USC
University of Southern California
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Courses of Instruction

Chemistry (CHEM)

The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.

CHEM 040x Preparation for Chemistry (4, FaSp) Elementary course to prepare students for chemistry 105aLbL. Strong emphasis on chemical mathematics and more significant laws, trends, and concepts of general chemistry. Not available for degree credit. Graded CR/NC. Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 4 hours.

CHEM 050x General Chemistry Tutorial (2, FaSp) Weekly tutorial for selected students in CHEM 105aL. Strong emphasis on chemical mathematics and key concepts in general chemistry. Topics parallel lectures in CHEM 105aL. Not available for degree credit. Graded CR/NC. Discussion, 2 hours. Concurrent enrollment: CHEM 105aL.

CHEM 102Lx The Molecular World (4, FaSpSm) A generally qualitative study of basic chemistry and its impact on the modern world, including topics such as organic chemistry, polymers, energy resources and environmental issues. Not available for major credit.

CHEM 105aLg-bL General Chemistry (4-4, FaSpSm) Fundamental principles and laws of chemistry; laboratory work emphasizes quantitative procedures. Prerequisite to all more advanced courses in chemistry. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory and discussion, 4 hours. Quiz, 1 hour. Prerequisite for aL: CHEM 050 or passing of placement test; for bL: CHEM 105aLg or CHEM 115aL. (Duplicates credit in CHEM 115aL or CHEM 115bL.)

CHEM 115aLg-bL Advanced General Chemistry (4-4, a: Fa; b: Sp) Equivalent to 105aLg-bL, but taught at a higher level for exceptionally well-prepared students. Admission to course by departmental approval only. Lecture, 3 hours; lab and discussion, 4 hours; quiz, 1 hour. Prerequisite for bL: CHEM 115aL. (Duplicates credit in CHEM 105aLg or CHEM 105bL.)

CHEM 201Lg Chemistry in the Environment, Energy and Society (4, FaSpSm) A range of issues where chemistry impacts society will be explored. Topics such as global warming, pollution, energy utilization and genetic engineering will be covered.

CHEM 202Lxg Materials for the 21st Century: Synthetic Polymers (4, FaSpSm) The study of the chemistry of man-made polymeric materials, their properties and design, how they are manufactured and their economic and societal significance. Not available for major credit. Recommended preparation: one year college chemistry.

CHEM 203Lxg Chemistry in Life: AIDS Drug Discovery and Development (4, Fa) Scientific principles underlying molecular approaches to diagnosis and treatment of diseases, using specific models within a societal (business, legal, ethical) context. Not available for major credit.

CHEM 290abcd Special Laboratory (1-1-1-1, FaSpSm) Laboratory component for CHEM 105a, 105b, 322, or 322b for students with equivalent lecture credit from another institution. Prerequisite: consent of department head.

CHEM 300L Analytical Chemistry (4, FaSp) Theory and practice in chemical analysis, emphasizing instrumental techniques; error analysis, fractional distillation, extraction; chromatography; visible, ultraviolet, and infrared spectroscopy; introductions to electrochemistry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory and discussion. Prerequisite: CHEM 105bL or CHEM 115bL.

CHEM 322abL Organic Chemistry (4-4, FaSpSm) Chemistry of the carbon compounds of the aliphatic and aromatic series; laboratory preparation of typical compounds of both series. Lecture, 3 hours jointly with 325abL; laboratory and discussion, 4 hours. For premedical and predental students and some categories of biology majors and engineers. Prerequisite for aL: CHEM 105bL or CHEM 115bL; for bL: CHEM 322aL.

CHEM 325abL Organic Chemistry (4-4, a: Fa; b: Sp) Required of majors in chemistry. Lecture, 3 hours a week with 322abL; laboratory and discussion, 7 hours. Prerequisite for aL: CHEM 105bL or CHEM 115bL; for bL: CHEM 325aL.

