This course is focused on molecular species that contain metal-carbon bonds, and the role of these compounds in catalytic processes and organic synthesis. Aspects of the synthesis, structure and reactivity of important classes of organometallic compounds such as metallo alkyl, aryl, alkene, alkylidene and alkylidyne complexes are surveyed for the d and f block metals. Emphasis is placed on general patterns of reactivity and recurring themes for reaction mechanisms.

This course provides an introduction to key concepts in inorganic chemistry, including an overview of the origins of periodic trends, an introduction to various bonding theories (crystal field theory, valence bond theory, and molecular orbital theory), and the kinetics of elementary reactions of coordination complexes. Density functional theory calculations will be performed by students (no experience necessary) to support key concepts developed in the course.

Structure, dynamics, and function of biological macromolecules. Properties of macromolecular assemblies, membranes and their compartments. (Formerly, CHEM 450-I).

This half-semester course continues to emphasize organic reactions, reaction mechanisms, and their strategic applications in complex molecule synthesis. Topics covered include oxidations, reductions, carbon-carbon bond formations, and strategic applications of protecting groups.

This course focuses on organic reactions, reaction mechanisms, and the strategic applications of these reactions in organic synthesis. Topics include symmetry, stereochemistry, stereoselectivity, olefinations, olefin metathesis, transition-metal catalyzed cross couplings, cycloadditions, electrocyclizations, sigmatropic rearrangements, and other pericycylic reactions. The material will be illustrated by applications in multistep chemical synthesis. Based on this course, students should be able to read the modern literature, develop independent research proposals in organic chemistry, and succeed in graduate school.
Recommended prerequisites: A basic understanding of Lewis structures, molecular orbitals, hybridization, arrow pushing, stability, and reactivity.

This course a high level overview of methods for the study of organic, organometallic, and inorganic reaction mechanism. The preceding course Chem 5412 or its equivalent must be taken before this course. The course will briefly review basic mechanistic conventions (arrows, radical intermediates, etc.) and then more onto a survey thermodynamic and kinetic measurements used in understanding chemical reactions. Topics include kinetic measurements and interpretation, Arrhenius theory, Eyring theory, kinetic isotope effects, Hammett analyses, and electronic structure calculations. Articles discussing these techniques in delineating the reaction mechanisms for problems of current interest will be analyzed. The focus will be on experiments that can be accomplished with readily available analytical tools (NMR, IR, UV, GC, HPLC) and how an undertanding of mechanism can be used to optimize reaction yields and selectivities.

Physical Organic I is an introduction to advanced physical organic chemistry. Mechanism drawing with arrows to denote the movement of an electron density will be a unifying theme. The course will overview organic bonding (basic molecular orbital theory, anomeric effect), structure (bond lengths, bond angles, delocalization and resonance, conformational analysis), and reactivity (electronegativity, nucleophilicity, electrophilicity, acidity, basicity, stereoelectronics).

The principles of quantum theory and applications to atomic systems.

Principles of statistical mechanics with applications to systems of chemical interest.

An introductory survey of the bonding, structure, and reactions of important metal and nonmetal compounds.