Course Descriptions: Department of Chemistry

Course Descriptions

CHEM-105-7 – College Seminar

**College Seminar Courses are Not Open to General Enrollment**

Science and the Scientist: The essence and impact of Chemistry research (Fall 2024; Veronica Berns)

In this seminar, we will delve into the world of chemistry research, exploring not only the processes that unfold within the laboratory but also the key decision-makers driving innovation. Through engaging readings, discussions, and presentations, you will have the opportunity to meet some of the chemists at Northwestern who illuminate their methodologies in tackling significant questions about our world. This course also emphasizes the importance of effective scientific communication. Whether articulating the nuanced technicalities of an experiment to peers or elucidating the broader implications of a study to the public, adept communication is indispensable for scientists. You will sharpen your communication skills, tailoring scientific narratives to suit diverse audiences and to achieve various objectives.

What's So Special About Nanomaterials? (Fall 2024; Katherine Gesmundo)

Over the past 20 years, nanotechnology has been a booming area of research in chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, and medicine. Modern techniques have allowed scientists to better study small materials, and the nanotech we read about in science fiction novels can now become real products found in our world. In this seminar, we will discuss what is so special about the size range of 1-100 nm (the nanoscale) and why particles of this size have a such a unique niche in nature and technology. We will explore the properties of these materials and why quantum mechanical effects allow for this scale to be so important. Discussions of medicines, electronics, catalysts, additives, and imaging agents that include nanoparticles will allow us to explore the wide range of current directions of nanotechnology. As we look to future applications, we will debate the implications of these materials on the environment, human health, and safety. Regulatory bodies in the United States and around the globe have discussed the ethical and social impact of nanomaterials, and we will investigate their role is assuring the nanomaterials we use leave a positive impact on the world.

CHEM 105-7-02 – College Seminar

What's So Special About Nanomaterials? ( Fall 2024; Katie Gesmundo)

CHEM 105-7-03 – College Seminar

Chemistry on The Green (Fall 2024; Shelby Hatch)

In earlier times, “The Green” referred to a literal green space in the center of a town or village where residents would gather for public events. These events might be social or political in nature. In current parlance, we often use the word “green” to refer to something environmentally benign, and this includes the practice of “green chemistry.” In this course, we will blend these dualities of “green” by communicating chemistry on the metaphorical green through essays, podcasts, 1-minute documentaries, and presentations. The course will culminate with a “Chemistry on the Green” event on campus.

CHEM 105-8-03 – First-Year Writing Seminar

Writing for Scientists (Winter 2025; Veronica Berns)

This course is about effectively communicating scientific ideas.
This course will introduce students to writing a proposal for scientific research while also exploring how scientific ideas are expressed in other formats. Students will work with course instructors and research mentors to identify a research problem, translate the problem into a guiding question, describe how the proposed experiments will answer the question, and support their work with related literature.

CHEM 105-8-04 – First-Year Writing Seminar

What will it take to reach carbon-neutrality by 2050? (Winter 2024; Ted Sargent)

"Rapid action to reduce energy-related emissions will be required to limit the scale – and the impact on human society – of global warming.

Using readings made available in Canvas, we will learn about, discuss, and write and present on topics such as:

What are the major sources of emissions contributing to anthropogenic global warming?
To what extent can the behavior of individuals, and of large emitters (e.g. industry), reduce such emissions – and how can policy, education/information, and technology, each impact such behavior?
What technologies – examples include electric vehicles, large-scale energy storage, advances in solar wind hydroelectric and nuclear, and the production of green hydrogen – are coming online today and in the coming decade, and how fast can they scale?
What further solutions – such as for CO2 capture, sequestration, and/or utilization – will we require to reach net zero, and what scientific/R&D questions will we have to tackle to enable these solutions

Ultimately, we will discuss and debate how various actors – governments, NGOs, corporations, and individuals – can work together to act on this global problem. We will look at the ingredients that will make up a solution, mapping these elements onto traditional academic fields – spanning the social sciences, humanities, and physical sciences and engineering – and exploring what it will take to embark upon a concerted approach together.

CHEM 105-8-05 – First-Year Writing Seminar

106-8 – Science Writing for Student Proposals

CHEM 110-0 – Quantitative Problem Solving in Chemistry

Solution strategies for traditional word problems and their application to basic chemistry quantitative problems: dimensional analysis, chemical equations, stoichiometry, limiting reagents.

Students with an AP Chem score of 5 or an IB (HL) Chem score of 7 are not eligible to take this course.

Prerequisite: permission of department via Initial Chemistry Assessment.

Please contact chemhelp@northwestern.edu regarding permission and/or access to the Initial Chemistry Assessment.

CHEM 131-0 – Fundamentals of Chemistry I

Quantum mechanics, electronic structure, periodic properties of elements, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, intermolecular forces, properties of solids and liquids, solutions and colligative properties. Must be taken concurrently with the Chem 141-0 laboratory course.

