Running virtual reactions : a reaction predictor app for teaching organic chemistry

BACKGROUND: Students are often daunted by the process of learning the functional groups (FGs) and functional group interconversions (FGIs) in undergraduate organic chemistry courses.1-3 Problems arise when students attempt to rote learn, rather than understand and predict reactions.4 Owing to the portability and increasing proliferation of mobile platforms (i.e., smartphones and tablet devices), a unique opportunity exists for teaching organic chemistry, via active-learning methods, which increase the meaningfulness and retention of course material. In particular, the use of reaction prediction applications has the potential to encourage students to use problem-based, self-directed and collaborative learning methods. While reaction prediction programs have been developed for desktop computers, research in the field has stagnated, and there are no predictors available for mobile platforms.5 AIMS: To develop a reaction predictor app with mobile and desktop support. The app will let students sketch any chemical structure, then add single or multiple reagents to the structure, to predict the reaction product(s). The purpose of the app is to increase student understanding and retention of FGIs without using rote-learning techniques. We’re also interested to see if students use the app as a game, that is, for enjoyment, particularly when challenging other students in the ‘head-to-head’ mode. ANTICIPATED CONCLUSION: A reaction prediction application was successfully developed for multiple platforms, and improved understanding of FGIs, making it ready for wider testing and distribution among undergraduate students and other institutions