Chemistry 4610
Inorganic Chemistry
Fall 2015
Instructor: Dr. Martin R. McPhail
Office: TLC 3244
Phone #: (678) 839-6019 (Office)
(678) 839-6550 (Chemistry Department)
E-mail: mmcphail@westga.edu
Office Hours: TBD
**and by appointment
Course Information
Class: Chem 4610 (CRN 82120 - 3 credit hours)
Meeting Time: M/W/F 11:00 – 11:52 am
Room: TLC 2105
Course 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. Thermodynamic principles are used to determine the relative stability of inorganic
compounds.
Required Text: Housecroft and Sharpe, Inorganic Chemistry 4th ed. Pearson: Harlow, 2012.
Readings and homework will be assigned from the course text. One reference copy will be made
available in the chemistry main office, and overnight borrowing is possible by signing the book
out at 4:50 pm and returning it at 9:00 am the following day.
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will describe periodic trends in the physical properties and bonding behavior of
the elements in terms of atomic structure and bonding theory.
2. Students will critically read the chemical literature to understand how the scientific
method has been applied to answer research questions in inorganic chemistry.
3. Students will synthesize chemical results and communicate them in their own words to
peers.
4. Students will relate principles of inorganic chemistry to real world technological
challenges.
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Course Assessment
Students’ progress towards mastery of the learning outcomes will be tracked and assessed via:
Lecture Attendance [Outcome 1, 2, 4]
I will focus in lecture on developing the concepts presented in the text from fundamental
concepts and connecting their importance to various research topics in inorganic chemistry. You
will be responsible for all material covered in lecture as well as the assigned readings, so coming
on time and actively participating in the lecture will be important for success. Lecture
attendance is mandatory. Arriving to class after lecture has commenced will count as an
absence. You will be allowed two free absences without a point reduction. Any additional
absences will result in a point loss except in the case of an emergency where official
documentation can be provided. Powerpoint slides will be made available prior to each lecture
to facilitate preparation and note taking. Recording of lectures is permitted.
Reading Questions [Outcome 1]
Given the breadth of material that falls under the category of inorganic chemistry, we will need
to move quickly through the various topics. This means it is important for you, the student, to
prepare beforehand for each lecture session by reading the text to be covered and making notes
of important questions you have. This will allow us to devote more time in lecture to answering
your questions, discussing important concepts, and working through practice examples. To
facilitate critical reading of the text and preparation for lecture you will be provided with a short
set of reading questions prior to each lecture that must be completed and turned in at the
beginning of that lecture period. These will include graded questions pertaining to the reading
material as well as a non-graded question asking what concepts you found the most difficult.
Reading questions are meant to help your prepare for class, and so will not be accepted late.
Homework [Outcome 1, 2, 4]
Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis through CourseDen and must be turned in at the
beginning of class on the following Monday. Late homework will not be accepted. All work
must be shown to receive full credit for the assignment. Homework allows for the reinforcement
of key concepts and feedback between student and instructor. Homework will be drawn from the
Housecroft text as well as questions created by myself.
Literature Review Project [Outcome 2, 3, 4]
The field of inorganic chemistry comprises an incredibly wide and rapidly advancing area of
research with critical applications to the technological challenges of the 21st century including
medicine, materials, energy, and nanotechnology. A critical skill for a professional scientist is
the ability to read, understand, and synthesize the literature of a given topic to create a picture of
the current state of the field and the directions it is moving in. To practice these skills you and a
partner will choose a topic of current research interest in inorganic chemistry, find a series of
recent articles published on the topic, individually write a report summarizing your findings, and
prepare a presentation that summarizes and explains the topic to the class.
Topic Choice – You may either choose a topic from a provided list or propose another topic,
which will have to be approved by me.
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Literature Review – Your will have to find five peer-reviewed, non-review articles published
within the past ten years, two of which were published within the past five years, and have them
approved by myself.
Written Summary – You will individually synthesize your review of the literature into a fourpage, double-spaced written summary of the topic. The summary should include a brief
introduction to the research topic in general, a description of the techniques and methods used in
the papers you read, a discussion of the common themes and findings between your sources, and
a outlook on the future directions of the topic. This summary should be clear, concise, and
written to introduce a peer to the topic. Remember that good review articles provide connections
and perspective.
Presentation – Your group will give a Powerpoint-based presentation that summarizes your
research into the topic and effectively communicates this to the class. The objective of this
project is to synthesize and communicate the information you have found in your own words.