Prerequisite: Chem 110-0 (C- or better). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 132-0 – Fundamentals of Chemistry II

Chemical equilibrium, aqueous solution equilibria, chemical kinetics, metals in chemistry and biology, oxidation-reduction reactions and electrochemistry. Must be taken concurrently with the Chem 142-0 laboratory course.

Prerequisite: Chem 131-0 and Chem 141-0 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 141-0 – Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory I

Chemical analysis of real samples using basic laboratory techniques including titration, colorimetric analysis, density measurements, and atomic spectroscopy. Planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on experiments. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 131-0.

Prerequisite: CHEM 110-0 (C- or better). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 142-0 – Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory II

Prerequisite: CHEM 131-0 and CHEM 141-0 (C- or better in both courses).

CHEM 151-0 – General Chemistry I

Quantum mechanics, electronic structure, periodic properties of elements, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, gas laws, intermolecular forces, properties of solids and liquids, solutions and colligative properties. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 161-0 laboratory course.

Prerequisite: permission of department via Initial Chemistry Assessment.

Please contact chemhelp@northwestern.edu regarding permission and/or access to the Initial Chemistry Assessment

CHEM 152-0 – General Chemistry II

Prerequisites: CHEM 151-0 and CHEM 161-0 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 161-0 – General Chemistry Laboratory I

CHEM 162-0 – General Chemistry Laboratory II

Chemistry laboratory techniques applied to materials science and nanotechnology, acid-base chemistry, and chemical kinetics. Planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on experiments. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 152-0 lecture course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 151-0 and CHEM 161-0 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 171-0 – Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry

Review of mole problems and stoichiometry; descriptive chemistry, elements, compounds, and inorganic reactions; gas laws; phase equilibria and colligative properties; chemical equilibrium; aqueous equilibria; topics in chemical bonding and molecular structure. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 181-0 laboratory course.

Prerequisite: Permission of department by placement exam.

CHEM 172-0 – Advanced General Physical Chemistry

Thermodynamics and equilibrium; chemical kinetics and mechanism; electrochemistry; electronic structure of the atom and quantum theory; advanced topics in chemical bonding; coordination compounds; solid-state chemistry; nuclear chemistry. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 182-0 laboratory course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 171-0 and CHEM 181-0 (C– or better in both courses); MATH 220-1. Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 181-0 – Advanced General Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

Laboratory techniques for studying chemical analysis and chemical reactions relevant to environmental or materials research. Planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on experiments. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 171-0 lecture course.

CHEM 182-0 – Advanced General Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Study of the physical chemistry (acid-base chemistry, kinetics, etc.) behind the operating principles of biosensors. Planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on these experiments. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 172-0 lecture course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 171-0 and CHEM 181-0 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not start the sequence in this course. All General Chemistry course sequences start in Fall Quarter.

CHEM 201-0 – Chemistry of Nature and Culture

This class is a chemistry class designed for non-scientists. Students will look at atoms, molecules, and compounds, but not with the rigorous treatment that is found in a typical chemistry course. We will avoid the physics and math that are employed in a typical chemistry class. By reading about and researching various chemistry topics, students will come to appreciate the presence and importance of chemistry in every aspect of day-to-day life.

Students in this course may not have taken General Chemistry or Organic Chemistry at Northwestern unless by department permission (please contact chemhelp@northwestern.edu to request permission).

CHEM 215-1 – Organic Chemistry I

Foundational concepts in organic chemistry will be introduced. Topics include structure and properties of common functional groups, acidity/basicity, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and reactivity of organic compounds.

Prerequisite: CHEM 172-0 and CHEM 182-0 *or* CHEM 152-0 and CHEM 162-0 *or* CHEM 132-0 and CHEM 142-0 (C– or better in all listed courses) *or* permission of department by placement exam. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 235-1.

CHEM 215-2 – Organic Chemistry II

Fundamental concepts in organic chemistry will be covered. The topics will include important functional groups and will include: nomenclature, structure, properties, and multistep synthesis. Reaction mechanisms for organic transformations will be presented, and synthesis strategies will be covered.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-1 and CHEM 235-1 (C– or better). Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 235-2.

CHEM 215-3 – Organic Chemistry III

Advanced concepts in modern organic chemistry will be introduced. The material will focus on recent developments in synthetic organic chemistry, including: concerted/pericyclic reactions, catalysis, green/environmental chemistry, automated synthesis, and combinatorial/screening methods.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-2 and CHEM 235-2 (C– or better in both courses). Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 235-3.

CHEM 217-1 – Accelerated Organic Chemistry I

Primarily for chemistry majors and students in ISP. Basic concepts of structure, stereochemistry, and reactivity of organic compounds. The chemistry of hydrocarbons and alcohols. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 237-1.

