Chemistry Faculty
Michael T.H. Liu, Professor Emeritus
Nola Etkin, Associate Professor, Chair
Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, Professor
Rabin Bissessur, Professor
Russell Kerr, Professor 
Brian D. Wagner, Professor
Barry Linkletter, Associate Professor
Michael P. Shaver, Associate Professor
Jason Pearson, Assistant Professor
Richard Bethell, Adjunct Professor
Matthias Bierenstiel, Adjunct Professor
Robert Chapman, Adjunct Professor
J. Regis Duffy, Adjunct Professor
Christopher Kirby, Adjunct Professor
Stephanie MacQuarrie, Adjunct Professor
Gary Reid, Adjunct Professor
Junzeng Zhang, Adjunct Professor

Departmental Website

Chemistry Major
Chemistry Minor
Honours Chemistry
Chemistry Courses

Accreditation received by the Canadian Society for Chemistry National Board for the Chemistry Major and Honours Program.

General Requirements
For all courses with both laboratory and lecture components, credit will be granted only if satisfactory standing in both of these components has been obtained.

Requirements for a Major in Chemistry
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Chemistry must take at least 48 semester hours of chemistry in total and must at the same time complete certain courses as specified by the major requirements.

The required Chemistry courses are: Chemistry 111-112, Chemistry 221, Chemistry 241-242, Chemistry 231, Chemistry 272, Chemistry 322, Chemistry 331, Chemistry 342, Chemistry 353, Chemistry 361, Chemistry 374, Chemistry 482 OR 483, and two Chemistry electives, at least one of which is at the 4th year level.

Additional course requirements for the Chemistry major include the following courses from other disciplines: Biology 131-132, Mathematics 151, Mathematics 152, Mathematics 251 and a Math elective, Physics 111-112 or Physics 121-122. As well, students majoring in Chemistry are advised to take Physics 272 (Electronics and Instrumentation).

All programs of study of students declared as Chemistry majors must be approved by the Chair of the Department.   An outline of the Chemistry major requirements in the suggested sequence for their completion is given below, but deviations from it are permitted provided that the pertinent prerequisites are fulfilled.

The chemistry electives may be chosen from the Chemistry courses numbered: 202, 382, 432, 441, 461, 462, 464, 467, 468, 469, 482 or 483. At least one of the electives must be a 4th year course. The mathematics elective may be selected from Mathematics 221, 242, or 261.

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Requirements for a Minor in Chemistry
Students may obtain a degree with a minor in Chemistry by successfully completing the following courses: Chemistry 111-112, Chemistry 221, Chemistry 231, Chemistry 241-242 or Chemistry 243 and Chemistry 202, and Chemistry 272.

Requirements for Honours in Chemistry
The Honours Program in Chemistry is designed to provide research experience at the undergraduate level within the B.Sc. program. It is available to students with a strong academic background who intend to continue studies at the post-graduate level in Chemistry or some related field, or to students who intend to pursue a career where research experience would be an asset.

The Honours Program differs from the major in requiring a two-semester research course with thesis report, in the requirement of 126 semester hours for the degree and in the requirement of an additional five advanced Chemistry courses.

The following are the course requirements for the Honours Program in Chemistry:

The Chemistry electives may be chosen from among Chemistry courses numbered: 202, 382, 461, 462, 464, 467, 468, or 469. The Mathematics elective may be chosen from Mathematics 221, 261, 301 or 321 in consultation with the Chair.  as well, students in the honours Program in chemistry are strongly advised to take Physics 272 (Electronics and instrumentation) and/or Physics 312 (Electromagnetism I).

Honours students should note that Chemistry 490 is a two-semester course and carries twelve semester hours of credit. No credit for the first semester will be granted without successful completion of the second semester of the course.

For admission to the Honours Program, students must have a minimum average of 70% in all previous courses; normally the Department expects high second-class standing or first-class standing in previous Chemistry courses. Permission of the Department is also required and is contingent on the student finding an Honours Advisor, on being assigned an advisory committee, on acceptance of the research project by the Chemistry Department, and on general acceptability. Students interested in doing Honours should consult with the Department Chair as early as possible and not later than March 31 of the student's third year.

