Course Descriptions - Undergraduate Calendar 2023-2024

The stoichiometry of compounds and chemical reactions. Properties of gases. Periodicity and chemical bonding. Energy changes in chemical systems. Electronic structure of atoms and molecules; correlation with the chemical reactivity of common elements, inorganic and organic compounds.

Selected experiments based on introductory-level chemistry topics. This course is an introduction to the chemistry laboratory environment and focuses on the development of basic lab skills. [Offered: F,S]

A first-year Chemistry course for students in Chemistry-based programs. The stoichiometry of compounds and chemical reactions. Properties of gases. Periodicity and chemical bonding. Energy changes in chemical systems. Electronic structure of atoms and molecules; correlation with the chemical reactivity of common elements, inorganic and organic compounds. [Offered: F]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 121. This course is an introduction to the chemistry laboratory environment and focuses on the development of basic lab skills. [Offered: F]

Properties of liquids and solutions. Introduction to chemical equilibria. Principles of acid-base equilibria, solubility and electrochemical processes. Chemical kinetics.

Selected experiments based on introductory-level chemistry topics. This course is a continuation of CHEM 120L, with increased emphasis on assessment of experimental design.

A first-year chemistry course for students in chemistry-based programs. Properties of liquids and solutions. Introduction to chemical equilibria. Principles of acid-base equilibria, solubility, and electrochemical processes. Chemical kinetics. [Offered: W]

Selected experiments for student taking CHEM 125. This course is a continuation of CHEM 121L, with increased emphasis on assessment of experimental design. [Offered: W]

The application of numeric computing software to perform basic calculations, data analysis, regression analysis, plotting of scientific graphs, data manipulation, and equation solving will be covered in this course, with an emphasis placed upon chemical and biochemical concepts and applications. [Offered: F,W,S]

This course is an introduction to practical laboratory skills. Laboratory techniques will include: the separation, isolation and purification of compounds (through extraction, reflux, distillation, chromatography, and recrystallization), analysis techniques, and the application of these techniques in synthesis. The subjects covered in this biweekly laboratory provide the foundation for more advanced laboratory courses and the basic training needed for an industrial or research laboratory position. The seminar portion of this course will focus on communication and technical skills; the latter will include analysis of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), use of search engines, and learning of citation formats. [Offered: F]

The nature of electromagnetic radiation and an elementary outline of quantum mechanics in one dimension. For each of microwave, infrared, Raman, electronic, photoelectron, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the nature of the molecular energy levels involved and the type of molecular information that can be obtained using it are examined. [Offered: F]

An introduction to the principles of chemical structure and bonding, with emphasis on their application to inorganic systems. Topics include atoms, orbitals, and periodicity; localized bonding models; symmetry and group theory; and molecular orbital theory. The subjects treated in this course are foundational components for advanced studies in all areas of chemistry. [Offered: W,S]

Quantitative and analytical chemistry including ionic equilibria, classical and more recent methods. Emphasis on planning and decision-making in the analytical process. [Offered: F]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 220. [Offered: F]

Instrumental analytical chemistry, including traditional and more recent methods. Emphasis on planning and decision-making in the analytical process. [Offered W,S]

Extensive lab experience for students who have taken CHEM 220. [Offered: W,S]

Chemistry of amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids, with special emphasis on representative proteins and enzymes, including hemoglobin, cytochrome c and chymotrypsin. [Offered: W,S]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 233. [Offered: W,S]

An introduction to the chemistry of amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. Structure and properties of proteins and enzymes. [Offered: W, S]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 237. [Offered: W, S]

Mathematical techniques useful for chemistry students. Introduction to complex numbers, plus topics chosen from: calculus; differential equations; vector spaces and vector algebra; matrices and determinants; elementary probability theory; basic group theory and symmetry. Applications to problems of chemical interest. [Offered: F]

This laboratory provides an introduction to physical chemistry experimentation. The experiments are designed to illustrate the principles and theories of thermodynamics and employ a variety of important techniques, including spectroscopy, conductivity, and calorimetry. [Offered: F]

An introduction to the first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics and the application of these laws to ideal systems, mixtures, and chemical reactions. Thermodynamic principles are used to study changes in state, including phase changes, and to establish the link between the equilibrium constant and the properties of the substances involved in a chemical reaction. [Offered: W,S]