Prerequisites: CHEM 172-0 and CHEM 182-0 *or* CHEM 152-0 and CHEM 162-0 *or* CHEM 132-0 and CHEM 142-0 (C– or better in all listed courses) *or* permission of department by placement exam. Students may not receive credit for both CHEM 217-1 and 212-1.

CHEM 217-2 – Accelerated Organic Chemistry II

Primarily for chemistry majors and students in ISP. The chemistry of aromatic, carbonyl, and nitrogen compounds; characterization of organic substances by chemical and spectral methods; reaction mechanisms. Must be taken concurrently with the CHEM 237-2 laboratory course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 217-1 and CHEM 237-1 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not receive credit for both CHEM 217-2 and 212-2.

CHEM 217-3 – Accelerated Organic Chemistry III

Primarily for chemistry majors and students in ISP. The chemistry of poly-functional compounds of biological and medicinal interest. Modern organic synthesis, bioorganic chemistry, and recent developments in organic chemistry. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 235-3.

Prerequisite: CHEM 217-2 and CHEM 237-2 (C- or better in both courses). Students may not receive credit for both CHEM 217-3 and 212-3.

CHEM 220-0 – Introductory Instrumental Analysis

Introduction to basic laboratory techniques in analytical chemistry and spectroscopy. Topics include infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy, gas and liquid chromatography, elemental and thermal analysis, simple x-ray diffraction, error analysis, and literature searching techniques.

Prerequisite: CHEM 172-0 and CHEM 182-0 *or* CHEM 152-0 and CHEM 162-0 *or* CHEM 132-0 and CHEM 142-0 *or* equivalent (C- or better in all listed courses).

CHEM 235-1 – Organic Chemistry Lab I

Standard laboratory techniques in organic chemistry will be covered. Techniques will focus on the isolation and purification of organic compounds as well as the use of spectroscopic methods to determine identity and purity.

Prerequisite: CHEM 172-0 and CHEM 182-0 *or* CHEM 152-0 and CHEM 162-0 *or* CHEM 132-0 and CHEM 142-0 (C– or better in all listed courses) *or* permission of department by placement exam. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 215-1.

CHEM 235-2 – Organic Chemistry Lab II

Complete laboratory experiments focusing on standard synthetic organic chemistry will be conducted each week. Students will complete a prelab worksheet including stoichiometric calculations, prediction of reaction outcome, and identification of safety protocols.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-1 and CHEM 235-1 (C- or better). Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 215-2.

CHEM 235-3 – Organic Chemistry Lab III

Current laboratory practices for organic synthesis will be introduced. Reactions will include mechanistically complex multi-step process for the preparation of compounds related to topical themes from academic research and industrial chemistry. Synthetic targets will include complex small molecules, polymers, and molecules of biological relevance.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-2 and CHEM 235-2 *or* CHEM 217-2 and CHEM 237-2 (C– or better in both courses). Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 217-3.

CHEM 237-1 – Accelerated Organic Chemistry Lab I

Primarily for chemistry majors and students in ISP. Molecular modeling, unknown identification by spectroscopic methods, and experimental techniques of modern chemistry emphasizing reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkyl halides, alcohols, and carbonyls. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 217-1.

CHEM 237-2 – Accelerated Organic Chemistry Lab II

For ISP students and (prospective or declared) chemistry majors. Techniques of modern organic chemistry including NMR spectroscopy and reactions such as catalytic hydrogenation, electrophilic aromatic substitution, aldol condensation, Robinson annulation, and Diels–Alder reaction.

CHEM 237-2 is the laboratory course associated with CHEM 217-2. Students enrolled in CHEM 217-2 must also enroll in CHEM 237-2.

Prerequisite: CHEM 217-1 and CHEM 237-1 (C- or better in both courses)

CHEM 302-0 – Principles of Inorganic Chemistry

This course covers basic concepts in Inorganic Chemistry. It is designed to introduce students in key subjects which are used over and over again in chemistry and uses inorganic chemistry systems to illustrate the concepts. The course covers the donor-acceptor concept, hard-soft acids-bases, advanced concepts of basicity and acidity and acid-base view of salvation phenomena. The course also delves into introductory solid state chemistry including unit cells and the structure of simple solids, structure types and electronic structure and Band Theory (with the aim of understanding properties).

A certain fraction of the time is also devoted to descriptive chemistry which utilizes the concepts learned in the first part of the course and the focus is generally on main group chemistry. This includes the chemistry of hydrogen and the chemistry of the elements of Group 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

Taught with Chem 402. Prerequisite: CHEM 333. Registration in this class is restricted to chemistry majors and minors.  Other students may register with instructor permission.

