In the first 3-h lab period, all students prepared the catalyst (Scheme 1 After the synthesis of the catalyst was complete, a class discussion to determine the various reaction conditions for the oxidation of anthracene was conducted.
In the second lab period, the students used the catalyst to oxidize anthracene.The oxidation procedure was based on work reported by Men’shikov and co-workers,2 but the reaction time was reduced so that the oxidation and separation could be completed in a 3-h period.