Most courses are lecture oriented; others emphasize individual study with attention to the needs of each student. For additional information about a particular course, see the instructor.

Two-Part Courses: A hyphen indicates a full-year course with credit granted only for completing both terms. A comma indicates credit is granted for completing each term. The following courses are lectures unless otherwise indicated.

Inorganic Chemistry
G25.1111  4 points.
Study of the inorganic elements, concentrating on the transition metals, in which the structure of their compounds, spectra, and reactivity is discussed in light of recent advances in both theory and experiment. The importance of the inorganic elements in such fields as biochemistry and catalysis is discussed.

Organometallic Chemistry
G25.1112  4 points.
Study of the structure, bonding, and reactions of organometallic complexes, with particular emphasis on the mechanism of reactions and the characterization of compounds by spectroscopic means. Application of organometallic reagents in organic synthesis and industrial catalysis is discussed.

Organic Reactions
G25.1311  4 points.
Survey of the major classes of organic reactions, reagents, mechanisms, stereochemistry, and protecting groups. Discusses the origins of chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity and the planning of organic synthesis.

Strategies in Synthetic Organic Chemistry
G25.1312  Prerequisite: G25.1311. 2 points.
Analysis of modern strategies and methodologies for the synthesis of organic compounds.

Structure and Theory in Organic Chemistry
G25.1313  4 points.
Structure and bonding in organic molecules, including MO calculations, perturbation methods, and aromaticity; stereochemistry and conformational analysis; pericyclic reactions; thermochemistry and kinetics; transition state theory and activation parameters; acids and bases; and methods for the determination of mechanisms.

Organic Reaction Mechanisms
G25.1314  Prerequisite: G25.1313. 2 points.
Discussion of the mechanisms of organic reactions, primarily in solution. Topics include nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution reactions, molecular rearrangements, electrophilic and nucleophilic addition reactions, elimination, carbanions, free radicals, and photochemistry.

Organic Analysis
G25.1326  4 points.
Application of spectroscopic methods to the determination of the structure of organic molecules. Structure determination is approached through problem solving using IR, UV, MS, NMR, and spectroscopy. Particular emphasis is given to 1H and 13C NMR.

Biophysical Chemistry
G25.1814  4 points.
Structure and properties of macromolecules of biological importance: thermodynamics of polymer solutions; determination of molecular weight and
conformation of biopolymers; and polyelectrolyte theory.

Macromolecular Chemistry
G25.1815  Seeman. 4 points.
Structural chemistry of macromolecules, including vector analysis, symmetry, crystallography, DNA, RNA, and virus structure.

Advanced Biophysical Chemistry
G25.1818  4 points.
Three advanced topics in biophysical chemistry are discussed: electron transfer theory and its application to electron transfer in biology; statistical mechanics of biopolymers; and protein-DNA interactions with emphasis on DNA repair enzymes.

Biochemistry I, II
G25.1881, 1882  Identical to G23.1046, 1047. Prerequisites: V25.0243 and V25.0244, or equivalent courses in organic chemistry for G25.1881; G25.1881 for G25.1882. Kallenbach, staff. 4 points per term.
Topics include organic and physical chemistry of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids; enzyme kinetics and mechanisms; membranes and transport; bioenergetics and intermediary metabolism; molecular genetics and regulation.

Experimental Biochemistry
G25.1885  Prerequisite: G25.1881. Laboratory. 4 points.
Experiments and instruction in analytical techniques, including chromatography, spectrophotometry, and electrophoresis; isolation and characterization of biomolecules; kinetic analysis of enzymatic activity; and analysis of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions that direct basic biochemical pathways.

Total Synthesis
G25.2232  Prerequisite: G25.1312. 2 points.
Modern synthetic methods in organic chemistry centering on significant synthesis. Each synthesis is examined with respect to synthetic strategy, mechanisms of individual steps, and the scope of specialized reagents.

Special Topics in Organic Chemistry
G25.2261, 2262  4 points per term.
Topics of current interest in organic chemistry are covered in depth by four faculty members. Topics such as nanoscience, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and infrared spectroscopy are addressed through a problem-solving approach; topics from current literature and research areas complement the core courses.

Organic Photochemistry
G25.2281  Prerequisite: G25.1314. 4 points.
Description of the generation, structure, and chemical transformation of electronic excited states of organic molecules.

Statistical Mechanics
G25.2600  4 points.
Introduction to the fundamentals of statistical mechanics. Topics include classical mechanics in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations and its relation to classical statistical mechanics, phase space and partition functions, and the development of thermodynamics. Methods of molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations are also discussed.

Biomolecular Modeling G
25.2601  Prerequisite: basic programming experience. 4 points.
A full-scale introduction to biomolecular modeling and simulation with the goal of assisting students to develop a practical understanding of computational methods (strengths, limitations, applicability) and competence in applying these methods to biomolecules.

Mathematical Methods
G25.2626  4 points.
Provides students with the fundamental mathematical tools needed for further study in theoretical chemistry. Topics include vector spaces, linear algebra, ordinary and partial differential equations, special functions, complex analysis, and integral transforms.

Physical Organic Chemistry
G25.2637  Prerequisite: G25.1314. 4 points.
Linear free energy relationships, acidity functions, solvation phenomena, and other topics of current interest.

Advanced Statistical Mechanics
G25.2651  Prerequisite: G25.2600 4 points.
Continuation of the Statistical Mechanics course. Topics include advanced concepts in ensemble theory, distribution function theory of liquids, quantum statistical mechanics in the eigenvalue and path-integral formulations, time-dependent statistical mechanics, linear response theory and spectroscopy, and critical phenomena.

Quantum Mechanics
G25.2665  4 points.
Quantum mechanics of elementary systems; includes perturbation theory, particle in a box, the one-electron atom, harmonic oscillators, and the elements of atomic and molecular structure.

Quantum Chemistry and Dynamics
G25.2666  Prerequisite: G25.2665. 4 points.
Representation theory, time-dependent and time-independent perturbation theory, rotational and vibrational levels in molecules, many-electron systems, interaction of electric and magnetic fields with atoms and molecules, quantum treatment of many-electron systems, and techniques of quantum chemistry.

Special Topics in Physical Chemistry
G25.2671, 2672  4 points per term.

NMR Spectroscopy G
25.2680  2 points.
Discusses modern NMR techniques in theory and practice. Introduces and demonstrates both liquid- and solid-state NMR techniques. Discusses connections to magnetic resonance imaging and applications to structure determination of biomolecules and materials. Includes hands-on experience and computer simulations.

Applied Infrared Spectroscopy
G25.2690  2 points.
Overview of infrared spectroscopy as applied to the study of inorganic and organic materials, including nanoparticles and polymers. Reviews selection rules and optics. Focuses on modern methods including reflectance spectroscopy as applied to the study of surfaces and solutes in highly absorbing media.

Bioorganic Chemistry
G25.2884  4 points
Covers a broad range of topics at the interface between organic chemistry and biology, based on the most recent advances in bioorganic chemistry, chemical biology functional genomics, and molecular evolution.

Research
G25.2931, 2932  1-12 points per term.

Physical Chemistry Seminar
G25.3011  2 points.

Organic Chemistry Seminar
G25.3012  2 points.

Biomolecular Chemistry Seminar
G25.3013  2 points.

 Back to Top