Syllabus

Course Outline

This course is intended to provide a moderately detailed look at the chemistry of the 2nd and 3rd row transition metals as well as the lanthanides and the actinides. The main focus will be on the descriptive chemistry of these elements with reference to underlying periodic trends and differences from the rest of the periodic table and in particular, the first row transition metals. Special topics will highlight areas of current interest or technological relevance. The course is complementary to 423/523 Organometallic Chemistry, and so a limited amount of such chemistry will be presented.

Grades and Examinations

Grades will be assigned on the basis of about 50% being a pass, about 65% being a second, and about 80% being a first, but exact equivalencies will be determined when all marks are available. The total percentage mark will be made up as follows:

• Midterm 1 (February 10) 18 %
• Midterm 2 (March 10) 18 %
• Class Presentation 10 %
• Final Exam (Tuesday 18 April, 9 am in Clearihue D132) 54 %

The midterms are not necessarily the same for 424 and 525 but will be held at the same time (dates are subject to change with due notice). Midterms will be 50 minutes (both will be counted under all circumstances) and final exam 3 hours. Due to Senate regulations limiting the percentage of the final grade that may be allotted to the Final examination, any missed midterms will have to be made up.

Graduate (525) students have the option of choosing to do a term paper instead of the final exam. The term paper can be on any topic related to heavy transition metal, lanthanide or actinide chemistry subject to approval of the instructor. The paper should present a survey of the topic with appropriate background and provide a thorough discussion of current research trends in this area. The paper should be 20-25 pages double-spaced in length and include figures and appropriate literature references. All papers must be typewritten.

Suggested Texts

• Inorganic Chemistry (Housecroft & Sharpe). Basic coverage of all the topics we cover in the course.
• Inorganic Chemistry (Atkins & Shriver). Similar coverage to the H&S text; not a recommended purchase except perhaps second-hand.
• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Cotton & Wilkinson). This classic and rather massive textbook is up to the 6th edition, but the 5th edition is probably the best.
• Chemistry of the Elements (Greenwood & Earnshaw). Another big, comprehensive book - probably the best companion for this course but expensive.
• d- and f-Block Chemistry (Jones). Focuses exclusively on the subject matter for the course and is inexpensive - probably the best value for money if you were to buy a textbook just for this course.
• Two Oxford Chemistry Primers: The Heavier d-Block Metals (Housecroft) and The f Elements (Kaltsoyannis & Scott). You'd need to buy both to completely cover the material in the course.

More basic texts are not very useful. There is no compulsory text for this course, but you should have access to a copy of one of the above texts.

Background reading

Some books that make interesting background reading for this course.

• The Elements: Their origin, abundance and distribution (Cox). An inorganic chemistry text written by a physicist, enormously valuable on the subject of "where did the elements come from?".
• Nature's Building Blocks (Emsley). Lots of interesting facts, authoritative and a good read.
• Uncle Tungsten (Sacks). Autobiographical account of an unusual, chemistry obsessed childhood.
• The Ingredients (Ball). A guided tour of some of the more charismatic elements, including plenty of heavy metals.