The Department of Chemistry currently offers four courses with a focus on inorganic chemistry. Calendar descriptions for these and other chemistry courses can be found here. Chemistry degree requirements and other program-specific information can be found here.
CHEM-2401 – Inorganic Chemistry I
This introductory inorganic chemistry course provides an overview of atomic and molecular structure and bonding, as well as fundamentals such as the structure of solids, acids and bases, and redox chemistry. These concepts are applied to rationalize the descriptive chemistry of the main group elements, which is examined group-by-group from alkali metals to noble gases.
The laboratory portion of this course introduces students to experimental techniques for qualitative analysis of inorganic ions and the synthesis of inorganic compounds. Characterization methods including melting point and infrared spectroscopy are utilized.
CHEM-3401 – Inorganic Chemistry II
An overview of coordination chemistry is provided, including terminology and a survey of common ligands. This is followed by an examination of group theory as applied to the symmetry of molecules, and its applications to spectroscopy and molecular orbital theory. Crystal field and ligand field theory of transition metals is explored, followed by fundamental reactions of transition metal complexes and organometallic chemistry.
The laboratory explores the synthesis of transition metal coordination complexes to illustrate concepts in coordination chemistry and catalysis. Physical methods include infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy.
CHEM-4401 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I
The focus of this course is organometallic chemistry. The structure and bonding in organometallic compounds is examined, along with electron-counting formalisms. A survey of common organic ligands precedes a discussion of the mechanism of fundamental reactions including substitution, oxidative addition/reductive elimination, migratory insertion/elimination. Multinuclear NMR spectoscopic methods as applied to organometallic compounds are explored. Industrial catalytic processes such as the synthesis of polyolefin plastics and pharmaceuticals are explored.
CHEM-4403 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II
Modern main group chemistry is the subject of this course. Selected areas include electron-deficient compounds, main group organometallics, and ring systems and polymers. Bonding models will be discussed, as well as synthetic methods and characterization techniques (multinuclear NMR, mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, EPR spectroscopy). Industrial and everyday uses of main group compounds will be emphasized.