Introduction

The information on this page is for Advanced General Chemistry, Chm 118. This is an advanced course in introductory chemistry where we strive to gain an understanding of the ideas of chemistry. It is for students who have reasonable background in chemistry--for instance, AP or A levels, etc.--OR, and perhaps most importantly, EXPRESS A GREAT INTEREST in the course! During the semester we will cover the advanced material in a normal one year introductory chemistry course, plus some. We will do this by reading original papers from the literature, spending time on topics in those papers that we don't understand--see the syllabus section. It will be great fun! Students finishing this course are waived from both Chm111 and Chm224. To enroll in this course, talk to a member of the chemistry department or obtain permission from the instructor, Mr. Linck.

Messages

•  I have posted answers for the assigned problems and the last quiz. See the answers table.1350 3/xi/09
•  On Wednesday we will conclude our discussion about thermodynamics so that we can handle enthalpy, entropy, free energy, and equilibrium constants.  1355 3/xi/09

Robert Linck
Office, Sabin-Reed 429
Phone, X3836
Email, rlinck(at)email.smith.edu
Office Hours, W, 3-4; F, 1-3; or by appointment.

Laboratory, Heather Shafer
Office, Sabin-Reed 434
Phone, X3804
Email, hshafer(at)email.smith.edu
Office Hours, T/W 1030-1130

Purpose: Purpose and Style

Advanced General Chemistry is a course specifically designed to give students with a strong background in chemistry a chance to explore somewhat more challenging aspects of chemical science. This does not mean that it is impossibly difficult; we cover mostly topics that are in any general chemistry text, amplifying some of them somewhat. It does mean that we spend less time on topics such as determining the number of moles, stoichiometry, Lewis structures, and other topics that all reasonable chemistry courses cover. We use the time gained by covering topics such as these quite rapidly to spend time on more advanced (and interesting) concepts.

There are some unusual aspects to the style in which Chm 118 is taught. The first: in this course--which is smaller than other introductory chemistry courses at Smith--we spend most of the time discussing chemistry. You will not just sit there, listen, and copy words into your notebook. I won't just walk around and talk. Not that I won't say things, but I will also ask students in the class to prepare to discuss an aspect of the subject, to lead a discussion of it. I will ask lots of questions. We will try to apply reasoning to problems. Learning occurs when YOU do it. And real learning occurs by repetition. We will follow these dicta this semester.

The second: I believe in fundamental reasoning. I want students in this class to get used to figuring out something without simply using magical words: For instance,

Question: "Why is NaCl soluble in water?" Unsatisfactory answer: "Because the bonds are ionic."

Question: "Why is NaCl ionic?" Unsatisfactory answer: "Because the electronegativity of Na and Cl are very different."

Both of these answers simply replace one magic word with another, thereby, as Macbeth says, "It is a tale told by an idiot, ... signifying nothing." We will try to establish a set of guiding principles, based mostly on electrons being attracted to nuclei, but using that mysterious tool of quantum mechanics, that will allow us to figure out chemical phenomena. Our discussions will consume the majority of class meetings.

The third: Our starting point for any subject will be an original article from the chemical literature. (We do not use a book in this course. I will pass out some of the surplus books I have early in the class for you to borrow for the semester. Others of you can go to the library and check out some text or other.) We will look at selected articles, use knowledge you, a book, or I have, to learn what we need to know to understand them; then examine the authors' arguments and conclusions in detail. This approach will show you how chemists think and how they work out answers to questions about nature.

The fourth: This course is designed to encourage you to work with others. Not only is this the way that modern science is done, but by discussing and arguing about chemistry, you learn chemistry; and learn it well. I will employ several methods to achieve this goal. (1) You will have a problem or two due each day in class; you may (and should) work with others to do these. (2) Sometimes these will be collected; other times I will ask you to grade each others' problems. (3) A third way to achieve cooperation between members of the class is to give take-home quizzes which you can work with others in the class to answer. You are strongly urged to form groups which meet REGULARLY to discuss the daily problems and to work out the answers to these questions. You will be expected to write the answers to examinations on your own, without help from others. Previous classes have found this interaction between students one of the most valuable aspects of the course.

