Course overview
Structure Determination - the importance of molecular shape and how chemists determine the structure of compounds using spectroscopic techniques including ultraviolet, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Acids and Bases - aspects of acid/base equilibria. Atoms to Molecules - structure of the atom and molecular bonding. Periodicity and the Main Group - chemistry of the main group metals and non-metals. Transition Metal Chemistry - an introduction to bonding in transition (d-block) elements, coordination complexes, bioinorganic systems.
Course learning outcomes
- Develop critical thinking and enhance their problem solving ability
- Discuss the principles of scientific methodology and collaborative work
- Determine the structure of an unknown molecule given appropriate spectroscopic data
- Explain what acids and bases are and how to measure and quantify acidity, basicity and the behaviour of buffer solutions
- Describe the electronic structure of a given atom
- Describe the structure of simple diatomic molecules using a molecular orbital bonding model
- Apply knowledge of the structure of the Periodic Table to describe trends in the properties of the elements
- Define and explain the chemistry of the first period transition metals, in particular their complexes
- Recognise and explain the importance of transition metals in biological processes