CH3514 Physical Inorganic Chemistry

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

10

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 9

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be arranged.

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr B E Bode

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr B E Bode, Dr J A McNulty

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module aims to develop the student's understanding of the mechanisms that lie behind the reactions of inorganic compounds. The material will include studies of the different types of reactions that occur at metal centres and how they operate in complex systems such as metal-containing drugs and homogeneous catalysis. A second major component of the module will cover the use of spectroscopic techniques, including multinuclear NMR and EPR, to characterise main group and other inorganic compounds.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS CH2501 AND PASS AT LEAST 1 MODULE FROM {CH2601, CH2603, CH2701}

Assessment pattern

Continuous assessment 25%: exam 75%

Re-assessment

Oral Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 - 3 lectures per week over 9 - 10 weeks (within Weeks 1-11) and 2-3 tutorials in total.

Scheduled learning hours

98

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

52

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Survey different spectroscopic methods and their application for determining structure and composition of small inorganic molecules and coordination complexes
  • Survey several aspects of the use of NMR spectroscopy for structure determination in molecular inorganic chemistry including monoisotopic spin ½ nuclei, quadrupolar nuclei, isotopologues and the effects dynamics, quadrupolar relaxation and paramagnetic relaxation.
  • Survey the use of EPR spectroscopy for determination of electronic and molecular structure in molecular inorganic chemistry
  • Understand metal ion-ligand complexation equilibria; stepwise formation and overall stability constants, trends across the period Sc – Zn and understand the origins of the chelate effect rationalising the entropic and enthalpic factors involved
  • Understand how molecular orbital theory can be used to explain the properties of metal-ligand complexes
  • Appreciate that thermodynamic stability and kinetic lability are independent phenomena – not necessarily correlated.