Catalogue 1999-2000Colby Home

Chemistry

Chair, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WHITNEY KING
Associate Chair, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR THOMAS SHATTUCK
Professors Wayne Smith and Bradford Mundy; Associate Professors Shattuck, King, and Julie Millard; Assistant Professors Shari Dunham, Stephen Dunham, Dasan Thamattoor; Senior Teaching Associate Jean McIntyre; Teaching Assistant Brenda Fekete

Students in the Chemistry Department are provided a firm foundation in the fundamental principles of the discipline. The student major has access to a wide range of instruments for course work and research projects under supervision of a faculty that includes teaching specialists in analytical, environmental, inorganic, organic, physical chemistry, and biochemistry. Many students go on to graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry or to careers in medicine, dentistry, health-related fields, and industrial research. Other career choices in recent years have included patent law, chemical engineering, environmental studies, computer sciences, and molecular biology.

The department offers several programs: (1) the chemistry major, (2) the chemistry-ACS major (accredited by the American Chemical Society), (3) the chemistry-biochemistry major, (4) the chemistry major with a concentration in cell and molecular biology/biochemistry, (5) the chemistry-environmental sciences concentration, and (6) the chemistry minor. Of the majors, the ACS major is focused most sharply toward graduate work in chemistry. It should be noted that chemistry majors who intend to apply for admission to medical, dental, or veterinary schools must take a biology course with laboratory. For maximum flexibility, students are encouraged to take Chemistry 141 and 142, or 145 in their first year. Students with an exceptionally good background in chemistry may elect an accelerated sequence, Chemistry 145 (Honors General Chemistry), which is offered in the fall semester. All prospective majors should meet with the chair of the department as early as possible to plan their full chemistry programs.

Students interested in teaching, private and public, are urged to read the "Education" section of the catalogue and to contact a member of the Education Department.

Requirements for the Major in Chemistry
Chemistry 141, 142, (or 145), 241, 242, 331, 341, 342, 493, 494; Mathematics 121, 122 or 161, 162; Physics 141 or 143, 142.

Requirements for the Major in Chemistry-ACS
All courses required for the basic major, plus Chemistry 332, 411, 413, and six additional credit hours selected from 367, 368, or any 400-level course. Up to three credits of senior-level research or independent study may be included in the six credits. Substitution of upper-level courses from other departments in the science division is often possible.

Requirements for the Major in Chemistry-Biochemistry
Chemistry 141, 142, (or 145), 241, 242, 341, 367, 368, 493, 494; Mathematics 121, 122 or 161, 162; Physics 141 or 143, 142; Biology 161, 162; and one course from Biology 279 (with laboratory), 238, 274, and one course from Chemistry 331, 342, 378, 411.

Requirements for the Major in Chemistry with a Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology/Biochemistry
Chemistry 141, 142, (or 145), 241, 242, 341, 367, 368, 378, 493, 494; Biology 161, 162, and 279 (with laboratory); Mathematics 121, 122 or 161, 162; Physics 141 or 143, 142.

Requirements for the Concentration in Chemistry-Environmental Sciences
All courses required for the chemistry major; Chemistry 217 and 481 or 482; Economics 133, 231; Biology 161, 162 or Geology 141, 142.

Additional Requirements for All Majors in Chemistry Department
Each major must complete a chemistry-related independent study project equivalent to two (or preferably three) credit hours. This requirement may be satisfied through independent study, internship, or summer research and forms the basis of the seminar presentation in Chemistry 494.

The Seminar Program (Chemistry 493, 494) is an opportunity for students to interact with chemists from other schools. All chemistry majors are expected to attend the departmental seminar, and seniors are required to participate.

The point scale for retention of the major applies to all required courses and all elected chemistry courses. No requirement for the major may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Honors Project in Chemistry
Majors in chemistry are encouraged to elect an honors research project with approval of a faculty sponsor in the department. Successful completion of the work of the honors research project, and of the major, will enable the student to graduate "With Honors in Chemistry." Attention is also called to the Senior Scholars Program.

