Modeling post-translational modification in cobalt nitrile hydratase with a metallopeptide from Anne Jones

Submitted by Kari Young / Centre College on Thu, 07/17/2014 - 16:23
Description

In this literature discussion, students read a paper about a cobalt metallopeptide that imitates the active site of the enzyme nitrile hydratase.  Specifically, the model complex is oxidized by air to produce a coordination sphere with both cysteine thiolate and sulfinic acid ligands, much like the post-translationally oxidized cysteine ligands in the biological system.

The relevance of Transition Metal-Carbon Bonds in Biology and Chemistry

Submitted by Mwalimu / Russell Sage College on Tue, 07/15/2014 - 12:45
Description

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).

The Synthesis and Characterization of a trans-Dioxorhenium(V) Complex

Submitted by Sibrina Collins / College of Arts and Sciences at Lawrence Technological University on Mon, 07/14/2014 - 12:31
Description

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).

Five Slides About Concurrent Tandem Catalysis

Submitted by Shirley Lin / United States Naval Academy on Thu, 07/03/2014 - 12:54
Description

This set of slides is adapted from a presentation given at the ACS National Meeting in New Orleans Spring 2013 in the symposium "Undergraduate Research at the Frontiers of Inorganic Chemistry" organized by members of the VIPEr leadership council. The slides are from the introduction to the presentation that takes the audience through how catalytic cycles are depicted and then to the concept of concurrent tandem catalysis (CTC). At the end, there is a slide with references that gives an example of how CTC can be applied to aryl halide substrates to form new C-C and C-H bonds.

Properties of olefin complexes: Pt(II) vs Au(III)

Submitted by Margaret Scheuermann / Western Washington University on Sat, 06/21/2014 - 22:01
Description

This is a literature discussion based on a paper titled “Generation and Structural Characterization of a Gold(III) Alkene Complex” (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 1660 - DOI 10.1002/anie.201209140) that reports the first crystallographically characterized Au(III) alkene complex, [(cod)AuMe2] [BArF]. The synthesis and characterization of [(cod)AuMe2] [BArF] are presented. The structural properties are compared to those of the isoelectronic species (cod)PtMe2, and to free cod.

Complexes of alkenes, alkynes, and dienes

Submitted by Margaret Scheuermann / Western Washington University on Sat, 06/21/2014 - 21:35
Description

These slides provide an outline of the significance, bonding, properties, and reactivity of metal alkene, alkyne, and diene complexes appropriate for an upper division organometallics class. Animation is used to construct qualitative MO diagrams for olefins bound to octahedral metal centers that highlight specific bonding and antibonding interactions.

The chemdraw file used to create these slides is also provided.

First use of the term "bioinorganic"

Submitted by Joshua Telser / Roosevelt University on Wed, 03/19/2014 - 20:19
Description

Thanks to information first provided to me by Prof. Brian M. Hoffman, Northwestern University, I believe that the first documented use of the term "bioinorganic chemistry" occurred at a meeting held at Virginia Tech (VPI&SU) in June, 1970. This meeting was jointly organized with Canadian researchers and was thus an international meeting.

This meeting resulted in an Advances in Chemistry Series book, which has the following URL:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/ba-1971-0100

Water Oxidation Catalyzed by NHC Complexes of Iridium

Submitted by Peter M Graham / Saint Joseph's University on Wed, 02/19/2014 - 12:08
Description

A literature discussion based on an interesting paper from Bernhard and Albrecht about a catalytic water oxidation promoted by irdium complexes featuring abnormal/mesoionic NHC ligands.

I used this in an upper-level Organometallics course after discussing NHC ligands in class.

 

Student choice literature-based take home exam question

Submitted by Hilary Eppley / DePauw University on Fri, 01/24/2014 - 15:27
Description

During my junior/senior level inorganic course, we did several guided literature discussions over the course of the semester where the students read papers and answered a series of questions based on them (some from this site!).  As part of my take home final exam, I gave the students an open choice literature analysis question where they had the chance to integrate topics from the semester into their interpretation of a recent paper of their own choice from Inorganic Chemistry, this time with limited guidance.

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