SALC: An Orbital Arrangement Game
Description
We have developed a tabletop game to help students get comfortable with symmetry adapted linear combinations of orbitals (SALCs), a conceptual model used to understand bonding in molecular orbital theory. We have found that students often get anxious about SALCs and miss not only the visual connections to symmetry, but also the fun! This LO includes information about the game, files you can use to print your own copy as well as a link in case you want to purchase a copy, and an example of how it might be incorporated into the classroom.
Metal/Ligand Proton Tautomerism Facilitates Dinuclear H2 Reductive Elimination (Kuo)
Description
This LO was developed in 2022 as part of a collection celebrating the “Out in Inorganic Chemistry: A Celebration of LGBTQIAPN+ Inorganic Chemists” Inorganic Chemistry special issue. Check out the editorial and issue here: Editorial Special Issue
The questions below refer to the following 2020 publication by Dr. Jonathan Kuo and Dr. Karen Goldberg
Metal-Ligand Multiple Bonds: The Discovery of “Double Nickel” (Hillhouse)
Description
This LO focuses on creating complexes with multiple bonds between late transition metals and nitrogen. The questions will guide students through Mindiola and Hillhouse's communication that details the synthesis and investigation of three-coordinate terminal amido and imido complexes of nickel. This communication is significant because it describes the synthesis and structural characterization of what became known as his "double nickel" complex, which contains a Ni-N double bond.
Discussion of "Dirhodium(II/II)/NiO Photocathode for Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Red Light" (Turro)
Description
This Learning Object is dedicated to Prof. Claudia Turro as part of the VIPEr LGBTQIAN+ LO collection created in celebration of Pride Month (Jun) 2022. Prof. Turro was featured in the April 2022 special virtual issue Out in Inorganic Chemistry: A Celebration of LGBTQIAPN+ Inorganic Chemists (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c00729). Claudia holds a special place in my heart. I came out later in life, and she was incredibly supportive as I wrestled with my identity as a gay man.
Inorganic Chemistry
Description
The wave nature of electrons is applied to atomic structure and periodic trends. Inter and intramolecular bonding models are used to interpret the chemical and physical properties of various materials, from simplistic diatomic molecules to structurally complex molecular and ionic systems.
Guess What: An Inorganic Chemistry Board Game
Description
"Guess Who?" is a two player board game in which the object is to guess the identity of a character by asking questions about their appearance or features. This activity uses a similar game mechanic to identify concepts, models, and historical figures from inorganic chemistry.
The ditungsten tetracarboxylate story (Sattelberger)
Description
This literature discussion learning object examines the first reported synthesis in 1983 of the long anticipated quadruply bonded ditungsten tetracarboxylate dimers by Dr. Al Sattelberger and co-workers. This LO is part of a special VIPEr collection honoring the 2022 ACS National Award recipients in the field of inorganic chemistry. Alfred P. Sattelberger was the recipient of the 2022 ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry.
Toward the Design of Phosphorescent Emitters of Cyclometalated Earth-Abundant Nickel(II) and Their Supramolecular Study (Yam)
Description
This LO was created to celebrate Dr. Vivian W.-W. Yam's 2022 ACS Award, the Josef Michl Award in Photochemistry. These questions are written to help guide class discussion about this paper and the complexes in it. This LO would be good for an organometallics class or similar upper-division inorganic chemistry class.