Chemistry strongly benefits from technological advances that accelerate the progress in the design and development of new compounds and materials, understanding their composition, properties and behavior. In this course, students explore the scientific basis and the technological features of the techniques/instruments employed on a daily basis in any cutting edge chemistry laboratory. Among these techniques, students review a set of spectroscopic tools (e,g. IR and Raman spectroscopy, Mass spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), nanocharacterization microscopes (e.g. Scanning Electron Microscopy, Scanning Probe Microscopy), separation techniques (e.g. HPLC), and analytical tools (e.g. X-Ray diffraction). The course includes a significant amount of experimental time in the laboratory where the techniques will be employed to resolve interesting and exciting chemical problems. A visit to the Synchrotron radiation facility Soleil may also be planned.
- Teaching coordinator: Guell Aleix
Mastering the transformation of organic matter is key to tackle societal challenges such as the synthesis of new pharmaceutical drugs, the design of functional polymers and the recycling of wastes to value-added products. CHE 302 is an intermediate–level chemistry course that introduces the reactivity and transformation of organic chemicals, based on quantum chemistry. From the description of the electronic structures and bonding interactions in molecules (using molecular orbitals and Hückel theory), the transformation of organic and inorganic compounds is introduced, as well as the reactivity of organic functionalities (carbonyls, alkenes and aromatics) and the concepts of catalysis. This interactive course explores these topics through lectures, tutorials and labs.
- Teaching coordinator: Simler Thomas