INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

CHE 311

FALL 2004

 

R. Selzer          HI 106B           203-837-8448

selzerr@wcsu.edu        people.wcsu.edu/selzerr

 

TEXTS

 

Required = Rayner-Canham, G. & Overton, T.; Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry, 3^rd edition, W.H. Freeman, 2002.

 

Optional = Student Solutions Manual for Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry, 3^rd edition, W.H. Freeman, 2002.

 

Laboratory = Lagowski, J.J. & Sorum, C.H.; Introduction to Semimicro Qualitative Analysis, 7^th edition, Prentice-Hall, 1991.

 

 

COURSE CONTENT

 

I have chosen to cover three main areas of Inorganic chemistry this semester: 

(1) Descriptive chemistry of the elements.

(2) Chemical bonding and the solid state.

(3) Coordinaton chemistry.

 

These topics will be approached under the assumption that the student has some facility with much of the material of General chemistry.  You should pay particular attention to the following areas:

 

       (a) Periodic trends.

       (b) Electronic structure of the elements.

       (c) Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, MO theory, VSEPR theory.

       (d) Intermolecular forces.

       (e) Cubic crystal structures.

       (f) Basic thermodynamics: reaction enthalpies and lattice energies.

       (g) Inorganic nomenclature.

       (h) Basic nuclear reactions.

 

Please feel free to consult your General chemistry text should you require some mental refreshment on any of these topics.

 

You should read the appropriate chapters in the textbook as per the lecture schedule given below.  I will distribute homework assignments for each lecture subject.  These will consist of problems from the textbook and some handout problems.

 

Since the exams for this course will be based on the reading assignments, lecture notes and homework problems, and since much of the material can only be mastered by diligent repetition (e.g., of specific chemical reactions of the elements), you must devote an honest effort to keeping apace with the lectures and assignments.

 

There will be three lecture exams (see schedule below for dates), as well as a comprehensive final exam in the form of the ACS standardized exam in Inorganic chemistry.  In addition to the laboratory portion of the course, there are also a term paper assignment and a presentation that complete the student’s course responsibilities.  These are discussed in more detail below.

 

TERM PAPER

 

The theme of the term paper is based on the chemistry of one of your favorite chemical elements (some of us have several favorites!).  The general form of the assignment is to describe how the chemical properties of the chosen element, either in the elemental form or in the combined state, account for particular functions or uses of the element or compound.  For example, one could discuss how the chemistry of platinum coordination complexes leads to their anti-cancer effects or why the chemistry of iron (II) is vital to the functioning of hemoglobin.   Your paper should include the following:

 

       (1) History of the element’s discovery, naming, abundance and past uses.

       (2) Basic chemistry of the element – isolation, reactions, compounds and their reactions and uses.

       (3) Current uses and applications and costs.

       (4) Current advances in the chemistry of the element – this must include at least three references to current (2000 and later) work.

 

Please let me know the topic for your paper by the second week in October.

 

Obviously, the paper should adhere to acceptable English usage and grammar, and it should follow the format recommended for articles submitted to the Journal of Inorganic Chemistry.

 

You will present a short seminar (15 – 20 minutes) based on your paper to the class during one of the last laboratory sessions in December.

 

GRADING

 

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

 

 

Your letter grade will be assigned as follows:

 

 

 

LECTURE SCHEDULE

 

Rayner-Canham, G. & Overton, T.; Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry, 3^rd edition, W.H. Freeman, 2002.

 

 

 

LABORATORY

 

The intent of the laboratory part of this course is to afford you as much exposure to descriptive chemistry as possible within the time constraint of the semester.  The first several laboratory sessions will be devoted to part of the qualitative analysis scheme.  Here, you will experience a good deal of the chemistry of several families of elements.  Other experiments will involve the chemistry of particular elements (N, P, S).  The later experiments will consist of synthesis and analysis of some coordination compounds.

 

LABORATORY NOTEBOOK:  You should maintain a bound laboratory notebook.  Please prepare for each experiment by summarizing the details of the procedures to be followed for the evening’s experiment.  Include also a section on hazards and safe handling practices.  The instructor will check your prepared notebook at the beginning of each laboratory session.  Of course, the notebook should be used to record all observations, results and data generated from the experiment.

 

LABORATORY REPORTS:  The laboratory report for a particular experiment is due ONE WEEK after it is performed.  Late reports will receive an automatic 25 % grade reduction.

 

Each report is graded on the basis of 100 %.  The format for the laboratory reports follows.  There are four sections.  Please delineate each section with a title.

 

INTRODUCTION [30 %]:  Include a statement of the objective and pertinent background information, such as theory, reactions and characterization methods.

EXPERIMENTAL [10 %]:  List materials and their hazards and describe the physical methods, synthetic procedures and/or the methods of analysis.

RESULTS [30 %]:  Present all observations and data and calculations in an orderly fashion, preferably using tabulations and figures.  Please title, label and number all tables and figures, and refer to them as such in the body of the text.  In syntheses, give percent yields when appropriate.

DISCUSSION [30 %]:  Discuss the results in light of the established chemistry of the substances involved.  Please use outside reference sources when appropriate (number these and refer to them as such in the text).  Answer any questions or problems posed in the experiment in this section as well.

 

LABORATORY SCHEDULE