This course will assume an undergraduate level knowledge and understanding of chemical structure and reactivity and the methods of structural elucidation. The course will continue to develop an integrated approach to chemical education through instruction in theoretical and practical aspects of inorganic and organic chemistry. The organic component of the course will be centred on the important area of carbonyl chemistry and highlight the significance and applications of this area of chemistry. In particular the significance of carbonyl chemistry in biological systems and medicine will be developed. The inorganic chemistry component of the course will provide an introduction to organometallic chemistry from both fundamental (structure and bonding) and applied (reactivity, synthesis , catalysis) perspectives. Topics to be covered will include the wide variety of carbon based ligands, the various processes that allow for their interconversion and the inclusion of such transformations in catalytic processes for the metal mediated synthesis of both fine and bulk chemicals. Laboratory experiments are designed to provide augmentation and/or complementation of the material taught in lectures. Students will be exposed to important techniques in synthetic chemistry and become adept at their implementation whilst further developing their skills in the spectroscopic characterisation of compounds.
This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critically analyse organic reactions and expertly locate them into reaction categories.
- Understand at an advanced and integrated level organic reaction mechanisms and expertly evaluate reaction outcomes.
- Critique structure and reactivity of main group organometallic reagents.
- Expertly evaluate structure and reactivity of organotransition metal complexes.
- Apply advanced professional skills in a chemical laboratory, demonstrating effective laboratory safety and etiquette, especially in areas like handling chemicals and usage of lab-based glassware and equipment.
- Develop specialised skills in advanced experimental techniques and specialist knowledge in materials science.
Indicative Assessment
- Laboratory work (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
- Mid-semester exam (25) [LO 1,3,4]
- Final exam (25) [LO 1,3,4]
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Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which may consist of up to 3 x 1 hour lectures and tutorials per week plus 32 hours of laboratory throughout the semester .
- Approximately 59 hours of self-study which will include preparation for lectures, presentations and other assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
To be determined.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Schriver and Atkins' Inorganic Chemistry by Atkins, Overton, Rourke, Weller and Armstrong Organic Chemistry by Clayden, Greeves and Warren (2nd edition).
Assumed Knowledge
A minimum of 24 units of university advanced level chemistry including chemistry structure and reactivity.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4680 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6720 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8179 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |