Ateneo - UPO

The course aims to provide students with the fundamental concepts of molecular spectroscopy (vibrational and electronic), thermodynamics and chemical kinetics.

Antonio Randazzo - Alfonso Mangoni - Gianluca Giorgi - Roberto Gobetto "Analisi Strutturale delle Molecole – UV-Vis - IR - NMR - MS" ISBN 9788895122670 Loghia PublishingIn addition to the recommended textbook, any standard Physical Chemistry book can serve as a useful aid to your study and to the teaching materials provided by the instructor and uploaded on the DIR platform.

Knowledge and understanding: to acquire solid knowledge of the fundamental aspects of the chemical-physical properties underlying the investigation of systems of biotechnological, biological and pharmaceutical interest.
Applied knowledge and understanding: to acquire the ability to evaluate, in the light of the notions learned during the course, which are the most suitable chemical-physical methods for the study of certain systems.
Communication skills: to acquire and use an appropriate vocabulary in relation to the topics and techniques covered in the course.
Making judgements: ability to critically analyze the elements related to physical chemistry in complex and realistic problems.

Notions acquired within the courses of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, as well as mathematics notions from high school programs (e.g. logarithms, trigonometry, etc.).

Lectures will be delivered in the classroom in a traditional format, supported by slides, videos, and worked examples.
When possible, a “flipped classroom” approach will be adopted for selected topics.
To make the section of the syllabus on molecular spectroscopy more accessible, an introductory lecture will be provided on the basic principles of organic chemistry (classes of compounds, functional groups, chirality).
The teaching materials (PDF files) used during the lectures will be made available on the DIR platform.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Written exam with an optional oral component.
The written exam consists of 4 problems to be solved and 6 questions on the theoretical part of the course. The questions may be open-ended or closed, with a justification required for the chosen answer.
If the grade obtained in the written exam is passing (≥ 18/30), students may choose to take an oral examination, which will consist of theoretical questions and a brief discussion of the written paper.
The oral examination is optional. The oral exam grade may confirm, improve or, in cases of major gaps, lower the grade obtained in the written test.

Introduction to physical chemistry and its applications to biological, biotechnological systems and pharmaceutical chemistry. The gas phase. Ideal gases and laws: Boyle's law, Charles' law, perfect gas law. Kinetic theory of gases, ideal gas mixtures, partial pressures (Dalton's law). Real gases. Van der Waals equation Classical thermodynamics. The three principles of thermodynamics and the zeroth law. Spontaneity and reversibility of chemical reactions and equilibrium reactions. Physical equilibrium. Physical Transformations of pure substances. State diagrams. Stability of phases and state transitions. Clapeyron and Clausius-Clapeyron equations. Phases, components and freedom degrees. Binary systems. Azeotropic mixtures. Donnan membrane equilibrium. Membrane potentials. Chemical equilibrium and free energy. Thermodynamics equilibrium constant. Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. Van't Hoff equation. Electrodes and electrochemical cells. Electromotive force and free energy. Nerst’s equation. Applications of electrochemical processes and biological processes comparable to eletrochemical processes (quick mention) Chemical kinetics: relationship between kinetics and thermodynamics. Definition of rate and order of reaction. Kinetic laws and integration. Determination of reaction order and rate constant. Reaction rate determining step and approximation of the steady state. Reaction rate and temperature: Arrhenius law. Relationship between equilibrium constant and kinetic constant. Mechanisms of chemical reactions. Enzyme kinetics. Transition from the macroscopic world to the micro and nanoscopic world for the understanding of chemical and biological phenomena. Energy-matter interaction with attention to the mechanisms of absorption and emission of electromagnetic radiation. Properties of the electromagnetic spectrum. Optical spectroscopies such as vibrational (FTIR and Raman) and electronic (UV-Vis absorption and luminescence) spectroscopies will be considered by examining the theoretical principles that rule the transitions within rotational, vibrational and electronic levels with hints on applications for the recognition of molecules and for the study of the structure of biomolecules and complex systems. As far as vibrational spectroscopies are concerned, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies will be analysed, highlighting the difference between the two techniques in the theoretical aspects and underlining their complementarity. The electron spectroscopy taken into consideration will be UV-Vis absorption and luminescence (fluorescence and phosphorescence) spectroscopies and decay processes from excited electronic states.

Students will have to know and be able to explain, also through the use of formalisms, the notions relating to the fundamental concepts of molecular spectroscopy, thermodynamics and electrochemistry applied to complex systems.