Case Study for Evaluating Synthetic Routes Using Engineering Practices

The purpose of this case study is to engage students in constructing an explanation of the underlying chemistry of three synthetic pathways to form an amide-bond as well as defining a sustainability problem with respect to stakeholders’ needs. The stakeholders in this case study are the "chemistry team", the "environmental team", and the "accounting team." Students in this case study spend the first hour's worth of material in the first week being scaffolded to explain the amide-bond forming from a common intermediate produced by these pathways, to form a generalized model of how the chemistry occurs. In the second week, students take their definition of the sustainability problem and are scaffolded through data to consider with respect to each stakeholder group. In the third week, the group of students use their evaluation (week 2) and their problem definition (week 1) to craft a decision memo outlining their recommendation in light of the data, the chemistry, and the needs of the stakeholders.

Additional authors: Melanie Cooper (Michigan State))