CHEM 305-0 – Chemistry of Life Processes

This topics class will cover the physical, inorganic and organic chemistry approaches to understanding biology of the cell. Topics in this overview of chemical biology intracellular signaling and signaling pathways, ligand-receptor interactions, inorganic physiology, post-translational modifications, molecular probe design for biological targets, glycobiology, molecular imaging techniques and translation science. In the second half of the class, students will learn how to prepare, present and evaluate NIH R01 style research proposals.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-2 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better); and 1 biochemistry course; or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 405. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 305, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 306-0 – Environmental Chemistry

In this course, students will gain a solid understanding of the science, economics, and more importantly the environmental impact associated with various technologies, including, but not limited to natural gas, nuclear, wind, etc. Climate change and the potential impact and mitigation will be considered throughout the course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 215-2 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better); MATH 230-2; PHYSICS 135-1 and PHYSICS 135-2; or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 406. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 306, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 307-0 – Supramolecular Design of Materials and Nanostructures

This course introduces first year graduate students and undergraduates in chemistry to supramolecular design of materials and nanostructures. The course focuses on the synthetic methods and basic physical principles needed to create functional materials and nanomaterials for useful applications. After a general introduction, the first area covered is the synthesis of molecularly precise polymers using techniques such as living anionic and free radical reactions, atom transfer, metathesis, and recombinant synthesis of artificial proteins. This is followed by topics in self-assembly strategies to create materials using supramolecular chemistry to design interactions among their components. This section includes supramolecular polymerization, molecular design of liquid crystals, superlattices through molecular self-sorting, metal organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, colloidal crystals, gels, and layer-by-layer assemblies. The third section of the course covers design of functional nanostructures through self-assembly of amphiphiles, sol-gel chemistry, organic monolayers, quantum dot and metal nanoparticle assemblies, and carbon nanostructure systems such as graphene and nanotubes.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3.

Taught with CHEM 407. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 307, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 308-0 – Design, Synthesis, and Applications of Nanomaterials

Synthesis, characterization, assembly, and physical properties of controlled dimensionality nanomaterials focusing on metals, semiconductors, oxides, and polymers. Topics will include interfacial phenomena and particle stability, nano-forms of carbon, and applications-driven material design.

Prerequisite: 1 quarter of physical chemistry or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 408. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 308, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM-309 – Polymer Chemistry

This course will cover the design and synthesis of polymers, including reaction mechanisms, characterization, and structure-property relationships.

Prerequisites for undergraduates: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better) are required; and one of the following courses: CHEM 307/407, CHEM 313/413, CHEM 319/419, CHEM 412, or CHEM 415.

Taught with CHEM 409. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 309, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 310-1 – Physical Organic Chemistry I

This course will focus on modern topics in physical organic chemistry, emphasizing the relationship between structure and reactivity. Topics to be covered include molecular orbital theory, orbital symmetry and reactivity, conformational analysis and stereochemistry, stereoelectronic effects, intermolecular forces and solvation, transition state theory, free energy relationships and kinetic isotope effects, and reactive intermediates.

CHEM 313-0 – Advanced Organic Chemistry

Strategies and tactics involved in complex target synthesis. Modern reaction classes as applied to chemical synthesis, coupled to in-depth discussion of the underlying key principles of synthesis design and execution, are covered in the class. Students will gain experience in problem solving, creative thinking, structural analysis and presentation skills. Prerequisites: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better).

Taught with CHEM 413. Undergraduate students should enroll in CHEM 313, unless officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 314-0 – Principles of Chemical Biology

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with the recent developments in the field of bioorganic chemistry/chemical biology. This is a relatively new field of science that transcends the areas of chemistry, biology, medicine, and drug discovery. The major dogma in this field is to use principles of chemistry to provide answers to fundamental questions in biology and advance human medicine. Particular emphasis in this field is placed on designing chemical probes and chemical reactions and use those molecules/reactions to study basic biological processes. This course is suited for graduate students and undergraduate students majoring in chemistry, chemical and biological engineering, biomedical engineering, and biology.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-2 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better); and 1 biology course; or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 415. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 314, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 316-0 – Medicinal Chemistry: The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Action

This is a survey course designed to show how organic chemistry plays a major role in the design, development, and action of drugs. Although concepts of biology, biochemistry, pharmacy, physiology, and pharmacology will be discussed, it is principally an organic chemistry course with the emphasis on physical interactions and chemical reactions and their mechanisms as applied to biological systems. We will see how drugs are discovered and developed; how they get to their site of action; what happens when they reach the site of action in their interaction with receptors, enzymes, and DNA; how resistance occurs; how the body gets rid of drugs, and what a medicinal chemist can do to avoid having the body eliminate them before they have produced their desired effect. The approaches discussed are those used in the pharmaceutical industry and elsewhere for the discovery of new drugs.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better); or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 415. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 316, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 319-0 – Advanced Organic Synthesis - Concepts and Applications

The design of synthetic routes to natural products and other medicinally relevant organic compounds will be covered in detail. Retrosynthetic analysis, substructure keying, and pattern recognition, along with other methods for synthetic planning will be discussed within the context of specific case studies. Classic and modern organic reactions, including asymmetric synthesis and catalysis, will be introduced and their application in synthetic planning examined. Case studies will include the synthesis of terpenes, alkaloids, polyketides, steroids, proteins and pharmaceuticals. The end result should be that students are familiar with the important issues associated with synthesis and gain intimate knowledge of a wide variety of chemical reactions. Ultimately, when presented with a given molecule, students should be able to develop a reasonable synthesis plan based on firm ideas and reliable transformations. Prerequisites: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better).

