Learning Objects used at the 2014 VIPEr Workshop on Bioinorganic Chemistry

Submitted by Betsy Jamieson / Smith College on Wed, 06/25/2014 - 09:32

This collection highlights the learning objects used at the 2014 VIPEr workshop on the Bioinorganic Applications of Coordination Chemistry to introduce participants to the field of bioinorganic chemistry.   They provide essential background information on how metals bind to proteins as well as the techniques used in the research papers presented at the workshop.  A list of learning objects created at the workshop based on the current research of our expert speakers can be found at: 

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.

Exploring Proteins as Ligands using the Protein Data Bank

Submitted by Betsy Jamieson / Smith College on Tue, 06/17/2014 - 15:23
Description

This in class activity is designed to introduce students to how amino acid side chains can coordinate metal ions in proteins.  It guides students through the exploration of several metal binding sites in proteins using the Ligand Explorer program on the Protein Data Bank (PDB) website.  Essentially, it is a way for them to use the PDB to “discover” the information generally presented on this topic in the introductory chapters of bioinorganic textbooks.  At the end it asks students to think about Hard Soft Acid Base theory and to see how that can be applied to the binding of metals in protei

A Jablinko game to promote learning of excited state transitions

Submitted by Alycia Palmer / The Ohio State University on Wed, 06/11/2014 - 09:48
Description

The in-class game Jablinko was designed to make learning excited state transitions fun. To play, a student chooses an excited state by placing a game chip at the top of the board, then the chip can “vibrationally cool” by bouncing through the pegs, and finally “transition” to a lower energy state in the bottom row. The students then compete to be the first to name the transition (e.g. S1 to T1 is called intersystem crossing).

Protein Electrochemistry 3rd Bioinorganic Workshop

Submitted by Sheila Smith / University of Michigan- Dearborn on Tue, 06/10/2014 - 15:17
Description

This is a 90 minute talk by Fraser Armstrong of Oxford University (http://armstrong.chem.ox.ac.uk) explaining the electrochemistry of proteins immobilized on surfaces.  The talk was presented at the 3rd Bioinorganic Workshop in 2014 at Pennsylvania State University.  The talk contains an excellent basic tutorial on simple electron transfer on immobilized substrates using simple iron sulfur proteins as the primary example.

A Review of 3DMolSym: A Web Resource for Teaching Molecular Symmetry

Submitted by Marion Cass / Carleton College on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 19:22
Description

Introducing you to 3DMolSym:  A Web Resource for Teaching Molecular Symmetry that uses Adobe Shockwave for Visualizations and Animations.

Note there is a slight difference when operating this resource on a Mac or in a Windows Operating Systerm.  On a Mac if you don't change an item (any item) in the pull down menu on the right when the resouce opens, the selection of molecules will be frame shifted by one molecule.  An easy fix is described in the Description below.

The Structure and Symmetry of Metal Tris Chelates

Submitted by Marion Cass / Carleton College on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 15:59
Description

I have provided a link to a Web Resource:  The Strucutre and Symmetry of Metal Tris Chelates which I developed several years ago with my collegue Henry Rzepa from Imperial College London (and which was posted as Web Ware on the Jourmal of Chemical Education Website and is not longer available to view there).  The Web site uses 3D images of known molecules and scripted commands to teach about the symmetry elements and operations in these molecules.  Instruction is also given on assigning absolute configurations and ligand twist conformations.  Animations of the Bailar Twist and Ray Dutt Mech

Inorganic Spectroscopy Introduced Using an Interactive PhET Simulation (Part 1)

Submitted by Alycia Palmer / The Ohio State University on Wed, 04/30/2014 - 20:49
Description

A guided-inquiry activity for the interactive PhET simuation "Molecules and Light" was created to introduce upper-level inorganic laboratory students to inorganic spectroscopy. The activity included here is the first part of a two-day discussion. This activity instructs students to use the PhET simulation "Molecules and Light" to explore how various molecules interact with different energies of electromagnetic radiation (microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet). This activity can also be used in a general chemistry setting as the topics discussed are very basic.

Sheffield ChemPuter

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Tue, 04/29/2014 - 16:42
Description

The Sheffield Chemputer is a site that does a variety of calculations including: isotope patterns, element percentages, reaction yields, oxidation states (for transition metal complexes), electron accounting (for metal complexes), VSEPR shape and classification using the CBC method. At the initial point of this post (April 29, 2014) parts of the site are still under development, but it seems to be off to a good start.

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