Using Computational Chemistry to discuss backbonding to CO

Submitted by Lori Watson / Earlham College on Sun, 03/08/2009 - 15:01
Description

This activity uses Gaussian with the WebMO interface to investigate the role of the metal in backbonding to CO as well as effects of the trans ligands. It can also be used as a way of introducing computational chemistry in an inorganic course.

Ligand Substitution Kinetics Worksheet

Submitted by Nancy Williams / Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College on Tue, 03/03/2009 - 12:23
Description

This worksheet gives students practice with deriving and analyzing the rate laws for two step mechanisms. It's a good review of steady-state kinetics, the assumptions one makes in deriving rate laws, and rate determining steps (and how these last affect the rate law). It finishes by connecting these ligand substitution kinetics to Michaelis-Menton kinetics to show that "it's all the same math, we just change the form". 

Citing and Finding Chemical Literature Library Activity

Submitted by Jezmynne / Claremont University Consortium on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 18:45
Description

This assignment will orient new students to searching and finding chemical literature and effectively citing said literature.  The library session focuses on the semantics of the ACS style, overviews appropriate indexing/searching tools, and has students search and find two citations for a future lab assignment for their chemistry class.  

How to Use Delicious Bookmarking on the Web

Submitted by Jezmynne / Claremont University Consortium on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 18:39
Description

Delicious is a social bookmarking tool that retains bookmarks on the web.  Users can access their bookmarks from any computer, and Delicious allows for the tagging of bookmarks with relevant descriptors for follow up, searching, and collaborative work.  

Contemporary Inorganic Chemists

Submitted by Betsy Jamieson / Smith College on Tue, 01/13/2009 - 11:59
Description
This is an assignment I use to give students a sense of what kinds of problems real life, contemporary inorganic chemists work on.  I start out by having them find 2 contemporary inorganic chemists.  They give a 15-20 min presentation on their two chemists that gives a general overview of their research projects.  Once everyone has done their general presentation, I have students choose a specific journal article by one of their chemists to present in class.  I usually have this assignment run throughout the semester, with the general presentations taking place in the first half of the semeste

House: Inorganic Chemistry

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Mon, 01/12/2009 - 15:35
Description

House (Inorganic chemistry):  The book is divided into 5 parts:  first, an introductory section on atomic structure, symmetry, and bonding; second, ionic bonding and solids; third, acids, bases and nonaqueous solvents; fourth, descriptive chemistry; and fifth, coordination chemistry.  The first three sections are short, 2-4 chapters each, while the descriptive section (five chapters) and coordination chemistry section (seven chapters covering ligand field theory, spectroscopy, synthesis and reaction chemistry, organometallics, and bioinorganic chemistry.) are longer.  Each chapter includes

Bonding and Electronic Structure of a 14-electron W(II) bound to 4-electron pi-donors

Submitted by Hilary Eppley / DePauw University on Sun, 01/11/2009 - 12:01
Description

This paper is a meaty communication that covers novel bonding of 4 e- π-donors to a 14-electron species. Requires students to apply their knowledge of electron counting and organometallic bonding to ligands that are acting in novel ways.  This also includes exercises dealing with chemical information and general questions that require students to put the science in context. 

The 18 Electron Guideline: A Primer

Submitted by Nancy Williams / Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College on Sat, 01/10/2009 - 19:35
Description

This consists of two parts (and a solution, which is linked below under "Related Resources", but for which you will need a faculty privileges): a primer for students (best if handed out prior to class so that students can read it beforehand, or delivered in pre-lecture format) and a worksheet. The worksheet is designed to be done in small groups with assistance from an instructor. In very large classes, in which the instructor cannot circle amongst the groups, the instructor can work through each example after the groups have a few minutes to work the problem on their own. 

Inorganic Chemistry Just Makes You Want to Sing!

Submitted by Maggie Geselbracht / Reed College on Sat, 12/27/2008 - 19:35
Description

Here is a fun way to learn about inorganic chemistry!  These songs were composed and passed along to me by Tom Mallouk at Penn State with his permission to post here on VIPEr.  I Can't Get No Bragg Diffraction was a joint effort put together one year at a Gordon Research Conference on Solid State Chemistry.  Sorry, no recording!  The tune n-doped, recorded by the Band Edges, covers the electronic structure behind semiconductor devices.  Download the lyrics for both and the mp3 file for n-doped!  There is a

Putting electrochemistry to use: Design of new lithium-ion battery anodes

Submitted by Maggie Geselbracht / Reed College on Fri, 11/28/2008 - 20:55
Description
This learning object focuses on a discussion of a recent paper that highlights the application of electrochemistry in inorganic materials chemistry: “Direct Electrodeposition of Cu2Sb for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes” by James M. Mosby and Amy L. Prieto, J. Am. Chem. Soc.