The Eyring Equation

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Thu, 09/29/2011 - 01:46
Description

I was taught (many years ago) the common misconception that fitting the linearized form of the Eyring equation overstates the error in the intercept because on a 1/T axis, the intercept is at infinite temperature, and the intercept is far from the real data. While researching various methods of data fitting, I stumbled across this great article from the New Journal of Chemistry (New J.

Exploding the Myth of Intracellular free metal ion pools_ A reading guide

Submitted by Sheila Smith / University of Michigan- Dearborn on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 15:18
Description

This is a Reading guide to the Review article Transition Metal Speciation in the Cell: Insights from the Chemistry of Metal Ion Receptors Lydia A. Finney, et al. Science 300, 931 (2003);

DOI: 10.1126/science.1085049.  

 

Student-Directed Explorations to teach about ligands

Submitted by Marion Cass / Carleton College on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 14:43
Description

Several years ago I began using a set of Ligand-of-the-Week exercises in my Inorganic course to encourage (force) students to go outside of our textbook and into the chemical reference materials and chemical literature to find examples of ligands that bind to metal ions. My motivation was to get my students to see the wonderful breadth of known metal-ligand complexes and to develop skills associated with analyzing and classifying ligands. My original paper is fairly complete and can be accessed via J. Chem. Educ. which is now available through the ACS website.

Geometry and Magnetism Worksheet_ Bioinorganic

Submitted by Sheila Smith / University of Michigan- Dearborn on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 14:55
Description

This is an in class exercise that I use to introduce structure and magnetism to a junior/senior level course on bioinorganic chemistry. The class is cross-listed between Chemistry and Biochemistry. All of the students have had general chemistry and organic (with some exposure to MO Theory). Many of the students have also had the sophomore-level inorganic course, which delves extensively into MO theory, and some of the the students have also had the senior-level course on transition metal chemistry which looks deeply at d-orbital splitting.

Teaching Tanabe-Sugano Diagrams

Submitted by Sheila Smith / University of Michigan- Dearborn on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:12
Description

For years, I spent 2-3 days a semester working through Tanabe-Sugano diagrams, their development from terms, their evolution from Orgel diagrams, their analysis to give transition energies (the old ruler- trial and error analysis) and nephalauxetic parameters.  Recently, colleagues in VIPEr convinced me that my time in class could be better spent, but I am not willing to completely give up on Tanabe-Sugano.

Exploring Photographic Chemistry

Submitted by Rebecca M. Jones / George Mason University on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 15:27
Description
This set of experiments is a fun way for students to be experience interesting redox chemistry.  I have taught this series of experiments in my first semester junior level inorganic class for the past 5 years.  In part 1, students create salted paper prints with different binders.  Part 2 involves the synthesis of Prussian blue as cyanotypes are formed on paper and cloth.  In part 3, students design t

Pigment Syntheses and Qualitative Analysis

Submitted by Rebecca M. Jones / George Mason University on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 15:13
Description

This set of experiments provides an introduction to simple inorganic synthesis and qualitative analysis of inorganic pigments.  I have taught this series of experiments in my first semester junior level inorganic class for the past 5 years.  In part 1, students synthesize five inorganic pigments.  Part 2 involves identifying an unknown inorganic white pigment by chemical and physical tests.  These

hybrid orbitals for main group and transition metal complexes

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 22:58
Description
This handout shows how the s, p and d orbitals of appropriate symmetry can mix in Cnv and Dnh point groups (n = 3-4). A high-level Gaussian calculation serves to "back up" my "back-of-the-envelope" drawings of some of the hybrid orbitals.

Ligand Field Theory in Coordination Complexes- In Class Exercise

Submitted by Sheila Smith / University of Michigan- Dearborn on Thu, 02/17/2011 - 14:19
Description

This is an In class exercise on the subject of Ligand Field theory.  It reviews nomenclature and introduces ideas of ligand field splitting and spin in transition metal complexes.  It includes both a worksheet for classroom use, a worksheet key which includes some information not on the student worksheet .

The Electronic Properties of tris-(2,2'-bipyridine)-ruthenium(II) Lab Experiment(s)

Submitted by Jared Paul / Villanova University on Wed, 02/02/2011 - 19:41
Description

This is a lab experiment designed to cover an array of techniques, including metal complex synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemistry.  Overall, the goal is to synthesize the metal complex Ru(bpy)32+, exchange the counter ion to demonstrate changes in solubility, absorbance and emission properties (including excited state quenching through energy and electron transfer, and ground state oxidation), as well as cyclic voltammetry of the complex.