CH600      Organic Chemistry IV: Advanced Organic Synthesis     0.5 credit

This course deals with special topics in organic synthesis. Topics may include, but not be limited to, synthesis and reactivity of heterocycles, chemistry of carbenes, olefination reactions, organo-main-group chemistry, stereoselective reactions and asymmetric synthesis.
Exclusion: CH404

CH601      Topics in  Organic Synthesis                 0.5 credit

This course will cover selected modern topics in organic synthesis not covered in CH600. The focus will be on synthetic method development highlighted by applications in target-directed synthesis.

CH602      Green Methods in Organic Synthesis            0.5 credit

An increased demand for clean and efficient methods in organic synthesis has had a profound impact on academia and industry in recent years. This course will review historical aspects of industrial organic synthesis, highlighted by examples from the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries, and survey recent developments in methodology that aim to lessen the environmental impact of large-scale organic synthesis. Topics may include but not be limited to catalysis, ionic liquids and supercritical CO2 as solvents for organic synthesis, and fluorous and microwave technologies. 

CH603      Aromatic Synthesis                        0.5 credit

This course will cover methods for the preparation of functionalized aromatic compounds. Topics will include electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution, directed ortho and remote metalation, and transition-metal mediated cross coupling chemistry, with a particular emphasis on mechanism.

CH611     Surface Photocatalysis: Principles and Applications    0.5 credit

Surface photocatalysis using titanium dioxide (TiO2) is increasingly becoming an attractive area of environmental research and beyond. TiO2-based materials are being used in the treatment of contaminated air and water, the manufacturing self-cleaning materials, the improvement of air quality, and to increase energy efficiency. This course will cover the fundamentals of photocatalysis, advances in the synthesis of photocatalytic materials, and novel applications of photocatalysis in areas related to environmental sustainability and energy conversion.
   

CH613      Advanced Quantum Chemistry                0.5 credit

This course develops the principles of quantum chemistry and considers the fundamentals of both wavefunction and density based approaches. In addition, topics that may be considered include angular momentum, group theory, nondegenerate, degenerate and time-dependent perturbation theory, valence bond theory, molecular orbital theory and variational theory.

CH614      Statistical Thermodynamics                    0.5 credit

This course develops the principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics and their integration into statistical thermodynamics. Topics to be considered include ensembles and partition functions, molecular mechanics and Monte Carlo methods, correlation functions, transport coefficients, Brownian motion and chemical kinetics.
           

CH621      Chemometrics                        0.5 credit

Chemists, biochemists and chemical biologists need to understand the mathematical basis for models that describe chemical systems and as experimental scientists they need to understand statistics as applied to interpreting chemical data. In this course the emphasis is on describing chemical systems using mathematical notation and on using statistics to interpret chemical systems given these mathematical models. The emphasis is not on solving mathematical problems. Solution to problems will be done using available computer software. Examples will be selected from areas of interest to the students but could include genomics, bioinformatics, kinetics, mixture resolution techniques, principal component analysis, multiple linear regression, experimental design, parameter optimization, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics and environmental problems.

CH622      Aquatic Geochemistry                     0.5 credit

Aquatic geochemistry involves application of the principles of chemistry to processes in aquatic environments. Environmental processes can be natural or anthropogenic. In this course the primary focus will be in understanding processes in aquatic system using chemical equilibrium and kinetics. Topics will include properties and composition of natural waters, chemical reactions in aqueous systems, acidity and alkalinity of water, redox equilibria in natural waters, microorganisms as catalysts of aquatic chemical reactions, water pollution and treatment and reactivity at mineral surfaces. 

CH631      Organometallic Chemistry in Catalysis            0.5 credit

This course is an introduction to structural transformations on transition metals of importance to organic synthesis (topics of interest: important ligands; coordinated ?-bonds: ?2-H2 and ?2-CH; catalytic C–H bond activation; catalytic hydrogenation; cross-coupling reactions: catalytic C–C bond formation; olefin metathesis; olefin oxidation; ?-allyl chemistry; olefin polymerization). Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between structure and properties of metal complexes and their catalytic activity.

