Chemistry (B.A. or B.S.)

Courses For Nonmajors without Prerequisites

CHEM 104b, Chemistry of Food and Cooking  Elsa Yan

Fundamental principles for understanding chemical structures and interactions as well as energy and speed of chemical processes. Application of these principles to food and cooking, including demonstrations. This course is designed for non-STEM majors. Prerequisite: preference given to students who have not taken AP or college-level chemistry.  SC
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First-year students planning to take an introductory Chemistry course during their first term are required to preregister over the summer. Those planning to elect CHEM 174, 220, or 332 also must register in person by taking a placement examination as described in the Chemistry department program description and on the Chemistry website. Placement in other introductory Chemistry courses is made on the basis of test scores and other admissions data, as discussed in the Chemistry department program description. The time and place for the orientation meeting, registration, and placement examination are listed in the Calendar for the Opening Days of College. For further information on placement see the Chemistry website.

[ CHEM 119L, Laboratory for Quantitative Foundations of General Chemistry ]

CHEM 134La or b, General Chemistry Laboratory I  Narasimhan Ganapathi

An introduction to basic chemistry laboratory methods. Techniques required for quantitative analysis of thermodynamic processes and the properties of gases. To accompany or follow CHEM 161 or 163. May not be taken after a higher-numbered laboratory course.  SC  RP  ½ Course cr
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CHEM 136La or b, General Chemistry Laboratory II  Narasimhan Ganapathi

Introduction to rate and equilibrium measurements, acid-base chemistry, synthesis of inorganic compounds, and qualitative/quantitative analysis. After CHEM 134L or the equivalent in advanced placement. To accompany or follow CHEM 165 or 167. May not be taken after a higher-numbered laboratory course.  SC  RP  ½ Course cr
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* CHEM 161a or b, General Chemistry I  Staff

A comprehensive survey of modern descriptive, inorganic, and physical chemistry. Atomic theory, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, chemical periodicity, concepts in chemical bonding, and the shapes of molecules. Appropriate either as a first chemistry course or for students with one year of high school chemistry. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. Normally accompanied by CHEM 134L. Enrollment by placement only.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 163a, Comprehensive University Chemistry I  James Mayer

An in-depth examination of the principles of atomic, molecular, and stolid state chemistry, including structures, periodicity, and chemical reactivity. Topics include the quantum mechanics of atoms and chemical bonding, and inorganic, organic, and solid state molecules and materials. For students with strong secondary school exposure to general chemistry. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. Normally accompanied by CHEM 134L. Enrollment by placement only.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 165b, General Chemistry II  Staff

Topics include kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, free energy and entropy, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. Prerequisite: CHEM 161. Normally accompanied by CHEM 136L. Enrollment by placement only.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 167b, Comprehensive University Chemistry II  Staff

Topics include kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, free energy and entropy, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. Prerequisite: CHEM 163, or with equivalent placement. Normally accompanied by CHEM 136L. Enrollment by placement only.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 174a, Organic Chemistry for First Year Students I  Scott Miller

An introductory course focused on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic chemistry, their development, and their basis in experimental observation. Open to freshmen with excellent preparation in chemistry, mathematics, and physics who have taken the department's advanced chemistry placement examination. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. Normally accompanied by CHEM 222L. Enrollment by placement only.  SC  RP
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* CHEM 175b, Organic Chemistry for First Year Students II  Timothy Newhouse

Continuation of CHEM 174. Survey of simple and complex reaction mechanisms, spectroscopy, organic synthesis, and the molecules of nature. Attendance at a weekly discussion section required. After CHEM 174. Normally accompanied by CHEM 223L. Enrollment by placement only.  SC  RP
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* CHEM 220a or b, Organic Chemistry  Staff

An introductory course covering the fundamental principles of organic chemistry. The laboratory for this course is CHEM 222L. After college-level general chemistry. Students who have earned a grade lower than C in general chemistry are cautioned that they may not be sufficiently prepared for this course. Usually followed by CHEM 221 or 230.  SC  RP
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CHEM 221a or b, The Organic Chemistry of Life Processes  Staff

The principles of organic reactivity and how they form the basis for biological processes. The laboratory for this course is CHEM 223L. After CHEM 220. Students who have earned a grade lower than C in general chemistry are cautioned that they may not be sufficiently prepared for this course.  SC  RP
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CHEM 222La or b, Laboratory for Organic Chemistry I  Christine DiMeglio

