An intensive study of selected advanced topics related to current research in organic chemistry.

An intensive study of selected advanced topics related to current research in physical chemistry such as thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy, bulk electric and magnetic properties, macromolecular physical chemistry, molecular structure and applied numerical methods.

An intensive survey of selected advanced topics related to current research in analytical chemistry.

Elementary structure and stereochemistry, symmetry and group theory, spectroscopy, magnetic resonance, crystallography.

An introduction to use of polymers in the medical field: Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, polymer-drug conjugates, self-assembled polymeric carriers (polymeric micelles, polymer-coated liposomes, nanoparticles, microspheres), interactions of polymers with tissues and cells, pharmacokinetics of polymer therapeutics, targeted polymer therapeutics, stimuli responsive systems, hydrogels.

Traditional and modern synthetic methods, symmetrical and unsymmetrical dendrimers, self-assembly of dendrimers, dendrimer-polymer conjugates and their applications, molecular imprinting and detection, dendrimers-based bio-immobilization, use of dendrimer-based nanocomposites as sensors, applications in design of light-harvesting devices.

Potential energy surfaces and geometry optimizations, frequency calculations, effect of basis sets, chemical reactions and reactivity calculations, modeling systems in solutions.

Rates of chemical reactions, kinetics of complex reactions, gas and liquid phase reactions, collision theory, transition state theory, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis

Mechanical properties of polymers and typical polymer transitions. Deformation mechanisms; viscous flow, elasticity, rubberlike elasticity and viscoelasticity. Effect of molecular structure and environment on mechanical properties of polymers. Experimental methods used in determination of mechanical properties of polymers including melt flow index, tensile, tear, stress relaxation, creep, impact, fatigue, abrasion, hardness and dynamic mechanical tests together with their ASTM references.

Synthesis of organic compounds, modern laboratory techniques, oxidation, reduction, condensation, alkylation reactions, separation and purification methods. Six hours of laboratory per week.

Effects of structure, resonance, inductance and medium effects on chemical and physical properties of organic molecules and intermediates, developments in mechanistic pathways.

Introduction to polymers, synthesis; mechanism, reaction rates, chemical reactions of polymers, production of industrially important polymers.

Physical properties of polymer: phase transitions, solubility, crystallization and crystal structures, viscoelastic behavior; property-structure relationships. Examination of industrial operations such as molding, extrusion, drawing, etc.

Fundamental concepts in polymer analysis and characterization. Sampling and sample preparation. Extraction and analysis of extracts; UV, VIS, IR, NMR and MS. Determination of molecular weights of polmers by functional group analysis, measurements of colligate properties, light scattering, ultracentrifugation and dilute solution viscocity. Fraction of polymers by solubility and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).

Synthesis of some important groups of polymers and their applications: Water soluble polymers and hydrogels from medical to environmental applications. Biodegradable polymer systems for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Conducting polymers for batteries and sensors. Liquid crysttalline polymers for specialized fibers and electro-optical applications, includig displays and information storage. Photopolymers for coating and photoresist applications. Emphasis on the relationship between structure, properties and applications.

Methods of isolation, chemical and spectral structure determinations, synthesis and biosynthetic origins of natural products are discussed. Medicinal applications of naturally occurring alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids and flavonoids are covered.

Chemical properties of heterocyclic compounds. Synthesis, reactions and reaction mechanisms of heterocyclic compounds.

Mathematical and descriptive treatment of quantum mechanics as applied to chemical bonding and spectroscopy.

A review of thermodynamics, introduction to independent localized systems (Boltzmann Statics), average distribution for localized particles, classical statistical mechanics, partition functions and thermodynamic functions of an ideal gas, symmetry numbers, chemical equilibrium, the perfect gas equilibrium, the molecular partition function in terms of local bond properties, the transition state theory of chemical kinetics, the liquid state.

Fundamentals and types of mass spectrometry techniques. Different types of ion source and mass analyzer instrumentation, their function, and their application protocols in gas phase molecule chemistry and analysis. Identification of metabolites, synthetic and biopolymers, peptides and sugar olimers, inorganic clusters. Application of mass spectrometry to surface analysis of soft and hard surfaces. Fundamentals of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and basic quantitative analysis of polymeric, biological and metallic surfaces.

Introduction to surface chemistry and the colloidal state, the liquid-gas and liquid-liquid interfaces, electrical phenomena at interfaces, colloidal solutions, emulsions, foams, aerosols and gels.

Basic NMR theory and instrumentation, NMR parameters, chemical shift, spin-spin coupling, analysis of complex spin systems, nuclear overhouser effect, principles of pulse NMR and application on proton and insensitive nuclei such as 13C, 15N, 17O, complex pulse sequences, two dimensional NMR (COSY, HETCOR, INADEQUATE, NOESY), dynamic NMR.

Light, waves, atoms and molecules. Electromagnetic radiation, energy levels in atoms, molecular orbitals and electronic states vibrational and rotational energies, potential energy functions, electronic transitions, selection rules, the Frank-Condon principle, light absorption and its physical consequences, characteristics of photochemical reactions, decay and deactivation of excited atoms, diatomic molecules and polyatomic molecules. Light absorption by atoms, primary products case studies, experimental and theoretical selected research topics.

Seminars offered by faculty, guest speakers and/or graduate students designed to widen students’ perspectives on specific topics of interest and to expand their range of scientific research techniques and publication ethics.

Selected topics related to the chemical sciences involving theory, practice and research on current chemical problems.

Students give a seminar on a chosen topic of interest (preferably related to their research). A literature survey and a well organized seminar are required.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.

Assessment of the students in current research topics they are guided to follow.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.

The chemistry of organometallic compounds with emphasis on the chemistry of organ-transition metal complexes, their methods of synthesis, theories of bonding and structure.

Spectra of atoms, rotational and electronic spectra of molecules. Application of quantum mechanics to the theoretical determination of energies and structure.

Research in the field of chemistry, by arrangement with members of the faculty; guidance of doctoral students towards the preparation and presentation of a research proposal.

Seminars offered by faculty, guest speakers and graduate students designed to widen students’ perspectives on specific topics of interest and to expand their range of scientific research techniques and publication ethics.