CH632      Applied Computational Chemistry                0.5 credit

This course focuses on applications of DFT calculations in organic and inorganic chemistry (topics of interest: structure optimization and reaction energies, transition states and reaction kinetics, calculations of IR and NMR spectra, atomic charges, molecular orbitals, potential energy scans, solvent effects). This course is taught from an experimental chemists’ perspective and deals with practical chemical problems. An integral part of the course is the use of computational chemistry programs (e.g., Gaussian, GaussView).
   

CH640      Topics in Nanomaterials and Biomaterials        0.5 credit

A comprehensive overview of two important classes of modern technological materials. Specific topics will cover nanoparticles, nanostructures (such as carbon nanotubes and molecular wires), self-assembly, biocompatible materials and material aspects of biosensors.
Exclusion: CH440

CH641          Nanochemistry                        0.5 credit

The course will present chemical aspects of the nanoscience. The chemical approach to synthesis of nanomaterials and application of nanoscale objects as building blocks of modern materials will be systematically explored. Course topics include nanoclusters & quantum dots, diversity of nanoshapes, chemical micropatterning, self-assembly, functional polymers, etc. 

CH642      Advanced Topics in Colloidal Chemistry            0.5 credit

Colloidal chemistry forms a critical link between atomic and molecular science and the macroscopic world. Advanced aspects of colloidal chemistry as an integrative chemistry discipline will be discussed. The discussion will start with amphiphiles, monolayers, micelles.  Colloidal aspects of biological membranes will be considered. Other topics will include colloidal stability, sols and microemulsions.
       

CH643      Supramolecular Chemistry

This course is a survey of the principles of supramolecular chemistry, and will include intermolecular interactions, host-guest chemistry, self-assembly, surface assembly, crystal engineering, and supramolecular materials.  Supramolecular chemistry is a field that draws on several of the traditional subdisciplines of chemistry, and the course will use current literature examples that reflect the diversity of the subject.

CH645     Environmental Heterogeneous Catalysis            0.5 credit

Environmental heterogeneous catalysis is the science that studies surface catalyzed reactions in natural systems, chemical industry and emissions control. This course covers topics on the thermodynamics and kinetics of surface catalyzed reactions.  The principle operations of surface science techniques will also be introduced.  Advances in current research in environmental catalysis will be discussed as well.
Exclusion: CH445

CH651      Advanced Biophysical Chemistry                0.5 credit

Basic concepts and recent literature on selected topics such as structures of biomolecules, thermodynamics of biochemical processes in solution and physical methods for characterization of biomolecules are introduced, reviewed and discussed.

CH652      Membrane Transport and Cellular Communication    0.5 credit

Topics on structure and function of biological membranes and membrane proteins, principles and mechanisms of signal transduction, transport of ions and molecules across membranes and chemical communication between cells are introduced and discussed by reviewing the recent literature. 

CH671      Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry I            0.5 credit

Weekly research seminars presented by graduate students, faculty, and invited speakers. Students must present at least one seminar based on their thesis research prior to their thesis defence scheduling.  Evaluated as Cr/NCr.

CH672      Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry II        0.5 credit

Weekly research seminars presented by graduate students, faculty, and invited speakers. Students must present at least one seminar based on their thesis research prior to their thesis defence scheduling. 

CH673      Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry III        0.5 credit

Weekly research seminars presented by graduate students, faculty, and invited speakers. Students must present at least one seminar based on their thesis research prior to their thesis defence scheduling.

 

CH674          Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry IV        0.5 credit

Weekly research seminars presented by graduate students, faculty, and invited speakers. Students must present at least one seminar based on their thesis research prior to their thesis defence scheduling.
Graded based on student attendance records (CH671, CH672, CH673 and CH674) and seminar presentation.

 

CH680      Advanced Topics in Chemistry and Biochemistry        0.5 credit

Course dealing with selected interdisciplinary topics of interest taught through a cooperative effort of several faculty members. Several diverse approaches to the same topic will be considered for a multifaceted in-depth understanding.
   

CH685      Directed Study in Chemistry and Biochemistry        0.5 credit

A detailed study of a field or topic of interest in chemistry not available through the regular program. This course should be taken with a faculty member who is not the student's thesis advisor.

CH699     MSc Thesis                             2 credits

Students must register for six consecutive semesters of their studies for this course.  The final outcome should be a written thesis based on original research, which must be defended orally before an examining committee.