The presentation should include an introduction to the topic in general, the specific research
questions addressed in the articles you found, the techniques used to answer these questions, and
the future directions of this research topic.
Exams [Outcome 1]
The two midterm exams (Exam 1 & 2) will include all material covered up to and including the
lecture one week prior to the exam date. These will not be comprehensive, so Exam 2 will not
cover material tested on Exam 1 The final exam will be comprehensive. All exams will be in
paper format. All work must be shown in order to receive full credit. Final answers must be
clearly indicated by circling or boxing. A periodic table and necessary equations will be provided
on each exam such that needless memorization of formulas is not necessary. A list of these
equations will be provided beforehand. Scientific and graphing calculators are permitted, but the
use of programs on these devices is prohibited. Calculator applications on phones, tablets,
laptops, or other electronic devices are not permitted.
Make-up Policy
Assignments are due on the dates specified in the course schedule. Failure to turn in assignments
on time will result in a “0” for each missed assignment. Make-up assignments and exams will
only be possible in the case of emergencies, and you should contact me within 24 hours if such
an emergency arises. Make-up assignments should be completed and turned in within one week
of the original deadline unless this is not allowed by the nature of the emergency. Arrangements
for make-up exams will be made between myself and the student.
Assessment Grading
Lecture Attendance 10%
Reading Questions 10%
Homework 15%
Literature Review Project 15%
Exam 1 15%
Exam 2 15%
Final Exam 20%
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Grading Scale
A
90 – 100
B
80 – 89
C
70 – 79
D
60 – 69
F
0 – 59
Grading Turnaround: Shorter assignments and assessments will be graded and returned within
one week of the due date. Longer assignments such as the literature review may take longer to
grade and return. I will keep you updated on the progress of my grading.
No Extra Credit is accepted for this course
Course Policies and Information
University Policies and Academic Support
Please review the Common Language for all university course syllabi at the address:
http://www.westga.edu/assetsDept/vpaa/Common_Language_for_Course_Syllabi.pdf
This document contains important information regarding university policies and responsibilities.
You should regularly review these statements because they are updated as federal, state,
university, and accreditation standards change.
Academic Honesty
Any form of academic dishonesty—including but not limited to cheating or plagiarism—will
result in a failing grade on the relevant assignment as well as possible additional action. Please
be familiar with the definitions of academic dishonesty and plagiarism as laid out in the Student
Handbook, which can be found at the link: http://www.westga.edu/handbook/
Disabilities Act / Accessibility for the Course
If you are a student with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and
require assistance or support services, please notify me and provide me with a copy of your
packet from Student Services. The university will provide you with resources for any
audio/visual needs that you may have with the learning management system or course content.
It is critical that you contact UWG Accessibility Services immediately to find out what
accommodations are necessary so we can work together to facilitate your success in this class.
Please consult the UWG Accessibility Services site http://www.westga.edu/accessibility or call
(678) 839-6428 for more details regarding accessibility for this course.
Student Conduct
Students are obligated to abide by conduct guidelines as described in the university catalog.
Respect and courtesy of all students while in the classroom is required. The following are also
mandatory:
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1. Any disruptive behavior will result in your expulsion from the room. If disruptive
behavior persists you will receive a minimum of a one letter-grade deduction from your
overall grade as well as possible additional action depending on the severity of the
behavior.
2. All electronic devices must be silenced during lecture. Calls may only be answered in the
case of emergencies by stepping out into the hall. Headphones are not permitted to be
worn during lecture. Laptops and tablets are permitted, but if your use of these devices
becomes disruptive their use will be disallowed for the remainder of the semester.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding the above. Following “common
sense” behavior should prevent any of the above problems. Failure to adhere to conduct
guidelines could result in dismissal from class, a deduction from your final course grade, as well
as further disciplinary action.
Note on Syllabus Modifications
I reserve the right to modify this syllabus at any time during the course of the term, particularly
with regards to course schedule. Students will be notified of all syllabus modifications. In a case
where a substantial modification is required, I will reissue a revised syllabus.
