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. Numerous special topics will highlight areas of current interest or technological relevance. The course is complementary to Chemistry 423/523, Organometallic Chemistry, and so a limited amount of such chemistry will be presented.

Suggested Texts

 All editions of:

• Inorganic Chemistry (Housecroft & Sharpe)

• Inorganic Chemistry (Atkins & Shriver)

• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Cotton & Wilkinson)

• Introduction to Modern Inorganic Chemistry (Mackay, Mackay and Henderson)

provide useful background material, though the later editions will generally be the most relevant (with the exception of Cotton & Wilkinson; the 5th edition is better than the 6th). More basic and general texts are not very useful. There is no compulsory text for this course, but you really should have a copy of one of these already.

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 by the instructor at the time all marks are available. The total percentage mark will be made up as follows for undergraduates (424) students:

• Midterm 1 (February 13) 15 %

• Class Presentation 10 %

• Midterm 2 (March 12*) 15 %

• Graded assignments (best 3 of 4) 15 %

• Final 45 %

Graduate (525) students will be graded using a different format:

• Midterm 1 (February 13) 20 %

• Midterm 2 (March 12*) 20 %

• Graded assignments (4) 20 %

• Term paper or proposal 40% (due April 2, 2003)

The midterms will be the same for 424 and 525 and will be held at the same time. The graded assignments will be due approximately one week after they are handed out in class. These assignments may or may not be the same as the assignments given to 424 students. 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.

Midterms will be 50 minutes (both will be counted under all circumstances) and final 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.

* dates are subject to change with due notice.