STRUCTURE, BONDING AND REACTIONS OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS - 2024/5

Module Overview

This module builds on knowledge from the Inorganic Chemistry module at level 4 and expands on the principles of bonding and reactivity to include p-, d-, and f-block elements and gives students an introduction to molecular symmetry. The associated laboratory component further develops skills in the synthesis and characterisation of inorganic compounds.

Module provider

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Module Leader

RIDDLESTONE Ian (Chst Chm Eng)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Molecular shape. Symmetry in inorganic chemistry. Symmetry operations and elements. Point groups and their assignment. Symmetry labels as applied to orbitals. Construction of character tables. Tanabe-Sugano and Orgel diagrams

• Molecular orbital theory diagrams of heterodiatomics and small molecules (e.g. H2O and CH4)

• Introduction to chemistry of s- and p-block elements and compounds. Link to periodicity.

• Further transition metal chemistry. Crystal field theory vs molecular orbital theory. Spectrochemical series and its link to pi-donor/pi-acceptor ligands. Reaction mechanisms for ligand substitution in transition metal chemistry.

• Molecular compounds formed by and/or between p-block elements. Boranes and carboranes – the application of Wade’s rules. The inert pair effect. Electron deficient bonding models. Metal-metal bonding in transition metal chemistry.

• Introduction to f-block chemistry. Lanthanide contraction. Prevalence of the +3 oxidation state, and notable exceptions. Comparisons to d-block. Simple magnetochemistry. Oxidation states in oxides aqueous chemistry.

• Laboratory experiments on the synthesis, characterization and analysis of both p- and d-block compounds

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

For the laboratory exercises an alternative written assessment can be set. This is based on analysing or explaining experimental data, or detailing experimental techniques.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate understanding of structure, bonding and reactivity in main group and d-block elements and compounds. Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

 

• Laboratory exercises: Assessment of practical (experimental) skills and the ability to write scientific reports, based on experimental exercises carried out. This is a further refinement of scientific report writing that is developed in the level 4 inorganic chemistry module and allows students to build skills required for writing up a research project/dissertation in level 6 or 7. (LO5)

• Examination: Covers the full range of the theory material discussed in lectures and tutorials, and their application to chemical problem solving (LO1-5)

 

Formative assessment

Parts of the laboratory sessions are formatively assessed in order to provide immediate feedback to students to allow them to improve their work ahead of summative assessments. Formative assessment is also provided in tutorials where pre-set problems are discussed in preparation for the final exam. Further opportunities for formative assessment include questions or quizzes taken in lectures as well as the weekly online quizzes which provide automatic and immediate feedback.

 

Feedback

Oral feedback is provided for the duration of the module with students encouraged to ask questions in all teaching sessions (lectures, tutorials, pre-lab and practical sessions). In addition, one-to-one meetings can be arranged on student request. Feedback on tutorial work is also provided during each tutorial session. Formal written feedback is provided for all (formative and summative) laboratory reports.

Module aims

• Develop links between the fundamental concepts of structure, bonding, substitution and redox reactions and spectroscopy
• To introduce concepts in molecular symmetry.
• Introduce electron counting theories through borane chemistry and Wade¿s rules.
• Develop further understanding of the bonding in d-block complexes with a review of crystal field theory to build into molecular orbital theory.
• Introduce chemistry of the f-block emphasizing differences with d-block chemistry.
• Further develop laboratory techniques for the synthesis and characterisation of inorganic compounds and how to write up experimental work.
• Review reaction mechanisms for ligand exchange and redox reactions at d-block complexes.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

• transfer and embed knowledge, theories and concepts relevant to inorganic chemistry,

 

• encourage students to further investigate key aspects of inorganic chemistry in terms of structure, bonding and reactivity

 

• further develop practical (laboratory) skills including the ability to write scientific reports

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

 

• Face to Face Lectures: Powerpoint presentations with questions and discussion.

These sessions will introduce and explain the new theories and concepts taught in this module. Lectures will feature questions and discussion to assess students’ understanding and to highlight topics or areas for further discussion or explanation.

 

• Tutorials: discussion of pre-set and of unknown questions.

Tutorial questions are designed to test students’ knowledge of key topics and their ability to apply this knowledge to previously unseen examples. Feedback is provided on these question sets during the tutorial session by module staff and students are encouraged to discuss their answers collectively as a tutorial group.

 

• Practical (laboratory) sessions (and associated pre-lab lectures).

Pre-lab lectures are used to ensure that students are aware of all relevant health and safety information associated with the specific practical session and also to provide feedback from previous weeks that includes highlighting common errors or difficulties experienced by the cohort and identifying areas for improvement. In practical sessions students will continue to develop their laboratory skills.

 

• Self-study material including self-tests on SurreyLearn

Self-study material is designed to promote better recall of key concepts and theories and act as a check for the student to assess their knowledge for a clearly defined section (lecture or week) of the module. It also provides students with feedback allowing them to readily confirm their understanding.

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: CHE2042

Other information

The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

The laboratory component to this module is significant and provides particular development in the areas of Employability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. A defining characteristic of a chemistry graduate is practical laboratory competency and this underpins accreditation by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) of degree programs. These laboratory skills are expected by employers and this module contributes to their development. In addition, synthetic laboratory work does not always go to plan and students often need to resolve problems and work out what may have happened during their experiment therefore, building resourcefulness and resilience. Within the assessment strategy this is most clearly supported by the scientific report writing where the students are encouraged to identify and discuss potential difficulties and how they would overcome these in the future.

This module also develops Digital Capabilities as laboratory reports are written and submitted online. Students will need to process data using both spreadsheets and specialist software. This provides clear overlaps with other modules where the same spectroscopic techniques (UV/vis, NMR and IR) are used and where work written and submitted online. The collection of spectroscopic data and its interpretation is developed in all core modules (inorganic, organic, physical and analytical) at levels 4 and 5. These are key skills and competencies expected of students for final year research projects at level 6 or 7.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.