Six-coordinate Carbon In-class Activity

Submitted by Kyle Grice / DePaul University on Fri, 02/03/2017 - 22:29
Description

This is an in-class exercise developed based on a recent paper in Angewandte Chemie International Edition that reported a crystal structure of "six-coordinate" carbon. We normally think of carbon being four-coordinate at most, but this case has definitive evidence otherwise. However, we can use our inorganic chemistry knowledge to understand the structure and bonding of this molecule and rationalize its stability. Students do a pre-class exercise and then construct the MO of fhe molecule in class together. 

Group VI metal carbonyl compounds with pincer ligands

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Wed, 01/11/2017 - 16:43
Description

This literature discussion is based on a short paper describing a series of Group VI metal carbonyl compounds that have pincer ligands (Organometallics, 2016

Inorganic Chemistry for Geochemistry and Environmental Sciences Fundamentals and Applications by George W. Luther III

Submitted by Rachel Narehood Austin / Barnard College, Columbia University on Wed, 01/04/2017 - 16:10
Description

This is a great new textbook by George Luther III from the University of Delaware.  The textbook represents the results of a course he has taught for graduate students in chemical oceanography, geochemistry and related disciplines.  It is clear that the point of the book is to provide students with the core material from inorganic chemistry that they will  need to explain inorganic processes in the environment.

The Monsanto acetic acid process

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Thu, 12/29/2016 - 18:12
Description

This literature discussion is based on one of early papers detailing the mechanism for the Monsanto acetic acid process (J. Am. Chem.

Molecular Hydrogen Complexes of Mo and W

Submitted by Kyle Grice / DePaul University on Fri, 11/11/2016 - 19:28
Description

Literature discussion about the first examples of molecular hydrogen complexes isolated by Gregory J. Kubas in the early 80s. The questions are divided into groups with two levels of difficulty.

The more basic group of questions includes topics on:

1)      Coordination Chemistry: electron count, geometry, oxidation state, orbital interactions, types of ligands, binding modes, cis/trans and fac/mer isomers.

2)      Symmetry elements and point groups.

3)      Basic concepts on spectroscopy: NMR, Raman, IR, UV/Vis, XANES, EXAFS, neutron and X-ray diffraction

Zones of Catalysis: Only the Metal? A literature Discussion of Outer-Sphere Hydroboration

Submitted by Santiago Toledo / St. Edward's University on Thu, 06/30/2016 - 14:51
Description

This literature activity is designed to introduce students to the concept of outer-sphere hydroboration catalytic reactions. It can be used after hydrogenation and hydroboration reactions have been introduced in class (typically covered in organic chemistry). Additionally, this activity allows students to apply their understanding of redox chemistry, acid base chemistry, and physical techniques to characterize products and elucidate reactions mechanisms.

Structure matching: the $64,000 question

Submitted by Kari Stone / Lewis University on Thu, 06/30/2016 - 14:31
Description

In-class exercise that helps students learn how to use structural data and other experimental methods to assign structure. Using chemical intuition, students will rationalize the structures of metal complexes that differ by protonation states.

Uses for Character Tables: IR and Raman Spectroscopy

Submitted by Kristy L. Mardis / Chicago State University on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 10:11
Description

A guided inquiry activity where students use group theory and character tables to practice determining reducible representations for all atoms and the individual bonds (like CO stretches).  The students then reduce the representation, determine which are vibrational modes, and then determine which are IR active using the character table.  For the second portion, they practice using this approach to differentiate between two metal isomers.

Ligand Field Correlations for Square Pyramidal Oxovanadium(III)

Submitted by Matt Whited / Carleton College on Fri, 04/22/2016 - 10:37
Description

Students work in groups to derive the ligand-field diagram for a square-pyramidal vanadium(III) oxo complex using octahedral V(III) as a starting point. The activity helps students to correlate changes in orbital energies as a function of changing ligands and geometry as well as rationalizing why certain geometries can be particularly good (or bad) for particular complexes. The activity also helps students see why oxo complexes of early metals are frequently best described as triple bonds.

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