Fluorine Azide and Fluorine Nitrate: Structure and Bonding
Description
This literature discussion was written for a foundation-level inorganic chemistry course to accompany the material on Lewis structures. It utilizes a communication-length article on fluorine azide and fluorine nitrate. The assignment is divided into two parts: a set of questions for students to answer BEFORE they read the communication and then a set of questions that they answer after reading the article.
Games Throughout the Inorganic Chemistry Curriculum
This collection includes several games and activities suitable for instructional use in the classroom or laboratory. In a recent Inorganic Chemistry editorial, Zachary Thammavongsy and Madalyn Radlauer describe the use of educational games as a tool for active learning. The full article may be found at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02544
You are encouraged to explore the items below, and use them as is (or with modifications) in your classroom or laboratory. Have fun!
1 Slide: building better presentations
Description
The activity is designed to give students practice and formative feedback in building and delivering professional presentations. After discussing a literature paper in class, students create one slide presenting a major point or idea from the paper. Students then present their slide briefly (5 min), and the entire class critiques the slide and presentation with two guiding questions: What was done well? What could have been better?
Synthesis and electronic properties of transition metal complexes containing sulfonamidoquinoline ligands a literature-based activity and discussion (Chan)
Description
This Learning Object is dedicated to Prof. Chan as part of the VIPEr LGBTQIAN+ LO collection created in celebration of Pride Month (June) 2022. A profile of Prof. Chan from the Chemical & Engineering News Out and Proud article can be found at
Exploring a non-traditional path in STEM: Dr. Vincent Lavallo
Description
The slides are geared for students at any level of chemistry. The objective is to give an example of a scholar who followed a non-traditional path to becoming a professor, working while taking classes, taking more time to graduate, and becoming an accomplished researcher. An activity based on obtaining information from a group website is attached at the end of the slides. The hope is to have students obtain information relevant to a certain PI and hopefully will help them make future choices.
Elements Blog Project
Description
Introduction to Borane and Carborane Clusters: Practice with Point Groups, Electron Counting, and Electronegativity with Computational Support
Description
This LO uses borane and carborane clusters to practice assigning point groups and counting electrons. It also asks students to recall electronegativity trends to predict dipoles, and they can check their predictions against calculated Mulliken charges.
1FLO: Perhalogenated Carba-closo-dodecaborate Anions as Ligand Substituents: Applications in Gold Catalysis
Description
This 1FLO focuses on the fundamentals of catalysis and the interpretation of catalytic data. The questions guide students through the definition of catalysts, turnover frequency, turnover number, and require the students to extract information from a table of catalytic data. The data set comes from the unprecedented activity of carba-closo-dodecaborate ligated gold catalysts in hydroamination reported by Lavallo and coworkers in 2013 (Lavallo, V.; Wright II, J. H.; Tham, F. S.; Quinlivan, S. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 3172.
VIPEr Fellows 2022 Workshop Favorites
The second cohort of VIPEr fellows pulled together learning objects that they've used and liked or want to try the next time they teach their inorganic courses.