Bard College Catalogue

Bard College Catalogue 2012-13

Chemistry

http://chemistry.bard.edu

Faculty

Craig Anderson (director), Swapan Jain*, Tanay Kesharwani, Christopher LaFratta, Emily Colleen McLaughlin
* on sabbatical, fall 2012

Overview

Chemistry at Bard is geared primarily, but not exclusively, toward meeting the needs of students planning to do graduate work in chemistry and biology. Students receive extensive hands-on experience with contem­porary instruments and equipment (see “Facilities” below). In addition to the core courses, a student typically takes at least two advanced electives in chemistry and biology, mathematics, or physics, according to personal goals. 

Requirements

Before moderating in the program, students should complete or be enrolled in Chemistry 141-142 and 201-202, Mathematics 141 and 142, and Physics 141 and 142. Students are expected to follow the standard divisional procedure for Moderation and to fulfill the collegewide distribution and First-Year Seminar requirements. To graduate, students must successfully complete Chemistry 311, 312, 350, and  360; two electives at the 300 level or higher (at least one must be a 400-level seminar); and the Senior Project.

Recent Senior Projects in Chemistry

• “Semiempirical calculations for a model ofstage 1 lithium-intercalated graphite:structures and energetics”
• “Synthesis and binding affinity of 6-acetamido-2-hydrazone-purine to xpt riboswitch”
• “Synthesis of a zinc(II) complex using a novel bidentate benzodithioate ligand”

Facilities

Facilities at The Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation and the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Science Laboratories include teaching labs; individual research laboratories for faculty and their students; seminar rooms; and expanded space for student research posters. Students have the opportunity to work with contemporary instrumentation, including a 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer; a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer; a liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer; two Thermo Nicolet Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometers; several ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometers; two microwave reactors; a Dionex high-performance liquid chromatograph; a Johnson Matthey magnetic susceptibility balance; and, in collaboration with Vassar College, a state-of-the-art X-ray diffractometer. More details are available at the Chemistry Program website.

Courses

Core courses include Chemistry 141-142, Basic Principles of Chemistry; Chemistry 201-202, Organic Chemistry I and II; Chemistry 311, Physical Chemistry; Chemistry 312, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry; and Chemistry 350 and 360, the laboratory concepts courses Analytical and Physical Techniques and Synthesis. Each semester, at least one advanced elective course, covering topics such as organic synthesis, chemical kinetics, organometallic chemistry, and biochemistry, is offered.

Principles and Applications of Chemistry
Chemistry 121
A comprehensive survey of key theories and applications in chemistry. Topics include atomic structures, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, states of matter, theories of solutions, energy transfer, and basic organic chemistry and biochemistry. The laboratory focuses on basic techniques, quantitative applications, and some reactions in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Designed for nonscience majors. Prerequisite: background in high school mathematics or permission of the instructor.

Molecules and Medicine
Chemistry 129
When you take aspirin or ibuprofen do you ever wonder what the structure of this “miracle drug” looks like? How the molecule actually works in the body? How the medicinal use of this and other drugs was discovered? This course, intended for nonscience majors, explores biologically active molecules and their modes of action (naturally occurring and synthetic) in an effort to stress the importance of chemistry in biology and medicine.

Basic Principles of Chemistry
Chemistry 141-142
An introduction to the composition, structure, and properties of matter. The first semester covers atomic structure, stoichiometry, periodic trends, bonding and molecular geometry, thermochemistry, and the behavior of gases, liquids, and solids. Central concepts in the second semester are energy transfer, spontaneity, and change (thermochemistry, chemical equilibrium, and kinetics). The laboratory portion stresses basic techniques and quantitative applications. Basic algebra skills are required. Concurrent enrollment in calculus is recommended for students who intend to major in chemistry.