Requirements for the Minor in Chemistry
Chemistry 141, 142, (or 145), 241, and at least 10 credit hours in three courses selected from the following: Chemistry 217, 242, 331, 332, 341, 342, 367, 368, 376, 411, 431, 432, 434. Students are strongly advised to consult with a member of the chemistry faculty to select a logical grouping of courses for the minor. Chemistry/Biology 367, 368, and 376 cannot be used to fulfill the requirements for both a major and the chemistry minor.

Course Offerings

112s Chemistry for Citizens Basic chemical principles and their application to topics of current concern, such as environmental problems, energy, nuclear reactions, recycling, health, and consumerism. Intended as a course for nonscience majors. Students with prior credit for Chemistry 141 may not receive credit for Chemistry 112. Enrollment limited. Lecture and laboratory (satisfies the laboratory science distribution requirement). Four credit hours. N. MR. MUNDY

118j Chemistry of Life Basic chemical principles applied to the study of living organisms and their environment, including such topics as nutrition, disease, drugs, exercise, pollution, criminology, and household chemicals. Intended as a course for nonscience majors. Students with prior credit for Chemistry 141 may not receive credit for Chemistry 118. Lecture and laboratory (satisfies the laboratory science distribution requirement). Enrollment limited. Three credit hours. N. MS. MILLARD

141f, 142s General Chemistry Fundamental principles, with examples selected from inorganic chemistry; stoichiometry; atomic theory; chemical bonding; thermochemistry; gases, liquids, and solids; solutions; chemical equilibria; electrochemistry; chemistry of certain important elements; radioactivity. Lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 141 is prerequisite for 142. Four credit hours. N. MR. MUNDY, MS. MILLARD, AND MR. KING

145f Honors General Chemistry Introductory chemistry for students with strong precollege chemistry preparation. An accelerated course covering topics similar to those in Chemistry 141 and 142 with an additional focus on modern bonding theory. Lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Four credit hours. N. MR. SHATTUCK

217s Environmental Chemistry Application of chemical principles to the environment with an emphasis on the interaction among chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes. Current topics such as acid deposition, global warming, atmospheric ozone loss, and the fate and toxicity of heavy metals will be discussed in the context of natural environmental processes. Prerequisite: Chemistry 142 (or 145). Three credit hours. N. MR. KING

241f, 242s Organic Chemistry Theories encountered in Chemistry 141, 142 are used as the basis for a detailed study of the relationships among structure, reactivity, and synthesis of organic compounds. Lecture, discussion, and laboratory. The laboratory explores the use of separation techniques, synthesis, and spectral techniques in organic chemistry. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 142; Chemistry 241 is prerequisite for 242. Five credit hours. MR. THAMATTOOR

[255j] Nuclear Magnetic Resonance The theory and practice of one- and two-dimensional NMR. Spectral interpretation, the theory of pulsed techniques, and Fourier transformation will be discussed for solution spectroscopy. Examples include complex organic species and biological macromolecules, including proteins. Laboratory exercises include sample preparation and common two-dimensional experiments, including polarization transfer (INEPT), chemical shift correlation (COSY, HETCOR), and nuclear overhauser effect (NOESY) spectroscopy. Lecture and laboratory. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: Chemistry 241. Three credit hours.

