The periodic table gives us the elements to imagine an infinite number of compounds, but a relatively tiny number can be made. Why is it that some compounds exist, and others do not? Why is carbon monoxide so much more toxic than carbon dioxide despite being just one atom different? And although carbon dioxide is a leading cause of global warming, can other inorganic compounds help establish a greener climate future? This course will give students a deep insight into the building blocks of chemistry. Students will learn answers to the questions posed above, and will also see the pivotal role of inorganic chemistry in human health and industrial processes. The knowledge from this course will underpin what students might learn in future chemistry, biology, medicine, and physics courses.
Welcome to CHEM2031 — Inorganic Chemistry: The Elements! Whilst the field of organic chemistry is concerned with the chemistry of carbon, in this course we explore much more of the periodic table. This course combines a program of lectures from leading academics with an engaging, hands-on and individual lab program where students get the opportunity to make colourful inorganic complexes and study their properties. The course starts by teaching students the principles of bonding in chemistry. and builds to teach the structures and properties of metal complexes. Students will see how changing the molecular framework around a metal ion can modulate the properties of the resulting complex. Finally, students will learn how inorganic and organometallic complexes are important to (or toxic to!) the body, and their roles in industry and the environment.