Taught with CHEM 419. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 319, unless they are completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 333-0 – Inorganic Chemistry

A contemporary course covering the diverse field of inorganic chemistry including all the elements of the periodic table. Topics include current concepts and models of chemical bonding, reactivity, structure, and properties of inorganic compounds.

Prerequisites: 2 units of 200- or 300-level chemistry.

CHEM 342-1 – Thermodynamics

This class covers the following topics: Laws of thermodynamics, thermochemistry, chemical potentials, and solution thermodynamics.

Prerequisites: CHEM 132 and CHEM 142 *or* CHEM 152 and CHEM 162 *or* CHEM 172 and CHEM 182 (C- or better in all listed classes); MATH 230-1; PHYSICS 135-1/136-1 and PHYSICS 135-2/136-2 (students may take Physics 135-2 concurrently).

CHEM 342-2 – Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy

This course is an introduction to quantum mechanics and includes applications in spectroscopy. Topics to be covered include: The wave equation (the transition from classical to quantum mechanics), the Schrodinger equation, particle-in-a-box models, QM operators, the postulates of QM, the harmonic oscillator and rigid rotor, the hydrogen atom, multi-electron atoms, and approximate methods for solving the Schrodinger equation.

Prerequisites: CHEM 342-1; Math 230-1 (230-2 recommended also); Physics 135-1/136-1 and PHYSICS 135-2/136-2.

CHEM 342-3 – Kinetics and Statistical Thermodynamics

This course connects macroscopic properties (342-1) to molecular properties (342-2). The topics include the Boltzmann distribution, partition functions, distribution functions, macroscopic properties, theories for kinetics, and experimental methods.

Prerequisites: CHEM 342-1 and CHEM 342-2 (C- or better).

CHEM 348-0 – Physical Chemistry for ISP

Gas laws and properties; kinetic theory; first, second, and third laws; phase equilibria; mixtures, phase diagrams, statistical thermodynamics, kinetics.

Prerequisites: ISP enrollment; CHEM 172 and CHEM 182; Math 281-1,2,3; or consent of department.

CHEM 350-1 – Advanced Laboratory 1

Chemistry 350-1,2,3 is a full-year, 3-quarter laboratory course intended to be taken by all students in the junior year of the chemistry major program.

Roughly half of the CHEM 350-1 course deals with the advanced analytical techniques mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The rest of this course deals with advanced techniques of synthetic organic chemistry, but you will be expected to use mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, as well as the techniques of IR and UV/visible spectroscopy that you have learned previously, to characterize the compounds that you synthesize.

Prerequisites: CHEM 220; and CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3; and CHEM 235-3 (C- or better); or equivalent.

CHEM 350-2 – Advanced Laboratory 2

In this course you will study advanced techniques of synthetic inorganic chemistry including synthesis of zeolites, MOFs, and bioinorganic compounds and use of a Schlenk line. In addition, you will learn instrumental analysis techniques relevant to analysis of samples in materials chemistry. These techniques will include X-ray crystallography, solid state NMR spectroscopy, electrochemistry, atomic spectroscopy, and a variety of polymer characterization techniques (MALDI-TOF MS, NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, DSC). Some of these analytical techniques may be used to analyze the inorganic samples you prepare in the course.

Prerequisites: CHEM 333 and CHEM 350-1 (C- or better), or equivalent.

CHEM 350-3 – Advanced Laboratory 3

The third course in the 350 sequence covers the very important topic of spectroscopy from a physical chemistry point of view. It deals with the use of various spectroscopic techniques (FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, uv/visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy) for structure determination of gas and liquid phase molecules and for kinetics measurements. In addition, you will be asked to design and carry out a 4-week research project at the end of the quarter based on some aspect of course material in the entire CHEM 350 sequence.

Prerequisites: CHEM 342-2 or equivalent and CHEM 350-2 (C- or better).

CHEM 393-0 – Green Chemistry

Green chemistry is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. This also encompasses the reduction of energy consumption during the aforementioned processes. Green chemistry can be thought to span the life cycle of a chemical product, including its design, manufacture, use, and ultimate disposal.

This class will seek to develop a broad view on green chemistry, with focus on exploring the economic, health and regulatory considerations which make it a multi-billion dollar enterprise. An emphasis on practical real-world scenarios (case studies) that provide us guidance in making better socially conscience decisions will be made. The course can be viewed primarily as being concerned with the philosophy of chemistry as dictated by our modern world in the 21st Century.

