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I will admit that f-block chemistry is one of my real weaknesses. Aside from the lanthanide contraction and the electron configurations of Eu2+/Eu3+, I never quite know what to cover...which means that I leave out the topic in an otherwise very full semester. I would be interested to hear what other people teach about the f-block and how much time they devote in a typical one-semester course.
My course is only a half-credit that meets two days a week for 50 minutes, so it is even a bit more challenging for me to include things. I obviously talk about the lanthanide contraction and common oxidation states (how for instance the actinides tend to be much more interesting from a redox perspective (and thus more complicated environmentally). When I do HSAB and coordination chemistry, I place them in context (with their low electronegativities and high coordination numbers), mentioning applications such as MRI contrast agents. If I had more time, I think I'd spend time talking about some applications of nuclear chemistry and issues around nuclear waste remediation. I have some notes on those things from a summer workshop I did, and if I get some time this summer, I may try to write them up into a learning object. I'll let you know if I do! --Hilary
heppley@depauw.edu
A few ideas come to mind, which could be done together under the heading "f-element chemistry" or as additions to various standard topics.
For example, in talking about oxidation states, I often talk about the LnS compounds (Ln = lanthanide). The redox active lanthanides (Sm, Eu, Yb) have the oxidation state is +2, which you'd expect from stoichiometry. The others are +3(+e-), because these materials have the option of delocalizing electrons (see Johnson, D. A., Adv. in Inorg. Chem. and Radiochem. 1977, 20, 1-132. I think he also has a J. Chem. Ed. article about this also). It is a good reminder that stoichiometry does always directly indicate oxidation state (solid state has many such examples, Fe3O4, non-stochiometric compounds etc...).
In organometallic sections, when discussing oxidative addition and reductive elimination, it is worth pointing out that the lanthanides cannot do this type of chemistry. Both examples are 2 electron changes, and generally the lanthanides only undergo 3.
The UV-vis spectroscopy of the lanthanides is also useful for illustrating the lack of orbital overlap with ligands (sharp transitions, no ligand field effects).
I like talking about energy transfers, and the luminescence of lanthanides provide a nice example of the requirements.
In reply to RERC PowerPoints as teaching tool? by Gregory M. Ferrence / Illinois State University
Excellent idea Greg! The IONiC Leadership Council has talked about a new learning object type for VIPEr that we want to include called "5 Slides About..."
This would be the ideal format for what you suggest and would be helpful for other users who are putting together lecture materials on a given topic.
Stay posted for when we have this new learning object type ready for release!
I have taught two courses on f-elements this winter, one at the MSc level and the other one at the PhD level (in Belgium). I'll try to upload them.
But in any case these two books should be in your private library (and in your students' one): The f-element, N. Kaltsoyannis & P. Scott in Oxford Chemistry Primers series (Nr. 76, 1999), ISBN -0 : 19 850467 5 and Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry by S. Cotton, in A Wiley Textbook Series 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0-470-01006-8
In reply to f element chemistry by Sarah / Georgetown University
That's a really interesting example about oxidation states in lanthanides, Sarah! I was so intrigued that I looked up the J Chem Ed paper. The reference is Johnson, D.A. "Priniciples of Lanthanide Chemistry" J. Chem. Educ. 1980, 81, 475-477.