331f Chemical Methods of Analysis A study of fundamentals of analytical chemistry. Lectures devoted to principles underlying chemical analysis; acid/base, redox, and complex equilibria; and quantitative treatment of data. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 142. Four credit hours. MR. KING

332s Instrumental Methods of Analysis Instruction in instrumental methods, including modern electroanalytical methods, absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and chromatography. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 331, 342 (may be taken concurrently). Four credit hours. MS. DUNHAM

341f, 342s Physical Chemistry The laws and theories of chemical reactivity and the physical properties of matter. Emphasis is placed on chemical equilibrium, molecular bonding, and the rates of chemical reactions. Major topics in 341: thermodynamics, solutions, and reaction kinetics; in 342: quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and statistical mechanics. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: Chemistry 142 (or 145), Physics 142, Mathematics 122 or 162; Chemistry 341 is prerequisite for 342. Five credit hours. MR. SHATTUCK

367f, 368s Biochemistry of the Cell Topics include the structure, function, and cellular organization of biomolecules; the generation and use of metabolic energy; and the integrated control of cellular functions. Also listed as Biology 367, 368. Prerequisite: Biology 162, Chemistry 242; 367 is prerequisite for 368. Lecture and laboratory. Four credit hours. MS. DUNHAM AND MR. DUNHAM

378s Molecular Biology An examination of how organisms maintain and express genetic information. Emphasis on well-characterized model systems in higher plants and animals. Topics include nuclear and organellar genomes, regulation of gene expression by developmental and environmental stimuli, and production of transgenic organisms. Course is also listed as Biology 378. Prerequisite: Biology 279, Chemistry 141, 142. Lecture and laboratory. Four credit hours. MR. JOHNSON

394fs Topics in Cell and Molecular Biochemistry Discussion of advanced topics of current interest based on the primary literature. May be repeated for credit. Also listed as Biology 394. One credit hour. INSTRUCTOR

411f Inorganic Chemistry Current models and concepts in inorganic chemistry, with emphasis on both structural and reaction aspects. Topics include bonding and structure, periodic properties, acid-base theories, nonaqueous solvents, applications of thermodynamics, coordination compounds, and selected areas of descriptive chemistry of current interest. Lecture only. Prerequisite: Chemistry 142 (or 145) and permission of instructor. Chemistry 342 is recommended. Four credit hours. MR. SMITH

413f Inorganic Laboratory Studies Synthesis and characterization of inorganic and organometallic compounds of both the representative and transition elements. Discussion and laboratory. Corequisite: Chemistry 411. Two credit hours. MR. SMITH

431s Physical Organic Chemistry Computational methods for examining organic reaction mechanisms are explored. Molecular orbital theory is used to study the effects of orbital symmetry on the course of pericyclic reactions. Lecture only. Prerequisite: Chemistry 342. Three credit hours. MR. THAMATTOOR

432f Advanced Organic Chemistry The logic and methods of organic synthesis are explored. The elementary organic reactions studied in Chemistry 241, 242 are augmented and used in the synthesis of biologically and chemically important molecules. Lecture only. Prerequisite: Chemistry 242 or equivalent. Three credit hours. MR. MUNDY

434s Symmetry and Spectroscopy Use of principles of symmetry and group theory as an aid in understanding chemical bonding, interpreting molecular vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, and rationalizing symmetry control of reactions. Lecture only. Prerequisite: Chemistry 411. Three credit hours. MR. SMITH

481f, 482s Special Topics in Environmental Chemistry Primarily a laboratory course with emphasis on independent studies of environmentally related topics. A paper and oral presentation are required. Prerequisite: Chemistry 217 and permission of the department. One to three credit hours. FACULTY

483f, 483j, 484s Honors in Research in Chemistry Laboratory and library work involving a senior and one or more chemistry faculty members on a clearly defined project that results in an honors thesis. Prerequisite: Permission of the department and recommendation of the faculty sponsor. 483: two or three credit hours; 483j: two or three credit hours; 484: one to three credit hours. FACULTY

491f, 492s Independent Study Laboratory work of a research nature may be arranged with the instructor. One to three credit hours. FACULTY

493f, 494s Senior Seminar Discussion of topics of current interest in all areas of chemistry. The fall semester involves presentations from invited speakers from other colleges, universities, and industries; the spring semester includes outside speakers and presentations of senior research projects. One credit hour. MR. SMITH


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