Teaching
Courses
Fall 2022: CHEM 2310/1560N - Organometallic Chemistry (GC 351: T/H 10:30 - 11:50 am)
Modern organometallic chemistry continues to find unique applications including next generation lighting displays, therapeutics and imaging, energy science, and green chemical synthesis. In this course we will briefly review fundamentals of inorganic chemistry (MO theory, ligand field theory, Pearson’s HSAB theory), and then delve into the structure, bonding, synthesis, reactivity, and mechanisms associated with organometallic complexes as well as their associated applications.
By the end of this course students will:
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Understand and predict structure, bonding, and reactivity of common metal complexes
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Propose chemically reasonable mechanisms for metal mediated transformations
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Be conversant in current events and research related to Organometallic Chemistry
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Concisely present scientific information in written and spoken format to various audience levels
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Construct independent research ideas in the area of Organometallic Chemistry
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Critically assess the novelty and viability of a proposed research idea through peer-review
The course is appropriate for undergraduates who have completed CHEM 360 (Organic II) and 500 (Inorganic I), and graduate students interested in synthetic or inorganic chemistry. Note: This is a WRIT designated course.
Motivated undergraduate students and graduate students are welcome!
Spring 2022: CHEM 500 - Inorganic Chemistry (MM 115; M/W/F 11:00 - 11:50 am)
While organic chemistry is defined as the study of carbon-containing compounds, inorganic chemistry encompasses the entirety of the periodic table (including carbon-containing compounds that are bound to metals). Given the broad range of elements and subdisciplines, it should be no surprise that inorganic chemistry is at the heart of many fundamental and applied areas central to our lives. In this course, we will build up our understanding of how to describe and predict chemical bonding, structure, and function (reactivity) of inorganic complexes. In turn, we will connect these to modern applications of inorganic chemistry, which are actively being pursued to address some of our world’s most challenging issues (energy science, human health, technology, and more!).
The lab component is a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). In small group (3 – 4), students will be addressing different aspects of a broader research question by performing original inorganic chemistry research (computational-based, remote labs). More information on the lab is provided in a separate syllabus.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
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Identify and leverage periodic trends to understand atomic and molecular properties
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Apply concepts of molecular symmetry to explain how molecular and electronic structure impacts their properties (including interactions with light – spectroscopy)
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Employ modern bonding theories to describe ionic and covalent bonding in inorganic compounds
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Establish thermodynamic and kinetic contributions to the chemistry of inorganic compounds
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Connect class concepts with current research and their impacts on society
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Communicate modern inorganic chemistry research to a broader scientific community
Fall 2021: CHEM 2310/1560N - Organometallic Chemistry (GC 351: T/H 10:30 - 11:50 am)
Spring 2021: CHEM 500 - Inorganic Chemistry (Zoom; M/W/F 11:00 - 11:50 am)
Fall 2020: CHEM 2310/1560N - Organometallic Chemistry (Zoom or GC 351: T/H 10:30 - 11:50 am)
Spring 2019: CHEM 1560P - Modern Applications of Physical Methods to Synthesis (GC 351: T/H 1:00 - 2:20 pm)
The modern synthetic chemist leverages a wide range of physical methods to answer research questions in diverse application areas ranging from renewable energy, medicine, materials, complex molecule synthesis, and others. Students will develop a working knowledge of modern techniques applied to synthesis, learning fundamental principles, experimental limitations, and interpretation of experimental results. Selected techniques may include: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), Fluorimetry, Absorption Spectroscopy (UV-Vis, IR, X-ray), Diffraction (X-ray), Magnetometry, Electrochemistry, and Mass-Spectrometry. Emphasis will be placed on how techniques are relevant in current research areas, and the instrumental capabilities available at Brown University.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
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Understand the fundamental principles, theories, and working limits of selected physical methods pertinent to the synthesis of organic and inorganic compounds
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Interpret experimental output of these techniques from real-world (research) examples
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Propose experiments to address research problems using current physical methods
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Be conversant in current events and research related to physical methods in chemistry, and their fields of application
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Concisely present scientific information in written and spoken format to various audience levels
The course is appropriate for undergraduates who have completed CHEM 360 (Organic II) and 500 (Inorganic I), and graduate students interested in synthetic chemistry.