Ateneo - UPO

The course includes the description of the techniques used in the laboratory, the execution of a series of practical experiments (synthesis and characterisation of some coordination and organometallic compounds), and the discussion of the experimental results based on the theoretical concepts of inorganic chemistry.

Copies of the slides shown during the course will be available on D.I.R. together with material useful for an autonomous in-depth study. Moreover, the following textbooks of inorganic chemistry are recommended:
- G. L. Miessler, D. A. Tarr, Chimica inorganica, Piccin
- P. W. Atkins, T. Overton, J. Rourke, M. Weller, F. Armstrong, Chimica inorganica, Zanichelli
- M. Weller, T. Overton, J, Rourke, F. Armstrong, La chimica inorganica di Atkins, Zanichelli
- C. Housecroft, A. Sharp, Chimica inorganica, Piccin
For the spectroscopic characterisations see:
- R. M. Silverstein, Identificazione spettrometrica di composti organici, Ed. CEA.

In the laboratory module, the student preparation is completed by practical experiments of inorganic chemistry. Knowledge: in particular, the subjects will be: crystal field theory vs molecular orbitals, chelating effect, formation constant and principles of NMR spectroscopy, together with the application of conductivity, UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy, chromatography and titrations to metal complexes. The student will develop the skill to correctly perform some common laboratory practices and procedures of synthesis, purification and characterization of metal complexes, and the skill to drive information from the experimental results (skill of making judgements).
Moreover, the student will develop its communication skills using a suitable chemical vocabulary related to the topics of the course, will write a laboratory notebook and will write and then discuss a report on the result obtained in the laboratory. He will develop the ability to draw conclusions about data related to the subjects of the course.
The ability to use the material for a critical and reasoned study and as a starting point for an autonomous in-depth learning (learning ability) will be stimulated.

General Chemistry, basic knowledge of spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques.

Lectures, laboratory experiments to apply the theoretical concepts of inorganic chemistry and group discussions. The student will fill in a laboratory notebook and will work in team both during the laboratory experiments and when writing a report about them. Specific material will be available for an autonomous study.

In itinere learning will be checked with the discussion of the experimental results at the end of the laboratory experiments and with collective discussions.

The presence in the laboratory is compulsory and the student must fill in a laboratory notebook to develop the ability to correctly describe a carried-out experiment and collect data.
At the end of the laboratory the student will produce a written report on the experiences carried out, containing a critical analysis of the results obtained in the experiments to develop its skill to draw conclusions from the carried-out experiments and its communication skills. The report will also include a personal in-depth study about one of the topics of the laboratory part of the course. The submission of the report will be precondition for access to the written exam of the course and the report itself will be evaluated by the examination board, together with the exam, up to a maximum of 6 points (see Syllabus of the joined course).
Such a procedure of evaluation will allow to evaluate the acquired theoretical knowledge, the ability to apply them to real situations, the skill to collect and critically analyze the obtained results, the communication skills in the description of the carried-out work, the learning skills. The student with all the listed abilities/capacities (see expected learning outcomes) will be given the highest grade.

The course aims to provide the necessary elements to complete the knowledge of the inorganic chemistry already discussed in the theoretical course (crystal field theory vs molecular orbitals, formation constant, chelating effect, conductivity and UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy of metal complexes). It will consist of a description of the laboratory experiments (with an explanation of the key steps of the reactions to be carried out and an explanation of some techniques that will be used), and of a purely experimental part. In the latter part, a series of experiments will be carried out in turn by all students divided into small groups of two or three people. In particular, some cobalt and nickel coordination compounds and organometallic complexes such as ferrocene derivatives will be synthesized and purified. For some of them the spectroscopic (UV-visible or NMR) or conductometric characterization will be carried out. Furthermore, the student will learn how to determine the formation constant of a complex by titration and how to determine the stoichiometry of a complex with the Job’s method. Effective ways to write the laboratory notebook and a scientific report and to use the teaching material for further study will be presented.

Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the crystal field theory vs molecular orbitals, chelating effect, formation constant, conductivity, UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy, chromatography and titrations applied to metal complexes.
Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to collect data in a suitable way and to fill in a laboratory notebook; ability to apply the theory in the execution and understanding of the laboratory experiments and to the explanation of the results.
Making judgements: skill to critically analyze the results of the practical experiments, understanding possible errors and suggesting solutions.
Communication skills: ability to report on the work done (and generally on chemical-scientific topics) in a precise, concise and clear manner, both in written and oral form; ability to write the laboratory notebook and a scientific report in an efficient way; achievement of a suitable scientific language.
Learning skills: ability to use the teaching material for a critical and reasoned study, also for a subsequent autonomous acquisition of superior knowledge and for a continuous updating. In particular, the autonomous learning will be stimulated by requesting an in-depth study of one of the topics of the laboratory part of the course.