Chem 424 - Course Content

Part One - Principles

I) Definitions and Theorems of group    Theory: (1 week)

1. Types of groups

2. Subgroups

3. Classes

4. Group multiplication tables.

II) Molecular Symmetry and the Symmetry Point Groups: (2 weeks)

1. Symmetry elements

2. Symmetry operations

3. Symmetry point groups

4. Symmetry classification of molecules

5. Optical activity and dipole moment.

III) Representations of Groups: (3 weeks)

1. Matrices

2. Matrix representations of symmetry operations

3. Multiplication tables using matrices

4. Reducible and irreducible representations

5. Theorems of irreducible representations

6. Character tables

7. The direct product.

Part Two - Applications

I) Hybrid Orbitals and Molecular Orbitals for AX_n molecules: (2 weeks)

1. Hybridization scheme for σ orbitals.

2. Hybridization scheme for π orbitals.

3. Construction of molecular orbital energy level diagrams.

II) Molecular Vibrations: (2 weeks)

1. The symmetry of normal modes.

2. IR and Raman spectroscopy.

3. Analysis of normal modes.

4. Classification of vibrational modes.

5. Selection rules for fundamental vibrational transitions.

    

III) Ligand Field Theory: (3 weeks)

1. Electronic structures of free atoms and ions

2. Splitting of levels and terms in a chemical environment

3. Construction of energy level diagrams

4. Tanabe-Sugano diagrams

5. The spin allowed transitions

6. The symmetry allowed transitions

7. Magnetic-dipole transitions

8. The vibronically allowed transitions.