Organic Chemistry
Chemistry 201-202
Students study the structure and reactions of specific types of organic compounds and develop interrelationships that provide an integrated understanding of organic chemistry. The course emphasizes general principles and reaction mechanisms, but students are also expected to accumulate and utilize factual material. The laboratory is coordinated with classroom topics and should provide direct experience with many reactions and concepts. The laboratory also develops familiarity with experiment design, experimental techniques, and instrumental methods such as chromatography and spectroscopy. Prerequisite: Chemistry 141-142.

Principles of Chemical Analysis
Chemistry 301
A survey of analytical chemistry, with emphasis on the basic principles of solution equilibriums. Quantitative treatment of solubility, acidity, and oxidation potential provides the background for understanding gravimetric and volumetric techniques. Modern methods of instrumental analysis are studied and integrated into the laboratory work. Prerequisite: Chemistry 141-142.

Physical Chemistry
Chemistry 311
Quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, and thermodynamics are studied in detail. Topics covered include the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, the hydrogen atom, computational chemistry, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, the standard functions (enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs, etc.), and the microscopic point of view of entropy, among others. Prerequisites: Chemistry 141–142 (or equivalent), Physics 141 and 142, and Mathematics 141 and 142, or by permission of instructor.

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
Chemistry 312
An introduction to the chemistry of the elements, this course places emphasis on the classification of the properties and reactivity of the elements by chemical periodicity, structure, and bonding. Topics include coordination chemistry of the transition metals, organometallic chemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry. Prerequisites: Chemistry 201-202; either Chemistry 301 or Chemistry 411-412.

Laboratory Concepts and Techniques: Analytical and Physical Techniques
Chemistry 350
This course covers many analytical, physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry techniques and applications. Concepts dealing with statistical evaluation of data, activity, systematic treatment of equilibrium, and electrochemistry are also addressed.

Laboratory Concepts and Techniques: Synthesis
Chemistry 360
Multistep organic and organometallic synthesis make up a solid portion of the course, which also introduces advanced lab concepts and techniques. Air- and moisture-sensitive techniques are explored, as are many analytical, physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry techniques and applications, as necessary.

Organic Synthesis
Chemistry 408
The starting point is the predictable design of organic structures by the “disconnection approach,” based heavily on the use of carbanions and other modern reactions. The versatility of these methods is discussed, using novel ways to apply these reactions to generate elusive structures. Fairly complicated syntheses are evaluated to appreciate new ideas and approaches to synthesis. Prerequisite: Chemistry 201-202.

Topics in Biochemistry
Chemistry 409
This course focuses on the chemistry of biochemical molecules, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. A brief overview of each molecule is given, with emphasis on its structure, bonds, and reactivity. Recent papers are presented and discussed. Prerequisites: Chemistry 201 or 202 and permission of the instructor.

Physical Chemistry
Chemistry 411-412
A modern molecular approach to the subject. The first semester begins with a study of model quantum mechanical systems and culminates in the application of the model systems to atomic and molecular structure and spectra. In the second semester, statistical mechanics is used as the link between quantum chemistry and equilibrium thermodynamics. Molecular modeling software is used to go beyond a consideration of prototypical systems.Prerequisites: Chemistry 141-142; Physics 141 and 142; and Mathematics 141, 142, and 212.

Organometallics
Chemistry 431
This course integrates material from inorganic and organic chemistry to provide a basis for understanding the rich chemistry of the metal-carbon bond. The material consists of an examination of various organometallic reaction mechanisms, including substitution, oxidative addition, reductive elimination, and insertion, combined with a survey of the structure and reactivity of organometallic ligands. Topics such as organometallic photochemistry, catalysis, and the use of organometallic reagents in organic synthesis are also covered.

RNA/DNA: Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids
Chemistry 441
This seminar-style course begins with a review of nucleic acid chemistry. Topics of inquiry include the influence of DNA/RNA structure on replication, transcription, and translation; the importance of protein-nucleic acid interactions; and the role of RNA in regulation (catalytic RNA, riboswitches, and RNA interference pathways). Students utilize modeling/imaging software to acquire a deeper appreciation of nucleic acid structure. Prerequisites: Biology 301, Biochemistry, and permission of the instructor.