CHEM 332L Physical Chemical Measurements (4, Sp) Experimental study of topics discussed in 430ab; adsorption, magnetic susceptibility; electron spin resonance, kinetics, equilibria, molecular spectra and structure, viscosity, dielectric properties. Discussion, 1 hour; laboratory, 9 hours. Corequisite: CHEM 430b.

CHEM 390 Special Problems (1-4) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.

CHEM 423L Advanced Laboratory Techniques in Organic and Inorganic Chemistry (4, Sp) Advanced synthetic, analytical, and physical measurement techniques in organic and inorganic chemistry. Emphasis on laboratory work with discussion of theoretical background. Lecture, 2 hours; discussion, 1 hour; laboratory, 8 hours. Prerequisite: CHEM 300L, CHEM 322bL or CHEM 325bL.

CHEM 426 Advanced Organic Chemistry (4, Fa) Advanced treatment of organic chemistry from a mechanistic point of view according to the following topics: polar and isopolar reactions, intermediates. Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour. Prerequisite: CHEM 322bL or CHEM 325bL.

CHEM 430ab Physical Chemistry (4-4, a: Fa; b: Sp) Kinetic theory; equations of state; thermodynamics; phase equilibria; chemical equilibrium; nuclear chemistry, wave mechanics; spectroscopy; statistical thermodynamics; kinetics; electrochemistry; surface and colloid chemistry. Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour. Prerequisite for a: CHEM 300L, CHEM 322bL or CHEM 325bL; MATH 225 or MATH 226 or MATH 245; PHYS 152;  for b: CHEM 430a and PHYS 153.

CHEM 432 Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences (4, Fa) Principles of physical chemistry relevant for the life sciences: thermodynamics, chemical equilibria, molecular dynamics, kinetics, molecular structures and interactions, spectroscopy, statistical thermodynamics and macromolecular structures. Prerequisite: CHEM 300L, CHEM 322bL or CHEM 325bL; MATH 126; PHYS 135bL or PHYS 152L.

CHEM 453 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (4, Sp) Atomic structure, theory of bonding, molecular structure, metallic state, coordination compounds, transition and nontransition metals, magnetic and optical properties, crystal field theory, mechanism of reactions. Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour. Prerequisite: CHEM 105bL or CHEM 115bL and CHEM 322bL or CHEM 325bL.

CHEM 465L Chemical Instrumentation (4, Fa) Principles of operation of instruments used in physical sciences. Basic electronics, interconnection of building blocks, data acquisition and data reduction, noise, instrument systems. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 6 hours. Prerequisite: CHEM 332L or CHEM 430b or departmental approval.

CHEM 490x Directed Research (2-8, max 8, FaSpSm) Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

CHEM 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8) Lectures and discussions on specialized topics in chemistry. Prerequisite: CHEM 300L; CHEM 322abL or CHEM 325abL.

This new course is available beginning fall 2007.

CHEM 510x Alternative Energy Technologies and Options (4, Fa) Introduce the essential scientific background to understand complex issues involving energy use and its environmental consequences. Critically analyze energy issues that will shape policy decisions. Not available for credit for doctoral students in Chemistry.

CHEM 515 Structure and Bonding in Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry (4) An integrated core course of structure and bonding in inorganic, coordination and organometallic chemistry within an oxidation state framework. Symmetry, electronic properties.

CHEM 516 Synthesis, Reactivity, and Mechanism in Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry (4) A reactivity framework for inorganic and organometallic chemistry. Synthesis, reaction mechanisms and energetics. Homogeneous catalysis. Prerequisite: CHEM 515.

CHEM 519 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: An Introduction for Chemists (4) Amino acids and peptides; protein structure and function; enzyme kinetics; structure, analysis and synthesis of nucleic acids; chemical biology of DNA and RNA; biotechnology.

CHEM 526 Structure and Mechanism in Organic Chemistry (4) Review of modern structural theory of organic chemistry; and relation to the mechanisms of organic chemical reactions.

