610-241 Inorganic and Bio-inorganic Chemistry B

One of chemistry 610-141, 610-161 or 610-051 AND one of 610-142, 610-162 or 610-052. Concurrent enrolment in 610-245 is recommended.

Upon completion of 610-241 students should have an understanding of the central role of inorganic and bio-inorganic chemistry in biological systems, emerging industry processes and the action of metallo-drugs. This subject is developed via carefully chosen examples which include the role of nature's metal-scavanging ligands; the facilitation of life by the trace metals; organometallic chemistry; the design of catalysts in industry and nature (enzymes); and design and action of metal drugs.

The subject covers the topics the occurrence, uptake and transport of the essential trace elements; metal binding in complexes; iron nutrition in humans; transport of dioxygen by hemoglobin; the action of poisons; carbon monoxide and cyanide; organometallic chemistry; hydrogen, carbon monoxide and alkenes as ligands; activation of ligands for reaction and the design of catalysts; structural and stereoscopic techniques; metal compounds as therapeutic agents including treatments for bipolar disorder (lithium) and cancer (cis-platin); toxic overload (chelation therapy); directed sythesis; control of stereochemistry; structural inorganic chemistry; and the structural basis of advanced materials.

One 3-hour written examination at the end of semester. Assignments and tests may constitute up to 10% of the final assessment.

• D F Shriver and P W Atkins, Inorganic Chemistry. 3rd ed., OUP, 1999.