Tentative Course Schedule
Month Day
Lecture Topics
Aug
24 M
26 W
28 F
31 M
Sept
2W
4F
Syllabus Overview
Intro to Inorganic Chem
Atomic Structure
Atomic Orbitals
Many-electron atoms
Aufbau Principle
The Periodic Table
Ionization Energies and Electron
Affinity
Valence Bond and Molecular
Orbital Theories of Homonuclear
Diatomic Molecules
Electronegativity and Dipole
Moments
Heteronuclear Diatomic Molecules
Molecular Shape and
Stereoisomerism
Hard Sphere Packing
Polymorphism and Phase Changes
in Metals
Melting Points and Enthalpies of
Atomization of Metals
5
Reading
(Housecroft)
1.1 – 1.6
Assignments
1.7 – 1.10
2.1 – 2.6
2.7 – 2.9
6.1 – 6.4
6.5 – 6.7
HW 1 Due
7M
9W
11 F
14 M
16 W
18 F
21 M
23 W
25 F
28 M
30 W
Oct
2F
5M
7W
9F
Alloys and Intermetallic
Compounds
Labor Day
No Class
Bonding in Metals and
Semiconductors
Ionic Lattice Structures
Lattice Energies and Defects
Diffraction Methods
Electrical Conductivity in Ionic
Solids
Properties of Water
Acid and Base Definitions
Acid Dissociation Energetics
Aquated Cations
Amphoteric Behavior
Ionic Salt Solubility
Common-ion Effect
Overview of Non-Aqueous Media
Relative Permittivity
Acid-Base Behavior in NonAqueous Media
Standard Reduction Potentials and
Important Thermodynamic
Quantities
Disproportionation Reactions
Potential Diagrams
Frost-Ebsworth Diagrams
Relating Redox Potentials to
Experimentally Important
Quantities and Applications
d-Block Metals Intro
Electronic Structure
Physical Properties
Reactivities
Characteristic Properties
Electroneutrality Principle
Exam 1
Coordination Numbers
Isomerism
Introduction to Coordination
Complexes
Stability of Coordination
Complexes
High and Low Spin States
Crystal Field Theory
6
6.8 – 6.12
HW 2 Due
6.13 – 6.17;
4.11; 28.2
Review Topic
Deadline
7.1 – 7.5
HW 3 Due
7.6 – 7.10
9.1 – 9.4
8.1, 8.2
HW 4 Due
8.3 – 8.5
8.6 – 8.8
19.1 – 19.4
HW 5 Due
19.5 – 19.6
19.7 – 19.8
HW 6 Due
7.11 – 7.13
20.1, 20.3
Literature Review
Sources Due
12 M
14 W
16 F
19 M
21 W
23 F
26 M
28 W
30 F
Nov
2M
4W
6F
9M
11 W
13 F
16 M
18 W
20 F
21 M
23 W
25 F
MO Theory of Octahedral
Complexes
Ligand Field Theory
Quantum Numbers for
Multielectron Systems (L, S, and J)
Electronic Absorption and
Emission Spectra
Nephelauxetic Effect
EPR Spectroscopy
Magnetic Properties
Ligand Field Stabilization Energy
Irving-Williams Series
Oxidation States in (aq)
d-Block Organometallics:
Common types of ligands and
Bonding
Metal Carbonyls
Isolobal Principle
Total Valence Electron Counting
Alkyl, Aryl, Alkene, and Alkyne
Complexes
Allyl and buta-1,3-diene complexes
Carbene and Carbyne Complexes
Metallocenes
Examples of Organometallic
Reactions
Ligand Substitution Kinetics
Octahedral Substitution
Exam 2
Electron Transfer
Introduction to Catalysis
Homogeneous Catalysts
Heterogeneous Catalysts
Metalloprotein Introduction
Dealing with O2
Biological Redox Processes
f-Orbitals and Oxidation States
Atom and Ion Sizes
Spectroscopic and Magnetic
Properties
Thanksgiving Break
No Class
Thanksgiving Break
No Class
Thanksgiving Break
No Class
7
20.4 – 20.5
HW 7 Due
20.6
4.7; 20.7 –
20.8
4.9; 20.9 –
20.10
HW 8 Due
20.11 – 20.13
24.1 – 24.3
24.4 – 24.6
HW 9 Due
24.10 – 24.12
24.13 – 24.15;
24.7
Written Literature
Review Draft Due
26.1 – 26.3
26.4
HW 10 Due
26.5
25.1 – 25.4,
25.6
25.7 – 25.9
29.1, 29.3
HW 11 Due
29.4
27.1 – 27.6
HW 12 Due
Written Literature
Review Final Draft
Due
Dec
30 M
2W
4F
11 F
Review Day
Presentation Day
Presentation Day
FINAL EXAM
11:00-1:30 pm
Location: TBA
HW 13 Due
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