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.

I asked the students in my junior/senior inorganic course to develop their own literature discussion learning objects and lead the rest of the class in a discussion of their article.  Student Johann Maradiaga chose this article describing the synthesis and characterization of Fe₂GeS₄ nanocrystals with potential applications in photovoltaic devices (Sarah J. Fredrick and Amy L. Prieto, “Solution Synthesis and Reactivity of Colloidal Fe₂GeS₄: A Potential Candidate for Earth Abundant, Nanostructured Photovoltaics” J. Am. Chem.

This is a problem set based on the article "Energetic Cuprous Azide Complex: Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Effection on the Thermal Decomposition of HMX" in the Journal of Chemical Crystallography.  It has been used in a Chemistry Capstone course for both Chemistry and Biochemistry majors during the first semester senior year.  Biochemistry majors are not required to take Inorganic Chemistry and Chemistry majors may be currently taking Inorganic chemistry.

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.