Chemistry

This course provides a rigorous presentation of thermodynamics principles, with emphases on the application of mathematical methods to the study of the spontaneity of processes, chemical reactions, and chemical energy. In addition to thermodynamics description of chemical equilibrium phenomena that form the basis of macroscopic chemical principles, connections between microscopic pictures (quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics) and bulk properties are highlighted.

This course provides an introduction to the concepts, formalism, and applications of quantum mechanics in different disciplinary fields of science and technology: mathematics, computer science and information technology, basic physics, and physico-chemistry. It includes instruction from specialists within these disciplines in connection with current research issues. 

The course consists of two parts. The first part teaches the equilibrium thermodynamics, covering the laws of thermodynamics and thermodynamics functions, with applications to various problems in phase equilibrium, chemical and electrochemical equilibrium. The second part teaches the equilibrium statistical thermodynamics, covering the Boltzmann distribution, the statistical ensembles and partition functions and their relations to thermodynamics functions.

This course consolidates year 1 organic and physical chemistry by reference to biological examples and shows students its relevance to cellular biochemical processes. It introduces mechanisms and thermodynamics of chemical processes in the cell, including central metabolic pathways, principles of enzyme and metalloenzyme active site catalysis, coenzyme chemistry, and thermodynamics of biochemical processes. It conveys the multidisciplinarity and role of chemical ideas in understanding biochemistry, and enable students to apply basic chemical principles in unfamiliar biochemical contexts to generate hypotheses. It also introduces key concepts of cell biology and protein structure.

This course connects the microscopic description of chemical reactions with macroscopic measurable quantities and explores the processes responsible for chemical changes: molecular collisions, elementary reactions, surface phenomena, catalysis, absorption isotherms, theory of the activated complex, and diffusion controlled reactions.

This course enables students to understand the chemical behavior of organic molecules and the mechanisms of reactions.

Prerequisites: General Chemistry I, II. 

This course provides a series of specialized modules in the areas of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry

Full course description

This course focuses on the basis of organic chemistry. In the first part of the course, important fundamental topics, such as atomic theory, bonding theory, hybridization, molecular orbital theory and resonance will be discussed. A special topic will be stereochemistry, which is an essential topic in organic chemistry and the life sciences, since stereochemistry often determines the activity of biological compounds or medicines. Subsequently, the course continues with an introduction into reactivity of organic molecules. Focus, will be on a selection of fundamental organic reactions, which form the basis for a wide array of other organic reactions. To this end, a logical review will be provided of the reactivity of the most important functional groups, as applied in organic synthesis. 

Course objectives

• To give the ability to recognize and name common organic compounds. 
• To know the basic physical and chemical properties of common organic compounds. 
• To understand stereochemistry and its impact on the properties and applications of organic molecules. 
• To enable you to understand the most important organic reactions and be able to apply these reactions to obtain well defined organic compounds. 

Prerequisites

SCI1004 Introduction to Chemistry. Students with substantial high school experience in Chemistry (For an indication of the relevant topics, see SCI-C, p. vi-viii) can contact the coordinator to request a waiver.