OVERVIEW

The course of Complements of Inorganic Chemistry concerns some advanced topics of inorganic chemistry, including both an in-depth study of topics already covered by the students of a master's course, such as coordination chemistry, and the presentation of new compounds such as organometallic compounds, clusters and inorganic compounds of biological interest. In this course the group theory connected to symmetry is introduced and applied to various aspects, common to all classes of treated compounds, such as vibrations, IR, Raman and UV-visible spectroscopies and molecular orbitals.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with an in-depth study of some advanced and innovative themes of inorganic chemistry. The aim of the teaching is that the participants develop an understanding of the main aspects of coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, clusters chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry. In the practical part of the teaching the skills will be developed to conduct group experiments, concerning the preparation of compounds treated in the theoretical part, and to write reports on laboratory activities.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide the student with knowledge on some specific and advanced aspects of inorganic chemistry, concerning coordination chemistry, metallorganic chemistry, clusters chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry.

The knowledge acquired in the lectures is applied to the laboratory activity, during which the student will become familiar with the synthesis and characterization of selected compounds belonging to the aforementioned classes.

At the end of the teaching and individual study, the student will have acquired theoretical knowledge on the structure, bonding and reactivity of inorganic compounds and will improve the practical handling skills (in compliance with current safety standards) of some of these compounds by means of their preparation and characterization with instrumental techniques.

PREREQUISITES

Being a master's course on inorganic chemistry, the following basic knowledge is required, provided in fundamental courses of the bachelor degree courses in chemistry:

- basic thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of chemical reactions

-  chemical bond models

- structural formulas and molecular geometries

- fundamental aspects of coordination chemistry

This knowledge is taken for granted and constitutes the basis for understanding the topics of the course and taking the exam.

TEACHING METHODS

The course (8 credits of which 5.5 CFU lessons credits and 2.5 CFU laboratory credits) consists of lectures, covering both theoretical aspects and classroom exercises, and practical exercises in the laboratory. The explanations, where possible, are accompanied by the use of appropriate software and interactive websites (for example for the visualization of elements and operations of symmetry, vibrations and molecular orbitals) which make the understanding of some of the topics more immediate and effective treated.

The laboratory exercises, which are mandatory, require the presentation of an individual report.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Symmetry and group theory (symmetry elements and operations, point groups and molecular symmetry). Applications of group theory: vibrational analysis, molecular orbitals of simple and complex molecules. Advanced coordination chemistry: bonding, electronic spectra and reactions. Metallorganic chemistry: carbonyl complexes and with CO-related ligands, metal-olefin complexes, allyl derivatives, metallocenes, alkyl, carbene and carbine complexes. Stoichiometric reactions of organometallic complexes and catalysis. Clusters. Boranes, heteroboranes, metalloboranes. Carbonyl clusters. High valence clusters. Multiple metal-metal bonds. Some aspects of bioinorganic chemistry: biochemistry of iron, biochemistry of other transition metals such as Zn, Cu, Co.

Laboratory experiences:

Preparation of cis and trans [Mo(CO)4(PPh3)2] coordination compounds;

Preparation of Fe (η5-C5H5)2. Purification and characterization. Ferrocene acetylation;

Preparation and thermochromic luminescence of copper (I) -pyridine-iodide clusters;

Preparation and characterization of the carbonyl cluster Fe3(CO)12;

Preparation of a model compound of vitamin B12 and its methylation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Material distributed by the teacher, available on the AulaWeb site
• Chimica Inorganica, G.L.Miessler, D.A.Tarr, Edizioni Piccin
• Chimica Inorganica, Principi, Strutture, Reattività J.E.Huheey, E.A.Keiter, R.L.Keiter, Edizioni Piccin
• Chimica Inorganica, D.F.Shriver, P.W.Atkins, C.H.Langford, Edizioni Zanichelli
• The Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Metals, R.H.Crabtree, John Wiley & Sons.
• Group Theory for Chemists: Fundamental Theory and Applications, Kieran C Molloy, Woodhead Publishing, 2nd edition
• Bioinorganic Chemistry: Inorganic Elements in the Chemistry of Life, W. Kaim, B. Schwederski, A. Klein, John Wiley & Sons

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

 According to the timetable reported here 

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is oral, it is always conducted by two teachers and lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities should consult the "further information" section.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

With the examination methods indicated above, the commission is able to verify with high accuracy the achievement of the teaching objectives. During the interview, which will focus on both the theoretical aspects of the teaching and the practical part of the laboratory, the knowledge acquired by the student will be evaluated, as well as his/her skills in exposition and connection between different topics and his/her ability to apply the approaches and procedures covered in class to specific problems. The final evaluation also takes into account the quality of the reports on the laboratory activity. When the objectives are not achieved, the student is invited to deepen the study and to make use of further explanations by the teachers.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Compensatory and dispensatory measures Disability/Invalidity/Specific Learning Disorder

Dispensatory measures and compensatory tools are intended to enable students to achieve the same learning objectives as their fellow students, not to facilitate the examination.

The use of compensatory tools and the application of dispensatory measures must be authorised in advance by the teacher in agreement with the Referee. To take advantage of the adaptations during the examination, fill in the Adaptation request form; the request will be automatically sent by the system to the teacher in charge of the teaching, to the Contact Person of your School/Area/Department and in copy to the Sector; you will also receive a copy of the request sent by e-mail.

The adjustments available to students are as follows:

· Additional time (+30% DSA)

· Additional time (+50% disability/invalidity)

· Additional time during oral exams to organise the answer

· Calculator (programmable and graphing calculators are not allowed)

· Conceptual Maps

· Tables and/or Forms

· Take the exam in written form

· Take the exam in oral form

· Tutor reader (for written tests only)

· Tutor-writer (for written tests only)

Your request for adaptations must be submitted at least 7 working days before the scheduled exam date.

All information for students with disabilities and DSA is available on the webpage: https://unige.it/en/node/3394 Reference for inclusion: Sergio Di Domizio - sergio.didomizio@unige.it