To graduate with a BSc Honours in Chemistry, students must complete 126 semester hours of credit which meet the required courses outlined above. As well, students must attain a 75% average in all Chemistry courses combined and must achieve a minimum overall average of 70% in all courses submitted for the degree. Students failing to meet the Honours requirements may apply for a transfer to the BSc Chemistry Major Program or to other degree programs.

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NOTES REGARDING 100-LEVEL CHEMISTRY COURSES
Chemistry 111-112 are introductory courses required for, but not restricted to, Chemistry Majors and Honours. A combined average of at least 60% is a prerequisite for all Chemistry courses above the 100 level. However, this course prerequisite may also be met by the successful completion of a qualifying examination to be offered each year on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. This examination, which shall cover material from both Chemistry 111 and 112 is open to those who have passing grades for both Chemistry 111 and 112, but who do not have a combined average of at least 60%. To be admitted to Chemistry courses above the 100 level, students must achieve a score of 65% on the qualifying examination. The score on the qualifying exam will not replace those attained in Chemistry 111 and 112, nor shall it be factored into any calculation of grades for graduation, scholarships or other purposes. This course prerequisite may also be waived with the permission of the Chair for individual courses. This 60% combined average regulation does not apply to students who have received credit for Chemistry 111-112 prior to the 2007-2008 academic year.

CHEMISTRY COURSES

001 INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSENTIALS OF CHEMISTRY
This is a non-credit course designed primarily for students needing an introduction to chemical principles, as preparation for first year chemistry. Basic chemical principles are introduced in relation to everyday applications, including industry and the environment. Topics include: matter and energy; elements and atoms; nomenclature and chemical reactions; electron arrangements in atoms; chemical quantities and calculations; acids and bases; and gases. Classes will be augmented by laboratory demonstrations. This course is required for those students planning to take Chemistry 111 and who do not have Grade 12 Academic Chemistry.

111 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
This course emphasizes the fundamentals of chemistry. Topics include: atoms, molecules and ions; stoichiometry; mass relations; gases and their behaviour; electronic structure and the periodic table; covalent bonding and molecular geometry; and thermochemistry. The laboratory associated with this course stresses stoichiometry, qualitative analysis, atomic spectroscopy and thermochemistry.
PREREQUISITE: Grade XII Chemistry, Chemistry 001 or the permission of the instructor.
Three lecture hours a week; one three-hour laboratory period or tutorial a week.

112 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
This course continues the subject matter of Chemistry 111. Topics include: chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, intermolecular forces, solutions, chemical kinetics, entropy and Gibbs energy, redox equations and electrochemistry. The laboratory associated with this course stresses volumetric analysis, titration curves and chemical kinetics.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 111
Three lecture hours a week; one three-hour laboratory period or tutorial a week.

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202 ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
This course deals with the major topics of concern in environmental chemistry. Emphasis is placed on the chemistry involved, as well as assessment of the relative hazards and corrective methods available to provide abatement. Topics covered include: atmospheric free radical chemistry, the greenhouse effect, stratospheric ozone, tropospheric chemistry and photochemical smog, the chemistry of natural water systems, acid rain, indoor air quality, sewage and waste management, chlorinated organic compounds, and heavy metals in the environment.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours per week and three laboratories during the term (scheduled during the first class)

221 ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
The treatment of analytical data and the estimation of experimental error are considered in detail. Chemical equilibrium, rate and equilibrium constants, abundance and titration curves, complexometric and redox reactions are discussed. The Beer-Lambert law and colorimetry are also examined. The laboratory work includes a selection of gravimetric, volumetric and colorimetric techniques relevant to the theory discussed.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week.

231 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I
This is an introductory course that deals with the topics of kinetic theory, introductory thermodynamics and thermochemistry, phase diagrams, conductivity, electrochemistry and introductory reaction kinetics. The latter includes first- and second-order reactions, as well as methods for dealing with the kinetics of complex reaction mechanisms.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112, Mathematics 151-152, or Mathematics 112 with permission of the Chair.
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.

241 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
This course introduces students to the structure and reactivity of hydrocarbons and functional groups, stereochemistry, aromaticity, nucleophilicity and electrophilicity, basic types of organic reactions and the application of spectroscopy to structure elucidation.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.
Note: Credit can not be obtained for both Chemistry 241 and Chemistry 243.