Learning. I have been to a number of workshops over the years that stress that learning is most effective when students are actively engaged. I believe this. To facilitate student participation we will use a radio frequency response system, affectionately called "clicker" technology by most. This will allow me to ask questions of the class and have you answer without having to admit to others that you know (or don't know) the answer--and heaven forbid that we would reveal this dark truth to others! You should go to the language center and check out a clicker. Instructions for use will be discussed in class.

The laboratory: The laboratory portion of the course will accent quantitative laboratory skills, reasoning about observed phenomena, determination of unknown materials, and kinetics. We will also do some special projects near the end of the semester.

Meetings: The course is scheduled to meet three times a week, MWF, 1100-1210, for discussion, and once a week in laboratory (Mon and Tues) in SR-223; students are required to attend all sessions of the course and laboratory. Participation in the class discussions is very important--see below.

Fall, 2009

Topic	First Author	Reference	Link
Stoichiometry Lewis Structures Enthalpy	Groshens et. al.	Chem. Commun., 2009, 3089-3091.	Paper 1
Stoichiometry Oxidation-Reduction NMR	Pasek et. al.	Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2008, 47, 7918-7920.	Paper 2
Molecular Structure Electron Diffraction Group Theory Introduction	Hedberg et. al.	J. Chem. Phys., 1964, 41, 2214.	Paper 3
Introduction to TMI Chemistry Introduction to Kinetics	Benito-Garagorri et. al.	Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2008, 47, 9142-9145	Paper 4
Transition Metal Chemistry Use of Symmetry	Jiang et. al.	Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 2629-2631.	Paper 5
Transition Metal Chemistry Luminescence	Accursi et. al.	Chem. Commun., 2009, 3392-3394.	Paper 6
Introduction to Theromdynamics and Kinetics	Alibrandi et. al.	Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2009, 48, 6332-6334.	Paper 7
Thermodynmics and Kinetics	Smith et. al.	J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1981, 103, 6044-6048.	Paper 8
Molecular Orbital Theory	Hoffmann et. al.	J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1970, 92, 4992.	Paper 9
MO Theory	Li et. al.	Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3630.	Paper 10

Answers to Problem Sets and Exams

Problem Set 1

Answers to selected problems 1 to 18.

Answers to Quiz 1.

Supplemental Problem Set One

Supplemental Problem Set Two

Answers to Quiz 2.

Answers to selected problems 6 to 67.

Thermo Questions

Exercise Set 2

Grading in this course depends critically on participation by you, the student, in the classroom discussions. Grades are determined based on 1000 points, distributed among the various assessment methods as follows:

Distribution of Points Among Various Assessment Tools

Quizzes (2)	60 points
Exams(2)	240 points
Final Exam	200 points
Discussion and Problem Sets	300 points
Laboratory	200 points

An assessment will be made each day during class to determine the 'Discussion' points. The quizzes will be relatively simple exercises to help you keep up with the material. The importance of the discussion and laboratory portions of the course cannot be overstated: together they account for 50% of the grade.

Your letter grade in the course will depend on the number of points out of the thousand available that you obtain as follows

(Plus and minus attachments to these letters will occur near the respective limits of the ranges.)

The schedule of examinations and quizzes is given below. Please note the dates now so that you may plan ahead for those weeks of the semester when you have several different courses demanding work. Permission to postpone an examination or quiz will not be given except under exceptional circumstances.

Chemistry 118 is a Smith College course: the Honor Code applies. You may work with other students in the course as you discuss the material or on the take-home quizzes. In this course you may prepare for an examination by finding the answers to the distributed questions with the help of others in the class and you may use written source material, but you may not discuss the examination with students, faculty, tutors, or others not in the class. The actual writing of the examinations must be completely your own work. The Honor Code requires that you keep your eyes on your own paper and that you take reasonable precautions to keep others from reading your paper. If in the laboratory you do an experiment with someone else, your written report of that experiment must say with whom you did the experimental work, but the written work submitted for a grade must be your own unless the instructor indicates otherwise. Before you obtain data from someone else and use it in your own written report, you must ask for permission to do so from the instructor, and must state in the report from whom you obtained the data.