Last Friday, the L6^th Form Chemistry pupils travelled to Bristol University for a Synthesis Day.

The morning was spent in one of the undergraduate teaching laboratories where pupils made benzocaine (which can be used as a local anaesthetic) and used thin layer chromatography and Infra-Red spectroscopy to analyse their reaction mixture and identify any impurities. Pupils then used this information to extract and purify the benzocaine. The morning session ended by pupils determining the effectiveness of their benzocaine preparation. The skills and techniques used, such as vacuum filtration, complemented their already acquired A Level required practical endorsement skills.

During the afternoon, the pupils listened to a final year PhD student present her, soon to be published, research work into using smart materials to generate a gel that is suitable for using in utero as a treatment for spina bifida. This work supersedes the only currently available treatment for this condition as it is non-surgical and so less dangerous to both the foetus and the mother. The final lecture demonstration of the day entitled “A Pollutant’s Tale” was delivered by Professor Tim Harrison and challenged the pupils to think about the energy and states changes, alongside the chemistry involved in numerous everyday reactions.

Sadie Osborne - Head of Chemistry