Phosphate Reduction by Mechanochemistry (Cummins)

Submitted by Kyle Grice / DePaul University on Fri, 01/13/2023 - 11:15
Description

This Literature Discussion LO was created for the ACS Inorganic Chemistry Award Winners. Dr. Kit Cummins was the recipient of the 2023 Frederick Hawthorne Award in Main Group Inorganic Chemistry. This LO is based on a recent paper from the group of Dr. Cummins, entitled "Sustainable Production of Reduced Phosphorus Compounds: Mechanochemical Hydride Phosphorylation Using Condensed Phosphates as a Route to Phosphite", published in ACS Central Science20228, 332-339.

SLiThEr #42: Our Favorite Labs

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Thu, 11/17/2022 - 08:29
Description

Chip Nataro (Lafayette College) hosts a live discussion covering the favorite labs that people teach. The discussion somewhat evolved into a conversation on "so, you are teaching inorganic lab for the first time...what do you do?"

Nickel-catalyzed Hydrodefluorination

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Wed, 08/24/2022 - 12:29
Description

This paper describes the use of a  catalytic nickel system for the hydrodefluorination of aryl amides. While organofluorine compounds are extremely useful because of their unique properties, there are growing concerns about the impact of these compounds on the environment. Carbon-fluorine bonds are extremely strong, and so getting them to react is a significant challenge for chemists.

Hydrogenative Depolymerization of Nylons

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Tue, 08/23/2022 - 13:46
Description

This paper describes work from the Milstein group in which ruthenium catalysts with pincer ligands are used to depolymerize nylons by breaking the C-N bond and hydrogenating the resulting products to amines and alcohols. Waste plastic is a serious environmental concern that needs a solution. Organometallic chemists put significant effort into finding ways to convert monomers into polymers, and now we must figure out ways to do the reverse.

Inorganic Chemistry I

Submitted by Rudy Luck / Michigan Technological University on Wed, 08/17/2022 - 15:52
Description

Descriptive chemistry of the main group elements with some emphasis on the non-metals.  Transition metal compounds: aspects of bonding, spectra, and reactivity; complexes of n-acceptor ligands; organometallic compounds and their role in catalysis; metals in biological systems; preparative, analytical, and instrumental techniques. 

Inorganic Chemistry SC356

Submitted by Shirley Lin / United States Naval Academy on Fri, 08/12/2022 - 12:02
Description

From the course catalog: The chemistry of the Main Group elements and the transition metals are studied with emphasis on the properties, structures, and reactivities of these elements and their compounds.

 

Fluorine Azide and Fluorine Nitrate: Structure and Bonding

Submitted by Shirley Lin / United States Naval Academy on Mon, 08/08/2022 - 14:23
Description

This literature discussion was written for a foundation-level inorganic chemistry course to accompany the material on Lewis structures. It utilizes a communication-length article on fluorine azide and fluorine nitrate. The assignment is divided into two parts: a set of questions for students to answer BEFORE they read the communication and then a set of questions that they answer after reading the article.

1 Slide: building better presentations

Submitted by James F. Dunne / Central College on Wed, 07/20/2022 - 14:54
Description

The activity is designed to give students practice and formative feedback in building and delivering professional presentations. After discussing a literature paper in class, students create one slide presenting a major point or idea from the paper.  Students then present their slide briefly (5 min), and the entire class critiques the slide and presentation with two guiding questions: What was done well?  What could have been better?