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242 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
This course provides a detailed examination of reactivity and mechanisms of organic reactions, including nucleophilic substitution, elimination, addition, electrophilic aromatic substitution, reactions of carbonyl compounds, and rearrangements. Some multistep synthesis and polymers (including biopolymers) are also discussed.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 241
Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week.

243 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES
This course is an introduction to organic chemistry for students in the life sciences (and others who do not intend to pursue a major in chemistry). Topics covered include the structure and reactivity of hydrocarbons and functional groups, stereochemistry, aromaticity, nucleophilicity and electrophilicity. Basic types of reactions discussed include nucleophilic substitution, elimination, addition, oxidation/reduction and reactions of carbonyl compounds.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.
Note: Credit can not be obtained for both Chemistry 241 and Chemistry 243.

272 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
This course examines the descriptive chemistry of the main group elements and their compounds; periodic trends in reactivity, structure and physical properties. Other topics include: electronic configuration, an introduction to symmetry operations and symmetry elements, bonding theories (molecular orbital theory), acid-base theory, and special topics (industrial application, bioinorganic chemistry).
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week.

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322 ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION
This course introduces a variety of instrumentation techniques, and examines the theory, advantages and limitations associated with each. Topics include uv-visible absorption spectroscopy, atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy, operational components of spectrophotometers; electro-analytical methods, potentiometric methods, ion-specific electrodes, voltammetry, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, spreadsheet methods and statistical software.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 221, 361, or permission of the Chair.
Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week

331 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY II
This course builds on the physical chemistry topics introduced in Chemistry 231, reinforcing those topics in depth and introducing additional concepts of physical chemistry. Topics include: advanced thermodynamics and kinetics, atomic spectroscopy, rotational and vibrational spectroscopy of small molecules and applications of symmetry and group theory to physical chemistry.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 231
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.

342 ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This course addresses the application of structure elucidation and synthetic methods to organic chemistry. Topics covered include: enolates, enamines, functional group interconversion, polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds, cycloadditions, rearrangements, multistep syntheses, and natural product synthesis.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 242 and 361
Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week.

353 BIOCHEMISTRY
This course is an introduction to biochemistry. Topics covered include the structure and function of biomolecules and their building blocks; protein structure; enzyme mechanism and kinetics; cell membrane structure and transmembrane signaling; thermodynamics of metabolism and an overview of the major metabolic pathways; DNA replication, transcription and translation of RNA for protein synthesis. The laboratory portion of the course focuses on the physical and chemical properties of proteins and enzymes. Students use modern biochemistry techniques including ion-exchange and affinity chromatography, spectroscopy and enzyme assays.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 242 or Chemistry 243
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.

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361 SPECTROSCOPIC METHODS IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
This course examines ultraviolet, visible, infrared and n.m.r. spectroscopy and mass spectrometry in terms of the physical processes responsible for the energy absorption and ion generation. Problems associated with the recording and interpretation of spectra are addressed and the application of spectral analysis to structural identification is stressed.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 242
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.

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374 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
This course introduces the chemistry of the transition metals, focusing on coordination and organotransition metal compounds. It discusses the geometry, bonding models (ligand field theory, molecular orbital theory, isolobal analogy), and electronic properties of the transition metals and their compounds. It examines specific families with respect to their chemical and physical properties and their reactivity (ligand substitution, oxidative addition, reductive elimination, insertion reactions) as related to their structure and bonding. Other topics include application to industrial processes and bioinorganic chemistry.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 272 and Chemistry 361 must be taken at least concurrently
Three lecture hours and three hours laboratory a week.

382 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
This course introduces students to some of the basic skills required in planning and reporting scientific research. It includes electronic searching of the literature, planning and design of experiments, analysis of experimental data, assessment of experimental error, scientific proof, ethics in research and styles of scientific reports. PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 112
Three lecture hours a week.

432 QUANTUM CHEMISTRY AND STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS
This course introduces students to two advanced areas of physical chemistry. Quantum chemistry principles are described in detail, with applications to the cases of a particle in a box, the harmonic oscillator, the rigid rotor, and the hydrogen atom. Approximate methods for dealing with systems beyond the hydrogen atom are discussed, including perturbation and variation theories. Molecular orbital methods, such as the Hückel theory, are also introduced. The conceptual approaches and calculations of statistical thermodynamics are used to develop partition functions and to calculate macroscopic thermodynamic properties of matter.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 331, Mathematics 251
Three lecture hours a week.

