Course Descriptions
111. General Chemistry I. The Structure and Composition of Matter
Designed both as a background for further courses in chemistry and as a terminal course for interested non-science students. Atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, intermolecular forces, and the structure of matter in bulk. Relationship between properties and structure stressed throughout. Laboratory work deals with the separation and identification of substances.
112. General Chemistry II. Chemical Reactions
The principles underlying chemical transformations: stoichiometry, rates of reaction; equilibrium, metathetical, acid-base, and oxidation-reduction reactions. Laboratory work deals with the separation and identification of substances.
211. Organic Chemistry I. Structure, Rates, and Mechanisms
The principles of reaction mechanisms and a study of the fundamental reaction types with emphasis upon application to carbon compounds. Introduction to the theory and application of spectrometric identification. Laboratory work required.
212. Organic Chemistry II. Reactions of Carbon Compounds
Reactions of carbon compounds based on their modes of reaction. Laboratory work involves analysis and preparation of compounds.
221. Chemical Analysis
Fundamental principles of chemical analysis including solution equilibria, acid-base theory, complexation reactions and electrochemistry. Sampling and experimental design; interpretation and analysis of experimental results. Laboratory work includes introduction to common instrumental methods with applications drawn from fields such as biochemistry, environmental chemistry, forensic chemistry, and pharmaceutical analysis.
222. Inorganic Chemistry: Structure and Stability
Periodic relationships. Acid-base concepts. Structure, bonding, and stability of main group compounds. The crystal field model and coordination compounds. Descriptive chemistry of main group elements and transition metals. Symmetry and introduction to group theory and its applications. Laboratory work required.
321. Thermodynamics and Kinetics
Kinetic molecular theory of gases. Properties of real and ideal gases. Kinetics and mechanisms of reactions; theories of reaction rate. The laws of thermodynamics, spontaneity and equilibrium, systems of variable composition, phase equilibria, phase diagrams. Ideal solutions and colligative properties. Laboratory work required.
322. Structure and Bonding
Quantum chemistry of atoms and molecules. Bonding theories including Huckel MO. Introduction to atomic and molecular spectroscopy. Application of molecular modeling in structure and spectroscopy.
331. Introductory Biochemistry
Introductory Biochemistry will describe the components of the cell in chemical detail. This molecular detail of the molecules in the cell will serve as a platform for understanding what biological macromolecules are and how they function. Living organisms are also able to perform thousands of chemical reactions all in the same compartment every second. How living organisms carry out chemical reactions with unparalleled efficiency and specificity will be described. Biochemistry is a complex and rapidly growing discipline. This course will attempt to encapsulate the fundamental chemical principles needed to understand how biochemistry as a developing discipline will impact future scientific research.
373. Environmental Chemistry
This course focuses on the chemistry of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and terrestrial environment. The objective of this course is to apply our understanding of chemistry to the environment, with a goal of understanding the chemical basis underlying environmental processes. This includes understanding chemical composition, thermodynamic and kinetic controls, photochemical, oxidation and reduction reactions, aquo complexes and acid-base behavior.
375. Principles of Biochemistry
An examination of biological catalysis from a chemical perspective. Analysis of the structure of proteins and how they function.
376. Medicinal Chemistry
The main focus of the course is the mechanism of action of several classes of drugs. The discovery (natural products, rational design, combi-chem), structure-activity relationships, and synthesis of drugs is covered. The role of the FDA, ethical issues, and economic pressures in relation to drug pricing, approval, and manufacture are discussed.
370-379. Topics in Chemistry
Study of specialized areas of modern chemistry.
385. Organic Synthesis
Application of the disconnection approach of retrosynthetic analysis to the design of organic syntheses. Key topics include synthetic strategy, carbon-carbon bond function, oxidation and reduction reactions, protecting groups, and asymmetric synthesis.
390. Directed Studies of Chemical Problems
Directed study of a one-semester project.
422. Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
Group theory and its applications to vibrational and electronic spectroscopy. Space groups and x-ray crystallography. An introduction to bioinorganic chemistry.
432. Advanced Biochemistry
One aspect of biochemisty introduced in CHM 331 is the structure/functional relationship of biomolecules. In this advanced course we explore the current limitations to protein structure analysis and how what we do know can be applied to understanding complex chemical reactions and biological processes. In lecture and lab we will study in molecular detail how the structure of bio-molecules influences their effectiveness as catalysts and how their interactions with chemicals and bio-molecules changes their function by altering their chemical structure. After exploring the current status of a chemist's perspective on protein structure and protein function, we will combine these concepts to elucidate the critical molecular events to some of biochemistry's most complex reactions. The literature will be used extensively to show how Biochemists use current spectroscopic, thermodynamic, and kinetic tools to monitor the structure and function of bio-molecules.
470-479. Topics in Chemistry
Study of advanced specialized areas of modern chemistry.
490. Independent Study
Independent study extending over two semesters.