CHEM 527 Synthetic Organic Chemistry (4) A survey of representative groups of widely used synthetic organic reactions; emphasis on scope, limitations, and stereochemical consequences.

CHEM 535 Introduction to Molecular Spectroscopy (4) Theory and experimental methods of molecular spectroscopy and applications to chemistry. Rotational, vibrational, electronic and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Prerequisite: CHEM 544.

CHEM 536 Molecular Dynamics (2 or 4) Potential energy surfaces, reaction dynamics, scattering theories, classical trajectories, statistical theories, molecular energy transfer, photodissociation dynamics, gas-surface interactions, experimental results, beam and laser techniques.

CHEM 538 Mathematical Techniques of Physical Chemistry (4) Fundamentals and techniques of mathematics and physics. Linear algebra, differential equations, mechanics, electricity and magnetism. Applications to physical chemistry/chemical physics.

CHEM 539 Surface Chemistry (4) Physical and chemical properties of solid surfaces; thermodynamics and kinetics of gas chemisorption; chemical bonding at surfaces; applications to catalysis and electronic materials.

CHEM 540 Introduction to Statistical Mechanics (4) Study of macroscopic systems from molecular viewpoint using statistical mechanics: ensembles, fluctuations, gases, gas-solid interfaces, crystals, polymers, critical phenomena, non-equilibrium systems.

CHEM 544 Introduction to Quantum Chemistry (4) Basic principles of quantum mechanics and their application to chemistry. Electronic structure of atoms and molecules.

CHEM 545 Theory and Practice of Molecular Electronic Structure (4, Fa) Provide working knowledge and hands-on experience in current quantum chemical methods for chemists who would like to employ these techniques in their own research. Prerequisite: CHEM 538, CHEM 544.

CHEM 550 Special Topics in Chemical Physics (2-4, max 8) Study of selected areas of chemical physics. Critical evaluation of recent advances in the field.

CHEM 555 Computational Quantum Chemistry: Methods and Applications (4, FaSp) Introduction to modern computational quantum chemistry. Prediction of molecular structure, molecular spectra and molecular reaction mechanisms using ab initio and semi-empirical methods. Prerequisite: CHEM 340; recommended preparation: CHEM 544.

CHEM 561 Polymer Synthesis (4) Concepts of polymer structure and stereochemistry. Organic chemistry of polymerization reactions with emphasis on condensation, radical, cationic, anionic, and coordination-metathesis polymerization.

CHEM 570 Seminar in Chemical Biology (2, max 4, FaSp) Introduce students to emerging research areas in chemical biology through a thorough discussion of seminal research articles and presentations of current research topics. Recommended preparation: some research experience and familiarity with literature search.

CHEM 575 Modern Trends in Physical Chemistry (2, FaSp) Emerging research areas in physical and theoretical chemistry through a thorough discussion of seminal research articles and presentations of current research topics. Recommended preparation: some research experience and familiarity with literature search.

CHEM 588ab X-ray Crystallography (2-2) a: Single-crystal X-ray diffraction theory and experimental methods. b: Application of diffraction techniques to problems of current chemical and biological interest. Prerequisite: CHEM 588a before b.

CHEM 590 Directed Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

CHEM 594abz Master's Thesis (2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

CHEM 599 Special Topics (2-4, max 8) Special topics in chemistry.

CHEM 625 Chemical Applications of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (4) Elementary theory of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, methods of spectral analysis, treatment of Fourier Transform methods and time dependent phenomena; recent applications in organic chemistry.

CHEM 626 Natural Products Chemistry (2) Survey of the chemistry and biogenesis of the major classes of secondary metabolites along biogenetic lines: terpenes, aceto genins, and alkaloids.

CHEM 661 Selected Topics in Polymer Synthesis (2-4, max 8) Advanced level study in selected areas of polymer synthesis. Critical evaluation of recent advances. Topic examples: ionic polymerization; stereo chemistry of polymers; silicon polymers; ladder polymers.

CHEM 790 Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

CHEM 794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.