AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learn to describe, discuss and compare structure and properties of inorganic and organic chemicals (including polymers and biomolecules) involved in environmental and technological processes, with particular attention to atmospheric and water chemistry and pollution. Students will acquire skills and methods to deal with problems related to the chemicals reactivity and interactions.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and active participation in the proposed training activities and individual study will allow the student to:

-describe structures and properties of the main groups elements and coordination compounds

-identify the most common classes of compounds and reactions in organic chemistry

-analyze the chemical reactivity characterizing the most common inorganic and organic compounds

-evaluate the chemical reactions related to environmental processes and pollutants

-solve numerical exercises on equilibria in solutions.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be online (Teams platform) and includes lectures on theoretical contents, exercises and discussion of specific examples of chemical phenomena. Few classroom meetings in presence will be possible if needed and only for further explanation/questions on topics of the program.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Fundamentals: the concept of mole, reaction stoichiometry, chemical equilibria. Aqueous equilibria, acids and bases, pH of solutions, mixed solutions and buffers, solubility equilibria. Chemical kinetics: reaction rates and the effect of catalysts.

Organic Chemistry. Carbon hybridization and common functional groups in organic chemistry: IUPAC nomenclature, structure and properties. Hydrocarbons (fossil fuels and alternative fuels, PAH), compounds with functional groups containing Oxygen (alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketons, carboxylic acids and esters), Nitrogen (amines and amides), Halogens (haloalkanes, CFC).

Main reactions in organic chemistry. Homolytic reactions and heterolytic reaction mechanisms. Nucleophilic substitution at tetrahedral carbon, nucleophilic substitution/addition at multiply bound carbon, electrophilic addition and elimination reactions, electrophilic substitution.

Polymers and (bio)macromolecules. Synthetic polymers: addition and condensation polymerization, properties, reactions in the environment (combustion, biodegradation, photodegradation, recycling). Biomolecules: carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids. Biomasses.

The Elements: essentials of main groups elements. Hydrogen, Alkali, Alkaline earth, Group 13, group 14 (Carbon and Silicon), Group 15 (Nitrogen and Phosphorus), Group 16 (Oxygen and Sulfur), Group 17 Halogens. d-block elements and coordination compounds (essentials). Most common pollutants in water and atmosphere. Chemistry of NOx, SOx, ozone. Acid rains. Greenhouse gases.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Notes taken during the lessons, material in the aulaweb. The following books are suggested as supporting and in-depth texts: P.Atkins, L.Jones, Chemical Principles-The quest of insight, Freeman and Co. eds, R.H.Petrucci, W.S.Harwood, F.G.Herring, General Chemistry: Principles and Modern applications, Pearson ed. (general and inorganic chemistry, essential on organic chemistry); J.C.Smith, Organic Chemistry, McGraw-Hill Education.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

OMBRETTA PALADINO (President)

BARBARA BOSIO

MARCO PANIZZA

ELISABETTA FINOCCHIO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

2nd semester

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test that includes both exercises and theoretical questions with optional oral exam. Three exam sessions will be available for the 'winter' session (January, February) and 3 for the 'summer' session (June, July, September).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam consists in solving with chemical methodology and tools problems concerning chemical reactions (inorganic and organic reactions), chemical equilibria and solutions. The student should be able also to answer  theoretical questions concerning the main groups elements, the coordination compounds, the organic compounds structure rectivity and properties, environmental pollutants. During the oral exam, the written test will be discussed. The student's ability to analyze and interpret the main reactions in organic and inorganic chemistry, to describe the macromolecules structures and transformations, as well as the ability to reason critically, will be evaluated.

Exam schedule