First term of an introductory laboratory sequence covering basic synthetic and analytic techniques in organic chemistry. Prerequisite: CHEM 136L or equivalent. After or concurrently with CHEM 174 or 220.  SC  ½ Course cr
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CHEM 223La or b, Laboratory for Organic Chemistry II  Christine DiMeglio

Second term of an introductory laboratory sequence covering basic synthetic and analytic techniques in organic chemistry. Prerequisite: CHEM 222L. After or concurrently with CHEM 175, 221, or 230.  SC  ½ Course cr
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* CHEM 226La, Intensive Advanced Chemistry Laboratory  Jonathan Parr

An intensive course in advanced chemistry laboratory technique intended to bring the student closer to independent research. Included are an independent laboratory project and presentation, introduction to library research, and training in the use of various analytical techniques. Offered subject to available laboratory space and sufficient enrollment. After CHEM 223L. Enrollment is limited; e-mail course instructor for enrollment procedure.  WR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 230a, Organic Chemistry of Biological Pathways  Staff

Chemical principles that underpin living systems explored through organic chemistry. Examples drawn from chemistry, medicine, biotechnology, and the emergent field of chemical biology. Key conceptual frameworks such as structure, function, and mechanism and their relations to the chemistry of proteins, nucleic acids, selected drugs, and other topics in the life sciences. Mechanistic principles are used to examine enzymatic processes and the role of cofactors in the context of primary metabolism and natural products biosynthesis. After CHEM 220. Students must sign up for discussion sections using the Preference Selection tool.  SC
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CHEM 251Lb, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory  Jonathan Parr

Introductory laboratory course covering synthetic and physical characterization techniques in inorganic chemistry. Prerequisite: CHEM 119L or 222L; concurrently with or after CHEM 252.  SC
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CHEM 252b, Introductory Inorganic Chemistry  Staff

Principles and applications of modern inorganic chemistry. Introduction to some of the fundamental concepts of solid-state chemistry, coordination chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, and organometallic chemistry. Prerequisite: college-level general chemistry. After or concurrently with CHEM 220 or by permission of instructor. May not be taken after CHEM 450, 452, or 457.  SC  RP
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CHEM 328a, Physical Chemistry with Applications in the Biological Sciences  Staff

Physical chemical principles and their application to the chemical and life sciences. Thermodynamics, chemical and biochemical kinetics, solution physical chemistry, electrochemistry, and membrane equilibria. CHEM 332 is preferred for Chemistry majors. Prerequisites: introductory physics, college-level general chemistry, and single-variable calculus, or permission of instructor; MATH 120 or ENAS 151 suggested. May not be taken after CHEM 332.  QR, SC  RP
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CHEM 330La or b, Laboratory for Physical Chemistry I  Paul Cooper

Introduction to the tools and techniques of modern experimental physical chemistry, including analog/digital electronics, quantitative measurements of basic thermodynamic properties, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. After or concurrently with CHEM 328 or 332. Meets on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1:30 to 2:20 for the first week of the term.  SC  RP
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CHEM 331Lb, Laboratory for Physical Chemistry II  Paul Cooper

Application of physical methods to chemical analysis by spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. After CHEM 330L. After or concurrently with CHEM 333. Meets on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1:30 to 2:20 for the first week of the term.  SC  RP
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* CHEM 332a, Physical Chemistry with Applications in the Physical Sciences I  Staff

A comprehensive survey of modern physical and theoretical chemistry, including topics drawn from thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium, electrochemistry, and kinetics. Prerequisites: introductory physics, college-level general chemistry, and single-variable calculus, or permission of instructor; MATH 120 or ENAS 151 suggested. May not be taken after CHEM 328.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 333b, Physical Chemistry with Applications in the Physical Sciences II  Patrick Vaccaro

Continuation of CHEM 332, including topics drawn from quantum mechanics, atomic/molecular structure, spectroscopy, and statistical thermodynamics. Prerequisite: CHEM 328 or 332, or permission of instructor. Recommended preparation: familiarity with differential equations.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 335Lb, Materials and Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory  Staff

A laboratory course covering physical methods and chemical synthesis in materials and biophysical chemistry. Techniques include solution phase synthesis, solid state synthesis, UV-Vis, fluorescence, optical microscopy, SEM, STM, single molecule fluorescence, and optical trapping methods. After two terms of general chemistry with laboratory, or concurrently with CHEM 333.  SC
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* CHEM 400a, Current Chemistry Seminar  Jonathan Parr

