Before taking an inorganic laboratory course few students have experience handling air-sensitive materials using Schlenk techniques. This exercise introduces them to techniques they will employ in later syntheses. The procedure involves the formation of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran complexes of transition-metal chlorides from metal-chloride hydrates;…

An exercise is described which introduces students to using concepts in thermochemistry to predict relative stability of a hypervalent molecule. Students will compare the energies of formation for both fluoride and the hydride by calculations and they will also explore the issue of partial ionic character in polar covalent bonds.

A simple and cost-effective experiment for the development and characterization of semiconductors using Uv-vis spectroscopy is described. The study shows that the optical properties of ZnO films can be easily modified by forming Zn[subscript 1-x] Co[subscript x]O solid solutions via spray pyrolysis.

Discusses predicting common oxidation numbers, uncommon oxidation numbers, hydrogen-phosphorus bonds and other examples. (PVD)

Buckminsterfullerene, which is in the shape of a soccer-ball was first discovered in 1985, has many applications as a good lubricant, or as a new superconductor. The synthesis of these inorganic fullerenes involves a great deal of interdisciplinary research between physicists, material scientists, engineers and chemists from various fields.

The student-directed explorations for learning various ligands and their impacts on the field of inorganic chemistry are discussed. Various themes can be adopted by the instructors, like ligand-of-the-week theme, while teaching inorganic chemistry to their students.

Provides a comprehensive overview of the 19 essential trace elements, examining: the concept of essentiality; evolution of these elements; possible future essential elements; the lanthanides and actinides; how essential trace elements work; the metalloenzymes; the nonmetals; iodine and the thyroid hormones; and antagonism among these elements. (JN)

Proposes a simple and general method whereby the lattice energies of lanthanide(II) and (IV) compounds are derived directly from those found experimentally for the corresponding lanthanide(III) compounds. The method is applicable to all lanthanide halides and oxides and involves calculations which can be easily and quickly performed by students.…

The entropy change for a reaction in aqueous solution can be evaluated as a combination of entropy factors. Valuable insight or understanding can be obtained from a detailed examination of these factors. Several entropy effects of inorganic chemical reactions are discussed as examples. (Author/JN)

Bond character is directly conditioned by the peculiar capacity of bonded atoms to exchange electrons; such a capacity is clearly illustrated by electronegativity. The determination of bond character using the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms is discussed and an equation focusing on relationships between bonds is provided. (JN)

A simple procedure to quickly screen different consumer products for the presence of lead, cadmium, and other metals is described. This screening technique avoids expending a lot of preparation time on samples known to contain low levels of hazardous metals where only samples testing positive for the desired elements need to be analyzed…

A chemical mystery with an emphasis on qualitative inorganic analysis, forensic chemistry and medicinal substances is discussed. The mystery is solved by Sherlock Holmes with the help of clues provided.

The global agro-food system relies heavily on inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers. In addition to consuming enormous amounts of energy, this manufactured input contributes to the accumulation of reactive nitrogen in the biosphere and undermines the biological basis of agricultural production itself. While technological inefficiency and population…

Discusses the structure and function of the liver protein cytochrome P-450, an important catalyst for a variety of detoxification reactions. Diagnostic substracts for this heme-containing monooxygenase, synthetic modes of the active site, and oxidations with synthetic metalloporphyrins are the major topic areas considered. (JN)

Discusses model studies aimed at elucidating various ways in which molecular oxygen interacts with metalloproteins. The focus is on the chemistry of iron(II) porphyrins and their adducts with nitrogenous bases, carbon monoxide, and dioxygen, which are most relevant to the functional proteries of the heme proteins, hemoglobin, and myoglobin. (JN)