Students use a Java-based website to explore the faujasite zeolite structure. The activity questions guide them through identifying different atomic positions within the structure, and orienting the zeolite pores and "cages" relative to the crystal axes.
This lab handout and supplementary materials were developed based on a publication in the Journal of Chemical Education:
Berger, P.; Adelman, N.; Beckman, K.; Campbell, D.; Ellis, A.; Lisensky, G. Preparation and Properties of an Aqueous Ferrofluid. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76 (7), 943-48
I used this paper to illustrate several course concepts related to materials structure (crystal lattice structure, coordination number, crystal field theory and orbital splitting, symmetry, electronic spectra, allowed and forbidden transitions). This activity was paired with a laboratory experiment (see related VIPEr objects) in which students synthesized Prussian Blue, and gave students a really in-depth look at what was going on when they mixed those solutions together.
In my sophomore level inorganic course, I have experimented with the idea of a living syllabus as a way to develop my own specific learning objectives and to help the students connect the material to the tasks that will be expected of them in assessing their learning.
This is an in-class PDB exercise based on the paper "Mechanisms Controlling the Cellular Metal Economy" by Gilston and O'Halloran. Students are asked to visualize the metal binding sites of several proteins discussed in the paper, highlighting unusual metal geometries. After identifying the amino acid residues involved in metal binding, students will discuss the bond structure in terms of HSAB theory.
This is a fun chemistry project where students make model compounds to learn various structural aspects of the compound. This is an individual project that is each student is assigned with one compound. They can use any item (for e.g. Styrofoam balls etc) to make their very own model compound. The model should contain all the atoms (visually distinctive), bonds, lone pairs. Student is expected to create something novel rather using molecular model kit. They can use text book and lecture material for the resources.
The students will write a paper in which they analyze the Vitamin B12 co-enzyme from biological, chemical and biochemical perspectives, and will use the guided questions to help show the relevance of an organometallic chemistry experiment to real biochemical systems. This activity is based on a synthetic lab experiment that students would have performed on transition metal-carbon bonds in biology and chemistry (The lab experiment was adapted from third edition of “Inorganic Experiments” by Derek Woollins).
This is an in-class assignment designed to help students integrate their understanding of periodic trends and materials properties. Using the color of alum crystals as an example of octahedral coordination chemistry, students use their knowledge of electronic structure and periodic trends to predict which of the isomorphous alum crystals will be colored, and to qualtitatively rank the degree of crystal field splitting in a family of alum crystals.
This experiment involves the preparation of a key starting reactant in high purity and yield for an ongoing research project, specifically for the development of potential photodynamic therapy (PDT) agents. The students synthesize [ReO2(py)4]Cl.2H2O using standard inorganic synthesis techniques. The students visualize the vibrations and electronic properties (e.g. molecular orbitals) of the compound using output files generated from density functional theory (DFT).