Designed to engage students in the Chemistry research-seminar program by providing requisite scientific guidance and a forum for directed discussion. Participants explore current avenues of chemical research as presented orally by the prime movers in the field, thereby exploring the frontiers of current knowledge while still retaining the structured environment of a classroom. May fulfill all or part of the senior requirement for the Chemistry major, as detailed in the program description in the YCPS.
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* CHEM 418a, Advanced Organic Chemistry I  Staff

Concise overview of structure, properties, thermodynamics, kinetics, reactions, and intermolecular interactions for organic molecular systems. Prerequisites: two terms of organic chemistry, CHEM 328 or 332, and CHEM 333.  SC  RP
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CHEM 421a, Chemical Biology  Alanna Schepartz and Jason Crawford

A one-term introduction to the origins and emerging frontiers of chemical biology. Discussion of the key molecular building blocks of biological systems and the history of macromolecular research in chemistry. Prerequisites: two terms of organic chemistry, and BIOL 101 or equivalent; BIOL 102 recommended.  SC
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CHEM 423a, Synthetic Methods in Organic Chemistry  Jonathan Ellman and Timothy Newhouse

Survey of practical methods in synthetic organic chemistry. Emphasis on learning how to acquire new information and understand chemical reactivity from a fundamental and mechanistic perspective. Prerequisite: two terms of organic chemistry or permission of instructor.  SC  RP
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CHEM 425b, Spectroscopic Methods of Structure Determination  Staff

Applications of NMR, ESR, infrared, UV, visible, and mass spectroscopy to chemical problems concerning structures and reactions. X-ray crystallography. Computer simulation of NMR spectra. Prerequisites: two terms of organic chemistry and CHEM 333.  SC  RP
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CHEM 426b, Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry  Sharon Hammes-Schiffer

An introduction to modern computational methods employed for the study of chemistry and biochemistry, including molecular mechanics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and molecular dynamics. Special emphasis on the hands-on use of computational packages for current applications ranging from organic reactions to protein-ligand binding and dynamics. After organic chemistry and physical chemistry.  QR, SC  RP
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CHEM 430b, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics  Victor Batista

The fundamentals of statistical mechanics developed and used to elucidate gas phase and condensed phase behavior, as well as to establish a microscopic derivation of the postulates of thermodynamics. Topics include ensembles; Fermi, Bose, and Boltzmann statistics; density matrices; mean field theories; phase transitions; chemical reaction dynamics; time-correlation functions; and Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. Prerequisites: CHEM 328 or 332, and CHEM 333, or permission of instructor.  QR, SC  RP
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CHEM 437a, Chemistry of Isotopes  Staff

Advanced applications of isotopes to chemical problems and the theory associated with them, including kinetic and equilibrium isotope effects, tracer applications, and dating.  RP
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CHEM 440a, Molecules and Radiation I  Kurt Zilm

An integrated treatment of quantum mechanics and modern spectroscopy. Basic wave and matrix mechanics, perturbation theory, angular momentum, group theory, time-dependent quantum mechanics, selection rules, coherent evolution in two-level systems, line shapes, Bloch equations, and NMR spectroscopy. Prerequisite: CHEM 333 or permission of instructor.  QR, SC  RP
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CHEM 442b, Molecules and Radiation II  Charles Schmuttenmaer

An extension of the material covered in CHEM 440 to atomic and molecular spectroscopy, including rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectroscopy, as well as an introduction to laser spectroscopy. Prerequisite: CHEM 440 or permission of instructor.  QR, SC  RP
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[ CHEM 450, Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry ]

CHEM 452a, Organometallic Chemistry  Robert Crabtree

A survey of the organometallic chemistry of the transition elements and of homogeneous catalysis. May be taken independently of CHEM 450. Prerequisites: two terms of organic chemistry and CHEM 252.  SC  RP
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CHEM 457a, Modern Coordination Chemistry  James Mayer

The principles of modern inorganic chemistry. Main group and transition element chemistry: reactions, bonding, structure, and spectra. Prerequisite: CHEM 252 or permission of instructor.  SC  RP
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CHEM 470a, Quantum Chemistry  Sharon Hammes-Schiffer

The elements of quantum mechanics developed and illustrated with applications in chemistry and chemical physics. Prerequisites: CHEM 333, and MATH 120 or ENAS 151.  QR, SC  RP
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* CHEM 480a or b, Introduction to Independent Research in Chemistry  Staff