This module provides the students with the fundamental concepts of bonding in inorganic chemistry including simple diatomics, coordination complexes and crystalline solids. The variety of parameters that determine inorganic solution chemistry are outlined. Basic inorganic chemical skills are introduced to the student.
A selection of the following topics or part thereof will be covered each year:
Covalent Bonding in inorganic Molecules
Origins of atomic spectra and their use in determining atomic orbital energy Rydberg equation. Molecular orbital theory for homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomics. Electronic configurations of molecules. Bond orders, relative stabilities and magnetism. Measurement of magnetism. Lewis structures and VSEPR theory as employed in the determination of shape of molecules and coordination complexes.
Transition Metal Complexes
Coordination compounds: Ligands, nature and range of compounds and complexes, types and shapes. common geometries, isomerism and systematic IUPAC nomenclature. Chirality.
d-electron counts of transition metals, 18 electron rule, .determination of oxidation states Ligand field theory Octahedral, tetrahedral and Jahn Teller distortions. Calculation of stabilisation energies magnetism, spin only magnetic moments. Thermodynamic effects of LFSE.
Crystalline Solids
Structures of ionic and metallic solids. Radius ratio rules. Close packing of spheres. Ionic compounds of the type AX and AX2. Energetics involved in forming solids.
Applications and calculations involving thermodynamic cycle.
Lattice defects and non-stoichiometric compounds, properties arising from defects.
Inorganic Solution Chemistry:- Quantitative Aanalysis in Inorganic Chemistry
Redox Chemistry. Oxidation and reduction in inorganic chemistry. Electropotential as thermodynamic functions, Oxidation State diagrams: Latimer diagrams. Frost - Ebsworth diagrams. Redox synthesis and solution chemistry relevant to the laboratory work.
Acids, bases and ions in aqueous solution.
Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry
Introduction to the properties of s and p block elements and their compounds.
Practical Inorganic Chemistry Five three hour laboratory sessions will be completed.
Laboratory work is sourced from the School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory manual.
The module is delivered through a series of lectures (20 hours), tutorials (4 hours), laboratory practical classes (15 hours) and selfdirected study (61 hours).
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 55 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 45 |