Chemistry 5560, Fall 2005

Dr. Omary, University of North Texas

Term-paper rules:

  1. You may choose to have a partner.  You are encouraged to do so if the two of you will really share the work and correct each other.  But you are discouraged to do so if only one person will do most of the work.
  2. Ideally 3-5 pages, double-spaced, font size 12, 1" margins. Figures and tables are not included in the 3-page minimum and should be added as an appendix. You may photocopy or scan the figures and tables from original references.
  3. Scientific writing style:
    1. Don't copy sentences as is in the original references. 
    2. Use your own sentences but avoid slang.
    3. Use reference citations like the textbook does.
    4. Any book chapter is a good model to follow its writing style.
  4. MUST RELATE TO CLASS MATERIAL.
  5. Write the paper in a way such that a classmate would understand it.  That is, simplify but do not trivialize.
  6. Must use Word or Word Perfect.
  7. Deadline for showing me a draft: Friday, December 2 (during class).  You are encouraged to consult with me throughout.
  8. Deadline for submitting the final copy: Midnight of Thursday December 15 (electronic submission required: e-mail omary@unt.edu or, if the file is > 10 MB, bring a CD, zip disk, or flash drive to my office or mailbox).

 

 

* Selected topics:

-                          The topics below are only suggestions.  If you have another topic of more interest to you that you can relate to the class material, you may choose it upon coordination with the instructor.

-                          Selection done after consulting with the instructor.  The selection of a given topic will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

-                          I will help you select the topic and give you some suggested references

-                          You may see me before or after class, during my office hours, by appointment, drop by when I am around, or e-mail me if you prefer to.

-                          If you work in a research group in the department or have been involved in research previously elsewhere, you may choose these areas to be the topic of your term paper as long as you can relate them to the class material (consult with instructor).

 

A. Techniques:

1) Atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy

Related class material: Atomic structure (Chapter 2).

 

2) Photoelectron spectroscopy:

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

3) UV/VIS molecular absorption spectroscopy:

Related class material: Electronic spectra of coordination compounds (Chapter 11)

 

4) Molecular luminescence (fluorescence and phosphorescence) spectroscopy:

Related class material: Electronic spectra of coordination compounds (Chapter 11)

 

5) Electron spin resonance spectroscopy:

Related class material: Bonding in simple molecules (Chapter 5) and coordination compounds (Chapter 10).

 

6) X-ray crystallography:

Related class material: The crystalline solid state (Chapter 7)

 

7) MRI: Why did a chemist win the 2003 Noble Prize in Medicine?

Related class material: Bioinorganic chemistry (Chapter 16)

 

B. Research topics:

I. Fundamental chemistry topics:

1) Cation-pi interactions

Related class material: Acid-base and donor-acceptor concepts; coordination compounds (Chapters 6 and 9)

 

2) Metal-metal bonding in coordination compounds

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5); Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11)

 

3) Organic excimers and exciplexes

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

4) Inorganic excimers and exciplexes

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5); Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11)

 

5) Electron and energy transfer

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

II. Biochemistry topics:

1) Structure and functions of hemoglobin and myoglobin

Related class material: Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11)

 

2) Cisplatin in cancer treatment

Related class material: Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11)

 

3) Gold drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Related class material: Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11)

 

4) Medicinal uses of nitric oxide for treatment of cancer and high blood pressure

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

5) Any topic that interests you among those discussed briefly in Chapter 16.

 

III. Industrial Catalytic processes:

1) Homogeneous catalysis (choose a process)

Related class material: Organometallic chemistry (Chapters 13-14)

 

2) Heterogeneous catalysis (choose a process)

Related class material: Organometallic chemistry (Chapters 13-14)

 

3) Conducting materials (semiconductors, conductors, superconductors, photoconductors)

Related class material: The crystalline solid state (Chapter 7)

 

4) Magnetic materials

Related class material: The crystalline solid state (Chapter 7); Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11).

 

5) Optoelectronic applications of inorganic materials (select a topic in consultation with instructor. e.g., sensors; solar cells; light-emitting devices, etc.)

Related class material: Coordination compounds (Chapters 9-11).

 

IV. Environmental chemistry topics:

1) Photochemical smog

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

2) Ozone layer

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 

3) Photodecomposition of nitric oxide

Related class material: Bonding theory (Chapter 5)

 


V. Miscellaneous topics:

Browse the latest issues of the following ACS journals J. Am. Chem. Soc., Inorg. Chem., or Organomeallics and find a suitable full paper (not a communication) that you deem interesting and can relate to class and write about. They are all available at http://pubs.acs.org/