441 PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This course examines the qualitative and quantitative relationships between the rates and mechanisms of organic reactions, and the electronic and physical structures of reactants. Among the topics considered are: theory and applications of inductive and resonance effects, linear free energy relationships, kinetic isotope effects, solvent effects, steric effects in substitution and elimination reactions, acids and bases and pericyclic reactions, applications of semi-empirical and ab initio molecular orbital calculations.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 342
Three lecture hours a week.

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461-462 DIRECTED STUDIES IN CHEMISTRY
These courses may be offered at the discretion of the Department to advanced students. Conditions under which they are offered and entry will be subject to the approval of the Chair of the Department and the Dean of Science. (See Academic Regulation 9 for Regulations Governing Directed Studies.)

464 POLYMER CHEMISTRY
This course examines the synthesis, properties, and applications of organic polymers. Topics include: ionic, radical and condensation polymerizations, as well as the newer catalytic methods.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 242
Three lecture hours and a one-hour laboratory a week.

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467 INORGANIC REACTION MECHANISMS AND CATALYSIS
Inorganic reaction mechanisms are discussed, with an emphasis on catalytic cycles and the application of organometallic compounds to synthesis. Topics include: basic inorganic reaction mechanisms, catalytic cycles and catalysis, application of organometallic chemistry to modern industrial synthesis and polymerization reactions, and chirality and enantioselectivity in catalysis. Fundamental concepts will be supplemented with material from the current literature to explore the broad range of interdisciplinary applications of inorganic and organometallic catalysts.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 374
Three lecture hours a week 

468 ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This course deals with advanced topics in Inorganic Chemistry. Topics include: bioinorganic chemistry, green chemistry, solid state inorganic chemistry and advanced coverage of molecular orbital theory and bonding in transition metal and main group complexes. This course will also introduce advance spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy and multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy. The current literature is explored to illustrate the broad range and interdisciplinary nature of inorganic chemistry.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 374
Three lecture hours a week. 

469 MATERIALS CHEMISTRY
This course discusses current topics in materials chemistry. Topics include the synthesis and characterization of intercalation compounds, conductive polymers and their applications, semiconductors and their applications, defects in inorganic solids, and transport measurements.
PREREQUISITE: Chemistry 242, 331, 374
Three lecture hours a week.

481 SPECIAL TOPICS
A course in which topics or issues are explored outside the core area.

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482 ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECT
A laboratory research course designed to review, unify, and augment the content of previous chemistry courses and to provide an introduction to chemical research. Students will abstract and adapt procedures from the chemical literature and apply them in a one-semester research project carried out under the supervision of a Faculty Member. Components in the evaluation include a written thesis and its oral presentation.
PREREQUISITES: All Chemistry courses of a 300 level or lower which are required for the Chemistry Major program must be completed or taken concurrently. Entry to this course is contingent upon the student finding a departmental faculty member willing to supervise the research and permission of the department.
Twelve hours laboratory a week (minimum).
Six semester hours of credit.

483 ADVANCED CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
A capstone laboratory course designed to integrate and augment the content of previous chemistry courses in organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry. Students will select and carry out a number of short projects which are developed by faculty members in the various areas of Chemistry . Students will be evaluated on their development of experimental procedures based on the chemical literature, scientific record-keeping, and preparation of reports.
PREREQUISITES: All Chemistry courses of a 300 level or lower which are required for the Chemistry Major program must be completed or taken concurrently.
Six hours laboratory and one hour seminar a week.

490 HONOURS RESEARCH AND THESIS
This course is a laboratory course focused on a project of original research. The course carries twelve semester hours of credit and is required of every Honours student in their final year of undergraduate study. The project is designed during the second semester of the prior year and intensive experimental work is conducted during the final year, for a minimum average of twelve hours per week, under the direction of an advisor and an advisory committee. The research results are reported in thesis format and are presented orally to the Department faculty and students.
PREREQUISITE: Acceptance to the Honours Program.
Twelve semester hours of credit.
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