Bonding, structure, and nomenclature in organic chemistry. Physical properties and simple reactions associated with the important functional groups. [Offered: F,W]

Selected experiments for engineering students taking CHEM 262. [Offered: F,W]

Structure and bonding in organic chemistry. Isomerism and stereoisomerism in organic compounds. Acidity of organic compounds and substituent effects on acidity. Reaction mechanisms and energetics. Chemistry of alkanes, haloalkanes, alcohols and ethers, alkenes and alkynes. [Offered: F, S]

Nucleophilic addition and substitution at CO carbon. Aromaticity and simple MO theory of conjugated systems. Electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Applications of spectroscopic techniques in organic chemistry. [Offered: W,S]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 265. [Offered: W,S]

Structure, nomenclature, and reactions of important classes of organic compounds. Stereochemistry and its role in reaction mechanisms. [Offered: F]

Selected experiments for students taking (or who have taken) CHEM 266.

A continuation of the concepts of CHEM 266, including material on amines, aromatics, enols and enolates, and nucleophilic addition and substitution at the carbonyl group. Introduction to nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy. [Offered: W]

Selected experiments for students taking CHEM 267.

Examples drawn from the chemical industry are used to expose students to a methodology for developing an innovative idea into a well-defined working plan. Students will use the methodology to develop ideas for their fourth-year projects. [Offered: F; online only]

The inorganic, organic, and solid state chemistry of the d-block elements. The structure and physical properties of co-ordination compounds and transition metal containing solids. The role of transition metal organometallics in catalysis. [Offered: F]

Synthesis of transition and non-transition metal compounds. Characterization of compounds using IR, UV-VIS, and NMR spectroscopy. [Offered: F]

This course provides a detailed examination of the structure and bonding in main group and solid state compounds, including valence bond and molecular orbital theory for describing electronic structures, Hueckel and extended Hueckel approximations. Structures of simple solids, including close packing of spheres and derived ionic lattice types; aspects of chemical crystallography, Bravais lattices, point groups, space groups, crystal planes, and X-ray diffraction; Ionic interactions in gases and solution; the thermodynamics of acid-base interactions; descriptive chemistry and characterization of main group element compounds. [Offered: W]

Introduction to synthetic inorganic chemistry. [Offered: W]

Detailed study of selected instruments and instrumental methods. Introduction to chemometrics and to computer interfacing. [Offered: F]

Thermodynamics of metabolism. Metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. Chemistry of oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthesis. Emphasis is put on the role and chemical mechanisms of the enzymes in these processes. [Offered: F]

Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids. [Offered: F]

Selected experiments for students having completed or concurrently taking CHEM 331. Topics to be covered include: NMR, allostery, enzymology, electrophoresis, carbohydrates, lipids, photosynthesis, and respiration. [Offered: F, W]

Biochemical reactions involved in respiration, fermentation, cell metabolism. Enzymatic reactions and their use in major industrial processes for transforming or producing chemicals. Biodigesters and bioreactors. Critical analysis of various processes using energy and mass balances. [Offered: F; online only]

This course introduces students to molecular modeling theories and commercially available molecular modeling software packages. This course incorporates weekly lectures and hands-on computational sessions (labs). Examples are drawn from many areas of chemistry to illustrate the power and utility of molecular modeling. [Offered: W]

Basic chemical kinetics; treatment of kinetic data; complex reaction mechanisms; fast reactions; the canonical ensemble and the canonical partition function; statistical mechanics applied to chemistry; statistical theory of reaction rates. [Offered: W]

This advanced laboratory builds upon fundamental knowledge of physical chemistry gained in the introductory physical chemistry laboratory, CHEM 250L. The experiments are designed to illustrate the principles and theories of thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy, and quantum mechanics. [Offered: F]

Historical background; the differential equation approach to quantum mechanics; treatments of solvable problems such as the particle-in-a-box, harmonic oscillator, rigid rotator and the hydrogen atom; introduction to approximation methods for more complicated systems. [Offered: F]

The use of diffusion, ultracentrifugation, osmotic pressure, electrophoresis and X-ray diffraction to study the properties of biopolymers. Hyperbolic and allosteric enzyme kinetics, inhibition, and regulation. Some spectroscopies important to the life sciences. [Offered: W]

Enolate alkylation, condensation, conjugate addition and pericyclic reactions. FMO theory, organometallics and transition metal-catalyzed C-C bond formation. [Offered: W]