Prerequisite: CHEM 215-3 or CHEM 212-3 or CHEM 217-3 (C- or better).

CHEM 398-0 – Undergraduate Seminar

Advanced work for superior students through supervised reading, research, and discussion. Prerequisite: consent of department.

CHEM 399-0 – Independent Study

Faculty-directed research. Must be taken P/N for first 2 quarters. Prerequisite: consent of department.

CHEM 402-0 – Principles of Inorganic Chemistry

Taught with CHEM 302. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 302, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 405-0 – Chemistry of Life Processes

Prerequisites: full year of organic chemistry and 1 biochemistry course; or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 305. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 305, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 406-0 – Environmental Chemistry

Prerequisites: full year of organic chemistry; background in multivariable integral calculus and differential equations; at least two quarters of general physics; or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 306. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 306, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 407-0 – Supramolecular Design of Materials and Nanostructures

Prerequisite: Organic Chemistry. Registration in this class is restricted to graduate students in the Chemistry Department. Other students may register with instructor permission. Please contact Prof. Stupp for permission.

CHEM 408-0 – Design, Synthesis, and Applications of Nanomaterials

Taught with CHEM 308. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 308, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM-409 – Polymer Chemistry

This course will cover the design and synthesis of polymers, including reaction mechanisms, characterization, and structure-property relationships.

Prerequisite (for undergraduates only): full year of organic chemistry; and one of the following courses: CHEM 307-0/CHEM 407-0, CHEM 313-0/CHEM 413-0, CHEM 319-0/CHEM 419-0, CHEM 412-0, or CHEM 415-0.

Taught with CHEM 309. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 309, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 410-1 – Physical Organic Chemistry I

CHEM 410-2 – Physical Organic Chemistry II

This course will focus on modern topics in physical organic chemistry, emphasizing the relationship between structure and reactivity. Topics to be covered include orbital symmetry and reactivity, energy surfaces and Marcus theory, single-electron transfer reactions, solvent effects, nucleophilic and electrophilic reactivity, radical reactions, spin dynamics, photochemistry and photocatalysis, organic electronic materials, and organic materials for quantum information applications.

Taught with CHEM 310-2. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 319, unless they are completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 411-0 – Organic Spectroscopy

Introduction to principles and practice of organic and inorganic synthetic compound characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Topics include NMR instrument operation, spectra interpretation, 2-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, MS ionization and detection schemes, gas chromatography MS, liquid chromatography MS and ionization. The lab component of this class focuses on operations of instrumentation, software tools available in the Integrated Molecular Structure Education and Research Center (IMSERC) and tailoring analytical schemes based on individual research projects.

CHEM 412-0 – Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms

Elucidation of organic and organometallic reaction mechanisms: experiment, theory, and selected case studies.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

-Identify reasonable reaction pathways for organic and organometallic transformations.
-Qualitatively interpret potential energy surfaces.
-Derive rate laws for multistep reactions, including catalytic reactions.
-Have familiarity with the tools of mechanistic analysis, including kinetic analysis, linear free energy relationships, isotopic labeling, Eyring analysis,
competition experiments, crossover experiments, radical clocks, and use of stereochemical information.
-Identify experiments that would allow the differentiation of possible reaction mechanisms.
-Search and read the primary literature.
-Orally summarize and critically analyze journal articles.
-Write about reaction mechanism with clarity and precision.

Prerequisite: full year of organic chemistry or by permission of the instructor.

CHEM 413-0 – Organic Reactions

Taught with CHEM 313. Undergraduate students should enroll in CHEM 313, unless officially completing the BA/MS program.

Prerequisite: full year of organic chemistry or by permission of the instructor.

CHEM 415-0 – Advanced Organic Chemistry

Supramolecular and Systems Chemistry: This course will foster a deep understanding of host-guest chemistry and physical organic characterization of binding, adsorption within polymers and solids, dynamic processes (molecular shuttling, ratcheting, molecular machines), and systems chemistry (out of equilibrium and fuel-driven assemblies). It will focus on primary literature and review articles of contemporary interest. Students will be expected to search the chemical literature, lead discussions of relevant papers, write critical assessments of papers and preprints, and write short proposals at the frontiers of these areas.

CHEM 415-0 – Medicinal Chemistry: the Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Action

Prerequisite: Full year of organic chemistry, or consent of instructor.

Taught with CHEM 316. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 316, unless they are officially completing the BA/MS program.

CHEM 415-0 – Organic Nanomaterials

The materials science and chemistry of soft nanomaterials for myriad applications including nanomedicine. Preparative and synthetic approaches to organized, assembled, discrete nanomaterials will be described. Course will include an in depth discussion of advanced characterization techniques and strategies for this class of material.

The class covers techniques for preparing and characterizing complex nanomaterials mostly generated from polymers. The course will include a brief summary of synthetic approaches to designed, engineered polymers and how to access precision materials at the nanoscale from these polymers. A large portion of the class will include exciting new developments in the characterization of these materials including scattering methods and advanced electron microscopy including liquid phase and cryogenic TEM.

