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Literature Exam Study Guide: Core Concepts of Inorganic Chemistry
1. Molecular Structure and Bonding
• Basic concepts of atomic structure (wave functions, quantum numbers, orbitals,
Aufbau principle, Hund’s rule, shielding, gas phase electron configurations of
elements
• Periodic trends (ionization energies, electron affinity, atomic size, electronegativity)
• Bonding models: Lewis theory (octet rule, formal charges, oxidation numbers,
resonance structures), VSEPR theory, basic concepts of molecular orbital theory
(Schroedinger equation, LCAO approximation, diatomic molecules, orbital mixing,
covalent vs. ionic bonding)
• Bonding in polyatomic molecules (QMOT approach, valence bond theory,
hybridization)
• Basic concepts of molecular orbital theory, covalent vs. ionic bonding)
2. Nuclear Properties
• Nuclear transformation (radioactive decay, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion)
• NMR spectroscopy (interpretation, e.g. of 31P, 11B, 19F NMR spectra; concepts of
dynamic NMR spectroscopy)
• Mössbauer spectroscopy
3. Fundamental Concepts of Thermodynamics and Kinetics
• Second law of thermodynamics, Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy
• Chemical equilibrium, Van’t Hoff equation
• Reaction kinetics, Arrhenius equation, rates of reactions (first-, second-, and zeroorder reactions)
• Reaction chemistry: kinetic vs. thermodynamic control, enzyme catalysis
4. Symmetry
• Symmetry operations, point groups
• Basic concepts of group theory (symmetry labels, character tables, irreducible
representations)
5. Acid-Base Chemistry
• Bronsted-Lowry theory, amphoteric behavior, autoprotolysis of water, pH function,
acid-base equilibria (pKa), leveling effect, pH buffers, acid-base titrations
• Qualitative trends for the strengths of acid and bases
• Lewis acid and bases (Pearson soft/hard acids/bases, acidity of metal cations)
6. Solution Chemistry
• Hydrogen bonding, solubility, hydrophobic effect, hydration energy trends
• Stability constants, activity and activity coefficients, ionic strength dependence
• Redox chemistry in aqueous solution (standard reduction potentials,
electrochemical cells, Nernst equation, water window, E-pH diagrams)
7. Main Group Chemistry
• Periodic trends and properties of binary compounds (hydrides, oxides, halides)
• Bonding in compounds with group 13 elements (e.g. borane clusters)
8. d-Block Chemistry
• Basic concepts of coordination chemistry (nomenclature, type of ligands,
stereoisomerism)
• Bonding models of coordination complexes
• Ligand field theory (orbital energy splitting diagrams for complexes with octahedral,
square planar, and tetrahedral symmetry, splitting energy trends, LFSE,
spectrochemical series, high-spin/low-spin complexes), Irving-Williams series,
effect of pi-bonding/interactions, Jahn-Teller distortion)
• Electronic spectra (spin orbit coupling, term splitting diagrams)
• Reaction mechanisms (ligand substitution reactions, trends in water exchange
kinetics, electron transfer processes, inner-sphere vs. outer-sphere mechanism)
• Organometallic compounds: MO bonding model, 18-electron rule, counting
electrons, isolobal principle, pi-complexes, basic reaction mechanisms (insertion,
oxidative addition, reductive elimination)
• Basic concepts of homogeneous catalysis
9. f-block Elements
• Periodic trends (atom and ion sizes, oxidation states)
• Spectroscopic and magnetic properties (ground state term symbols)
10. Solid State Chemistry and Inorganic Materials
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Bonding and structure of metals, insulators, and semiconductors (band structure)
Trends in thermal conductivity
Crystal structures (packing)
Ionic compounds (bonding, periodic trends, properties, solid state structures, lattice
energy, Born-Haber cycles, aqueous solubility
11. Physical Methods for Characterizing Inorganic Compounds
• Basic concepts of x-ray diffraction and crystal structure determinations
• Electrochemistry (electrochemical cells, glass electrode, ion-selective electrodes,
reference electrodes, cyclic voltammetry)
• Magnetic measurements
• Resonance techniques (basic concepts of NMR, EPR, and Mössbauer
spectroscopy)
• Infrared spectroscopy
• Electronic spectroscopy (UV-vis, Beer-Lambert law)