CHEM 530: Inorganic Chemistry (Section
001) – 3 credit hours
Spring 2020
Class Meetings:
TR
9:30-10:45, Sims 113C
Instructor:
Dr.
Robin Lammi
Office:
Sims 313A
Phone: 323-4946
E-mail: lammir@winthrop.edu
Office Hours:
M
1:30-3:00, W 9:00-10:30; please also feel free to stop by at any time or to
make an appointment.
Required Course
Materials:
Textbook: Inorganic Chemistry, 5th ed., Miessler,
Fischer, and Tarr
Calculator: Any scientific or
graphing calculator
Web page: Access course page from
http://chem.winthrop.edu
Supplemental Materials:
General Chemistry Text:
This
course will build on your earlier exposure to inorganic chemistry, refining
knowledge gained in General Chemistry and other coursework. As such, your
General Chemistry text (or any other Gen. Chem. book available in the study
room) is a good resource for review. Texts and/or lecture notes from other
courses (e.g., Physical Chemistry, Quantitative Analysis, Organic
Chemistry) may also be helpful.
Molecular Model Kits:
A
molecular modeling kit is a very useful tool for performing and recognizing the
symmetry operations involved in group theory, particularly for those (like me)
who struggle with 3-dimensional visualization. Two “inorganic” kits that permit
construction of trigonal bipyramidal and octahedral
compounds are available from Darling Models (for $22-$26 each; see Kits 1 and 4
at http://www.darlingmodels.com).
Course Goal:
To
pursue in-depth study of atomic and molecular structure, bonding, crystals,
coordination compounds, and current topics in inorganic chemistry
Student Learning
Objectives:
· To expand your
understanding of bonding in inorganic substances using molecular orbital
diagrams, crystal unit cells and band structures;
· To learn the elements
of group theory and use them to predict molecular orbital diagrams, orbital
representations, and spectroscopic and magnetic properties of inorganic
compounds;
· To examine theory and
reactions involving coordination and organometallic compounds; and
· To appreciate the
breadth and significance of inorganic chemistry through discussion of applied
research.
Outline of Topics:
I.
Solid-State
Chemistry, Nano- and Semiconductor Technology
II.
Review
of Atomic Structure and Simple Bonding Models
III.
Symmetry,
Group Theory and Molecular Orbital Theory
IV.
Acid-Base
and Donor-Acceptor Chemistry
V.
Structure,
Bonding, Spectroscopy and Reactivity of Coordination Compounds
VI.
Current
Research (Student Presentations)
Course
Requirements (Assignments):
Class Preparation and
Discussion:
This
is an advanced course that builds on a great deal of the chemical knowledge and
intuition you have gained throughout your career. In order to achieve the
course goals, it is crucial that we all arrive to class prepared to cover the
scheduled topics, and that we engage in as much active in-class discussion as
possible.
Toward
that end, approximately 1-2 days before each class meeting, I will post discussion questions and a PowerPoint
outline of material to be covered on the Lecture Notes page of the course
website. I expect that you will come
to class prepared to answer the discussion questions, which will be the
basis for the “Class Preparation and Discussion” portion of your grade.
Graded Homework:
Working and re-working
problems is the best way to learn chemistry. I will assign homework problems from
each textbook chapter (as well as some non-textbook problems) that will be
turned in for grading. I strongly suggest that you begin working on the
homework as soon as we have covered the relevant material in class, so that you
have the earliest indication of questions or difficulties to be addressed. I
encourage you to work with your classmates and seek help with any topics you
find difficult. Please start early
and ask lots of questions! An
in-depth understanding of the homework is by far the best predictor of success
on exams.
Literature Reviews:
I
will distribute lists of questions designed to guide reading and discussion of
the two literature articles listed on the course schedule. Completion of these
assignments should enhance your understanding of complex topics and impart strategies
for reading the chemical literature; in addition, once completed, these
questions and answers should be excellent summaries of your reading for use in
exam preparation.
Presentations on
Inorganic Literature:
Students
will give presentations and lead class discussion on articles from the current
inorganic literature. More details on this assignment will be provided in
class.
Group Theory Mini-Exam:
There
will be one “mini-exam” (or big quiz) on group theory, to help you gauge your
progress with this material in advance of Exam II. The mini-exam is tentatively
scheduled for Tuesday, March 3; I
will notify you in class if that date changes.
Exams:
Three
midterm exams and a cumulative final
will be given on the dates below.
Exam I : Tues., Feb. 11
Exam II:
Thurs., Mar. 12
Exam
Final
Exam: Fri., May 1, 11:30-2:00
If
you will be unable to take an exam at the scheduled time due to participation
in a University-approved activity (e.g., an athletic meet, scientific conference,
etc.), you must make
arrangements in advance to
reschedule. If you are absent on the exam date without prior approval and do
not provide a written doctor’s excuse or proof of other personal or family
crisis, you will receive a zero for that exam. You must take the final exam in
order to pass the course.
Grading:
The
assignments for this course and their respective point values are shown below.
Course grades will be determined based on the percentage of total points
earned.
100 Class Preparation and Discussion
125 Homework
100 Presentation
50 Mini-Exam
375 Exams (3 x 125)
250 Final Exam___________________
1000
Total Points
The
guaranteed grading scale is shown below; if necessary, it may be adjusted lower
to reflect class performance.
A 92-100; A- 88-91; B+ 85-87; B 79-84; B- 76-78; C+ 72-75; C 68-71; C- 65-67; D 56-64; F <56
Additional Requirements
for Graduate Credit:
A
student wishing to earn graduate credit for this course must additionally write
an 8-12-page paper on an instructor-approved topic of current research interest
in inorganic chemistry. The student must propose his/her topic no later than March 13, with the final topic approved
by March 27. The paper must cite at least five scholarly articles as sources. This
assignment will contribute up to 200 points to the graduate student’s grade.
Getting Help:
I
encourage you to see me frequently with questions. I have listed specific
office hours above, but please feel free to see me any time. You will usually
be able to find me on the 3rd floor of Sims; you are also welcome to
set up an appointment, or to e-mail me with questions.
Attendance:
You
are expected to attend all class meetings in their entirety – please be on time! – and are responsible for all course material and assignments,
regardless of absences. Unexcused absences and/or tardiness will also impact
the class-discussion component of your grade.
Phones:
If
you keep your phone on during class meetings, please ensure that it is in silent/vibrate mode. With the exception of calculators, all
personal electronic devices are prohibited during quizzes and exams.
E-mail
and Dropbox:
Please
be sure to check your Winthrop e-mail
frequently, as I will occasionally share reminders and answers to
frequently asked questions. I will also use Dropbox to share literature
articles and other materials.
Students with Disabilities:
Winthrop University is committed to providing equal access to
education for all students. If you have a disability (e.g., mental health
concern, medical condition, learning disability, etc.) and you anticipate or
experience academic barriers due to this condition, please contact the Office of
Accessibility (OA) at 323-3290 or accessibility@winthrop.edu. Once
you receive approval for accommodations through OA, please inform me as soon as
possible so that we may implement your accommodations in a timely manner.
Academic Integrity:
Any
instances of academic misconduct will be dealt with as outlined in the Student
Conduct Code, found in the Student
Handbook (https://www.winthrop.edu/studentconduct/winthrop-university-student-handbook.aspx).
Syllabus Change Policy:
Changes
to the policies listed here may be made at the instructor’s discretion. You
will be notified of any modifications.