Selected microscale synthetic experiments for students in Year Three Chemistry and Biochemistry programs, including spectroscopic identification of organic compounds. [Offered: W]

This course is an introduction to the important aspects of Process Chemistry for the industrial production of pharmaceutically active organic compounds. Topics covered include: industrial organic synthesis and process design, scaling to kilogram quantities, green chemistry principles, process safety and hazard identification, industrial separation and purification, and meeting quality guidelines and regulations. [Offered: F or W]

Basic definitions and polymer nomenclature, molecular weight distributions and averages, molecular weight measurements, step-growth and free radical chain-growth polymerization reactions, chain conformations, glass transition, crystallization, and mechanical properties of polymers. [Offered: F]

Review of stereochemistry, racemic and enantioselective syntheses of amino acids, peptide synthesis, development of peptides into drugs, physical properties and structures of monosaccharides, reactions of monosaccharides, glycoside synthesis, structures of disaccharides and polysaccharides, synthesis of oligosaccharides, physical properties and synthesis of nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleic acids, nucleotides and nucleic acids as drugs, general drug development. [Offered: W]

A laboratory course intended for students in the Medicinal Chemistry Specialization of the Honours Chemistry plan. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to advanced laboratory techniques used in synthetic organic chemistry. [Offered: F]

This course discusses the drug discovery process and drug synthesis. Topics include enzymes and receptors, hit and lead discovery, lead optimization, QSAR, prodrugs, drug delivery, drug metabolism, mechanisms of selected drugs, and laboratory and process scale synthesis of selected drugs. [Offered: F]

This course is only for exchange students wishing to carry out a research project.

This course is only for exchange students wishing to carry out a research project.

A selection of current and advanced topics of interests in many areas of Chemistry. For a list of offerings see the Academic Advisor or check the Chemistry website, program electives page. [Offered: F, W]

Properties of water; chemicals in the environment; environmental fate of inorganic and organic pollutants; basic phenomena affecting the fate of water pollutants (vapor pressure; activity, solubility, partitioning, diffusion, sorption); acids and bases in water; dissolved carbon dioxide; trace metals in water. [Offered: F or W]

For a current list of offerings see the Undergraduate Officer.

Properties and metabolism of porphyrins, purines, pyrimidines and biogenic amines. Biosynthesis and mode of action of selected cofactors. Structure-function relationships of enzymes. Regulation of enzyme activity. [Offered: F]

Nitrogen fixation. Assimilation of nitrogen. Amino acid metabolism. Metabolic regulation. Proteolytic enzymes, ubiquitin. Blood coagulation. Signal transduction and amplification. Biochemistry of nitric oxide. Biochemistry of vision. [Offered: W]

Elucidation and identification of organic structures by contemporary spectroscopic techniques. [Offered: F]

Catalysis and biocatalysis. "Green solvent" and solvent-free reactions. Biobased synthesis of polymers and amphiphiles. Bioreactions in chemical synthesis. [Offered: F; online only]

This course provides an introduction to strategies for design of potential drug candidates. It builds upon molecular modelling principles introduced in CHEM 340 and will apply them to specific problems in drug design. Topics include conformational analysis, molecular mechanics, and molecular dynamics; computational studies of drug-receptor interactions, docking of small organic molecules to biological receptors, and alteration of molecular structures for improvement of bioactivity. [Offered: F or W]

Student teams work on the projects defined in CHEM 302 (Innovation and Project Management). [Offered: F]

Students work individually on extending the scope of the team projects started in CHEM 491A. [Offered: W]

Laboratory work on a senior year research project. Enrolment into this course requires permission of the CHEM 494 co-ordinator. See the CHEM 494 coordinator for course details. No credit or grade will be provided for this course until the two-term sequence CHEM 494A/B has been completed. CHEM 494A/B may not be taken concurrently without prior permission of the CHEM 494 co-ordinator.

A continuation of CHEM 494A. No credit or grade will be provided for this course until the two-term sequence CHEM 494A/B has been completed. CHEM 494A/B may not be taken concurrently without prior permission of the CHEM 494 co-ordinator.

This course is only for exchange students wishing to carry out an advanced research project during the fall term.

This course is only for exchange students wishing to carry out a research project during the winter term.

This course is only for exchange students wishing to carry out a research project during the spring term.