat in the samples. A gradient elution program and a mobile phase of 4.0% v/v acetonitrile in water allowed sufficient retention and well resolved acrylamide from the food matrices in the sample extracts. Acrylamide was detected at UV wavelengths of 210 and 225 nm. The amounts of acrylamide in eight food samples were 27–198 μg/kg when 1-g samples were analyzed. The recoveries of acrylamide were larger than 78.0% and the precisions were 2.1–10.9% (n = 3). Our proposed method is especially relevant for analyzing acrylamide in those oily food matrices.

Linear acetylenic and diacetylenic sulfides consisting of up to eight triple-bond units with alternating sulfur atoms and acetylene units were synthesized.