Prerequisites: CHEM 215-1 or MSE 331 or equivalent

Co-listed with MSE 444 and BMD ENG 444

CHEM 416-0 – Practical Training in Chemical Biology Methods and Experimental Design

By the end of this course you will expected to have obtained a general understanding of many commonly used measurement techniques available to augment research at Northwestern. It features two weeks of classroom-based instruction on experimental design and analysis; supplemented by NIH Rigor And Reproducibility Training Modules. This overview will be followed by a combination of lectures and labs addressing a broad range of analytical techniques and imaging methods. These lessons will then be applied to inquiry-based learning in Northwestern's advanced instrumentation cores. In addition to lecture, students are expected to devise two Mini-Research Projects and will work on one of these with senior staff to apply specific services and protocols utilizing instrumentation available within Research Cores and University Centers. Students will design specific experiments in selected areas of their interest, and learn new sample preparation methods and instrumentation within one of the following areas: mass spectrometry; proteomics, in vivo and molecular imaging, small molecule synthesis and purification; high-throughput screening, x-ray crystallography, and analysis of bioelements. Material generated in the class counts for course credit will be usable in research group settings.

CHEM 419-0 – Advanced Organic Synthesis - Concepts and Applications

Taught with CHEM 319. Undergraduates should enroll in CHEM 319, unless they are completing the BA/MS program. Prerequisites: full year of organic chemistry or by permission of the instructor.

CHEM 432-0 – X-Ray Crystallography

The class focuses on the Crystallographic structure determination by using X-rays, electrons, and neutrons. The course will include lectures on crystallographic theory applied on single-crystals and powders as well as hands-on experience with X-ray instrumentation, structure solution using X-rays, and refinement software. Students will be asked to provide single-crystal samples from their own research or from their research groups for in-class analysis.

CHEM 433-0 – Structural Inorganic Chemistry

Chemical applications of group theory and the determination of inorganic and organic molecular and extended structures by modern physical techniques.

Prerequisites: full year of inorganic chemistry or by permission of the instructor.

CHEM 434-0 – Inorganic Chemistry

The course will include topics covering the whole of inorganic chemistry from biological inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, solid state chemistry, materials chemistry and nanoscience. Using the three major reference works Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry, Comprehensive Organometallic Chemistry , and Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry, this large body of work covering the whole of modern inorganic chemistry will be introduced through the writings of teams of leading experts. This course will highlight the commonality and differences between extended and molecular inorganic structures and the many thousands of compounds and materials that chemists have made, and which we continue to make at a rapidly accelerating rate, from the different elements of the Periodic Table.

CHEM 435-0 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: Chemical Structure and Bonding

This purpose of this course is to present a number of topics that highlight the influence of electronic structure in coordination compounds on determining molecular and solid-state structure, bonding, reactivity, and magnetic behavior. Of particular focus are topics not commonly covered in upper-division undergraduate inorganic courses, especially those relevant to areas of active chemical research. Much of the content and examples will be taken directly from the primary chemistry literature. The first approximately 60% of the course will be comprised of lectures, with the remainder involving short critical literature review student presentations.

CHEM 435-0 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Electronic Structure and Spectroscopy: This course is a survey of the electronic structures and spectroscopies of transition metal complexes. Beginning with ligand field theory, we will turn our attention to the assembly of molecular orbital diagrams to describe structure and bonding. Historical and modern methods of electronic spectroscopy will be discussed in the context of the primary sources in the literature. Topics may include electronic transitions (light-driven or otherwise), vibronic coupling, and magnetism.

CHEM 435-0 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: Solid State Chemistry

This course introduces graduate students to the fundamentals of solid state and materials chemistry as well as advanced concepts and recent key developments in the field. Topics: 1. Structure of Solids a. Description of Crystals; Classification and polyhedral representation of Inorganic Structures. b. Structure Types: c. Band Theory d. Crystal Defects and Non-stoichiometry 2. Preparative Methods 3. Special Topics and Applications 4. Elementary Devices.

CHEM 435/445 – Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: Chemistry of Alternate Energy

The course will cover fundamental aspects of light-to-electrical energy conversion, light-to-chemical energy conversion, molecular hydrogen as a potentially renewable fuel source, carbon dioxide capture and transformation, and related concepts, chiefly from a chemistry and materials perspective. Emphasis will be placed on promising emerging science and technology, including that associated with organic photovoltaics, solid-state dye cells, and photo-catalytic and electro-catalytic materials for water splitting. Depending on interest, other topics such as thermoelectrics, thermal-solar water splitting, biofuels, or redox flow batteries and other electrical energy storage technologies may be discussed. The course will be taught at the beginning-graduate-student/upper-level-undergraduate-student level.

