Inorganic Chemistry
This track draws on diverse strengths in many areas of Inorganic Chemistry including: nano-materials synthesis and characterization, energy conversion and storage, bioinorganic and biomimetic chemistry, organometallic synthesis, catalysis, structure determination, magnetic materials development, spectroscopy and sensor design. Groups in this track are multi-disciplinary and utilize several departmental and campus-wide analytical facilities for characterization and fabrication of materials. Elements of the inorganic track are also heavily invested in the newly formed Department of Energy (DOE) "Solar Energy to Liquid Fuels" Hub initiative. This $125 million per year collaborative program brings together top-rate scientists from several California institutions to develop the next generation of energy technology and offers an unparalleled opportunity for students interested in cutting-edge energy research.
Course Offerings:
- CHEM 224 Spectroscopic Techniques (F)
- CHEM 226 Transition Metal Chemistry (F)
- CHEM 229: X-ray Crystallography (W)
- CHEM 259 Organometallic Chemistry (W)
- CHEM 262 NMR and Inorganic Chemistry (W)
- CHEM 225 Bioinorganic Chemistry (S)
- CHEM 240 Electrochemistry (S)
Course Descriptions
CHEM 224 Spectroscopic Techniques (F)
Application of physical techniques to the elucidation of the structure of inorganic complex ions and organometallic compounds. Topics covered include group theory, and its application to vibrational, magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy. (May not be offered every year.)
CHEM 226 Transition Metal Chemistry (F)
Advanced aspects of structure and bonding in transition metal complexes with major emphasis on Molecular Orbital Theory. Electronic structure descriptions are used to rationalize structure/reactivity relationships. Other topics include computational chemistry, relativistic effects, metal-metal bonding, and reaction mechanisms. Prerequisites: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
CHEM 229: X-ray Crystallography (W)
CHEM 259 Organometallic Chemistry (W)
CHEM 262 NMR and Inorganic Chemistry (W)
A survey of inorganic chemistry to prepare for graduate research in the field, including a detailed introduction to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), followed by applications of NMR to structural and mechanistic problems in inorganic chemistry.
CHEM 225 Bioinorganic Chemistry (S)
(Conjoined with Chem 125.) The role of metal ions in biological systems, with emphasis on transition metal ions in enzymes that transfer electrons, bind oxygen, and fix nitrogen. Also included are metal complexes in medicine, toxicity, and metal ion storage and transport. Chem 225 students will be required to complete an additional paper and/or exam beyond that expected of students in Chem 125. Prerequisites: Chem 114A or 120A, or graduate standing. (May not be offered every year.)
CHEM 240 Electrochemistry (S)
(Cross-listed with NANO 255.) Application of electrochemical techniques to chemistry research. Basic electrochemical theory and instrumentation: the diffusion equations, controlled potential, and current methods. Electro-chemical kinetics, Butler-Volmer, Marcus-Hush theories, preparative electrochemistry, analytical electrochemistry, solid and polymer electrolytes, semiconductor photoelectrochemistry. (May not be offered every year.)
