Using Solid State Chemistry and Crystal Field Theory to Design a New Blue Solid
This communication from the Journal of the American Chemical Society (J. Am. Chem. Soc.
This communication from the Journal of the American Chemical Society (J. Am. Chem. Soc.
Biological Inorganic Chemistry: Structure & Reactivity edited by Bertini, Gray, Stiefel, and Valentine was published by University Science Books (copyright 2007). It is a detailed text divided into 2 parts. Part A gives "Overviews of Biological Inorganic Chemistry" while Part B goes into more specifics of "Metal Ion Containing Biological Systems." Several prominent bioinorganic chemists have contributed chapters to the book in their various areas of expertise.
The advanced inorganic chemistry course is completed by all chemistry majors at Wabash College during the fall of their senior year. The capstone character of the course provides an excellent opportunity for utilizing an investigator model of laboratory learning. Student teams are responsible for the preparation of a formal, National Science Foundation (NSF) styled proposal stating the goals, context, experimental timetable, safety considerations, and budget for the execution of an original laboratory project.
Like many inorganic faculty (especially those faced with trying to teach "all" of inorganic chemistry in a one-term junior/senior course), I have found it increasingly difficult over the years to include any significant descriptive chemistry content in my course. Moreover, I have a constant interest in trying to convey some of the "story behind the story" in chemistry, which in this area centers on the discovery of the elements. I was mulling this over at an ACS meeting one time and happened to be in an inorganic teaching session where Josh van Houten (St.
Students select, research, and then post an article on an inorganic compound to Wikipedia. The compounds are chosen from a list of “stubs” (short articles that need to be expanded) found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Inorganic_compound_stubs and might include such items as the synthesis, processes of isolation, structure, interesting facts about the compound in history, and/or an application of the compound.
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.