CHEM 442-1 – Quantum Chemistry

The aim of this course is to provide graduate students with an intuitive understanding of quantum mechanics in preparation of advanced quantum chemistry courses and their research. Basic topics will be covered such as the Schrödinger equation, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, operators, and commutation relations, and simple quantum systems will be solved using analytical techniques. A basic understanding of algebra and differential equations is required. Throughout this course, an emphasis will be put on how the quantum mechanical concepts are related to one another, as well as to everyday classical phenomena.

CHEM 442-2 – Quantum Chemistry

This course covers time dependent quantum mechanics. Included are applications to molecular optical properties, to the interaction of radiation and matter, to scattering theory and to time-dependent spectroscopy.

CHEM 443-0 – Kinetics and Spectroscopy

Chemical dynamics of atoms, molecules, and materials in gas and condensed phases: This graduate level course explores the microscopic dynamics at atomic and molecular levels that give rise to the macroscopic chemical kinetics that are typically understood by a rate of a chemical reaction or process. The course covers both elementary dynamics occurring in gas phases and the more complex dynamics of molecular ensembles in condensed phase environments and at interfaces.

CHEM 444-0 – Elementary Statistical Mechanics

This graduate-level course develops a quantitative framework for characterizing equilibrium states of chemical, physical, and biological systems. The emphasis throughout will be on connecting behavior at macroscopic length scales, where most observations take place, and microscopic length scales, where material properties originate. Students should come away with a visceral understanding of: entropy, free energies, the relationships between statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, and phase transitions. The topics are intrinsically technical and rely on some mathematical tools that may be unfamiliar, but effort will be made to keep things as simple as possible (and no simpler). To aid with the intuitive understanding, we will make use of computational techniques for simulating and visualizing these concepts, which will require that students have (or develop) some familiarity with basic computer programming.

CHEM 445-0 – Advanced Physical Chemistry

Magnetic Resonance: In this course, we will cover the fundamentals of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, the Density Matrix Formalism, the Product Operator Formalism, Relaxation theory, NMR methods to derive molecular dynamics information, basics of biomolecular solution NMR spectroscopy, including assignments and structure determination, fundamentals of solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR, basics of MAS NMR pulse sequences for assignment and distance determination and application of MAS NMR. This course will also cover the theory and application of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). To make this course interesting and accessible to both novice and experts in NMR spectroscopy, we will select for each topic classic and/or representative papers that will accompany each class, so that each student can choose the depth of their study that may go beyond the class material. The class will also include interactive and practical exercises, including the use of Topspin, NMR Data Analysis Software for assignments, Collaborative Computational Project (CCPN) and the solid-state NMR simulation software SIMPSON. The homework will be to read the assigned papers. Each student will be assigned the discussant for a few select topics to post Q&A. The final exam will be a written report on a topic of choice in NMR spectroscopy. This is a graduate level course and will be designed to benefit the student’s research directly or indirectly.

CHEM 445-0 – Advanced Physical Chemistry: Modern Spectroscopy

This course focuses on fundamental principles of light-mattering interactions and their applications in advanced experimental spectroscopic methods. In the Spring quarter of 2021, the class will cover time dependent Schrödinger equation, Fermi golden rule, perturbation theory, system-bath interactions, as well as spectroscopic methods (pump-probe, fluorescence upconversion, multidimensional spectroscopy, X-ray absorption/emission and time-resolved terahertz spectroscopies). Application examples will be discussed with emphasis on chemical science.

CHEM 448-0 – Computational Chemistry

The aim of this course is to provide graduate students with an understanding of the computational methods available to study the theoretical chemistry of molecules and materials. Basic electronic structure theories will be covered, such as Hartree-Fock, DFT, TDDFT, semiempirical methods, and wavefunction methods for describing electronic correlation. Molecular dynamics with empirical potentials and Born-Oppenheimer potentials will also be considered. A basic understanding of quantum mechanics is required. Much of the class will involve hands-on use of computational chemistry software.

CHEM 460-0 – Organic Chemistry Seminar

Current research topics presented by visiting and Northwestern University speakers.

CHEM 461-0 – Physical Chemistry Seminar

Current research topics presented by visiting and Northwestern University speakers.

CHEM 463-0 – Inorganic Chemistry Seminar

Current research topics presented by visiting and Northwestern University speakers.

CHEM 519-0 – Responsible Conduct of Research Training

The goal of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is for researchers to perform the most ethical research possible. RCR training is critical to prepare undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers for ethical challenges that may arise when conducting research. RCR is mandatory for all Department of Chemistry researchers. Undergraduate researchers are required to complete the on-line course only.

CHEM 403-0 – Principles of Physical Chemistry

This course is a brief survey of the main topics in physical chemistry, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, and kinetics. The course is intended for first-year graduate students in Chemistry. Consent of the instructor is required for undergraduate students and graduate students in other departments. Registration by Chemistry Department placement or by permission of the instructor only.