Molecular models and selected molecular orbital surfaces and slices were calculated with Spartan for HF, LiH, CO2, XeF2, and BF3, and the results were used by students in an in-class activity (covering several class sessions) to answer a series of questions.
http://firstyear.chem.usyd.edu.au/iChem/lewis.shtml
A set of Flash-based, interactive tools for students to construct Lewis structures for electron deficient, octet rule obeying and hypervalent MLx molecules and ions (x = 2 - 6).
The user chooses the number of electrons and bond type (single, double or triple) and is steered towards the correct stucture.
For cases where resonance structures are possible, the user must construct each form to complete the puzzle.
I teach my organometallics course, a junior/senior level half-course, entirely as student-led presentations of the primary literature. In the past, the course was populated almost entirely with seniors who had already taken a one-semester advanced inorganic course. This past year, I taught it to juniors and seniors, and the juniors had not taken inorganic yet. A description of the course first appeared in J. Chem. Educ. in 2007 (link below). This VIPEr learning object is an update of the original paper based on my experience over the past two years.
http://firstyear.chem.usyd.edu.au/calculators/mo_diagrams.shtml
Flash based tools to help with the construction of MO diagrams:
This spreadsheet allows students to build complexes of a variety of geometries and to then use the angular overlap model to explore d-orbital energies when interacting with ligands whose esigma and epi energies can be varied.
http://academics.wellesley.edu/Chemistry/Flick/Excel/angoverlap.xls
I developed this Jmol page to help my students see the relationship(s) between the ligands and metal d-orbitals in a number of different geometries. Since the images are all rotatable, students who have difficulty looking at flat images and drawing appropriate conclusions have that barrier reduced or eliminated. I have now used the application twice - this past fall in the second semester of introductory chemistry and a few weeks ago when I began ligand field theory in my inorganic course. In both classes I received favorable comments. A number of students in the inorganic course, who h
Over the years I have developed a number of interactive tools that I use in my classes. This is a tool that seems appropriate for VIPEr. Comments are always appreciated, and I am always interested in developing new tools if there is something you might find useful.
This tool allows you to look at how molecular orbitals change as the difference in electronegativities of the parent atomic orbitals increases.
The Interactive Inorganic Challenge Forum is a resource for inorganic chemistry teachers who want to incorporate team learning questions (“Challenges”) into an upper level undergraduate inorganic course. Through this site, teachers can exchange their ideas with others who have used inorganic chemistry Challenges. As a result, students benefit from field-tested group questions.