Chemistry Songs

Project Overview

These songs were written and performed by students in Dr. Otto Phanstiel's Organic Chemistry I and II Classes, starting in 1999, and still singing.

"Undone -The Nitrile Song"

Joni Lopez, Stephen Denny, Neill Heim, Casey Thurston, Stephanie Mcpherson, Melissa McClain, Kyle Sandberg

Song: "The Sweater Song"

Artist: Weezer

Take My
Nitrile
Add some
Li
Al
H 4!
That makes
Amine!

If you want to destroy my Nitrile
Add some reagents and just walk away

Take that
Nitrile
Mix in
Grignard
Make a
Ketone
That can
Tautomerize!

If you want to destroy my Nitrile
Add some base and just walk away
And that Nitrile, it will soon hydrolyze
then Tautomerize! (Tautomerize!)
To get amide

If you want to destroy my Amide
Add some more base and just walk away
Now that amide, it will soon be carboxylate
Tet's Unstable! (Unstable!)
NH2's undone

I didn't want to destroy that Nitrile
Organic Chemists don't just walk away
They watch those Nitriles become Cyano's
No more Nitrile! We'll call you Cyano
This is way more Fun!