Details of CH4202 (Spring 2023)

Level: 4 Type: Theory Credits: 4.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
CH4202 Symmetry in Chemistry Debasis Koley

Syllabus
A: Bonding in organic and inorganic chemistry (13 Classes)
Construction of qualitative MO diagram using the concepts of SALC and Projection operator in
followings:
(i) SALC and MO diagram in homo- and hetero-nuclear diatomic molecules (H2, N2, O2, CO,
NO )
(ii) SALC and MO diagram in AHn (A=second-row atom) (BeH2, BH3, CH4, NH3, H2O, HF),
pendant atom
(iii) SALC and MO diagram in Mxn, e.g., alpha-bonding in BF3, XeF4, BrF5, pi-bonding in CO2, SF6
(iv) SALC and MO diagram in pi-electronic systems. pi-approximation (carbonate ion, transbutadiene, cyclobutadiene, etc.), pi-MOs of carbocyclic systems (e.g., benzene, naphthalene);
Hckel MO theory.
B: Bonding in transition-metal complexes (7 Classes)
Transformation properties of Atomic orbitals. Frontier orbitals.
(i) LCAO-MO for alpha-bonding in Oh, Td, D4h and other geometries.
(ii) LCAO-MO for pi-bonding in Oh, Td, D4h and other geometries.
(iii) LCAO-MO in cage and cluster compounds (B6H62, metal carbonyl)
(iv) LCAO-MO in sandwich complexes (ferrocene, dibenzenechromium)
C: Molecular vibration (10 Classes)
Symmetry species of normal vibrations ( ) in polyatomic molecules in various geometries.
Selection rules in IR and Raman spectroscopy, Polarization, Overtones, combination bands and
Hot bands , Stretching and bending mode analysis, Fermi resonance, Rule of mutual exclusion.
Using correlation tables with vibrational spectra (CH4 and CH3D).
Examples: (H2O, CO2, XeF4, BCl3, NH3, B2H6, C2H4, CH4, SF6, C6H6, etc.)
D: Electronic Spectroscopy (7 Classes)
Molecular term symbols (B2, N2, O2, etc)
Electric dipole transition. Orbital and spin selection rule. Frank-Condon factor, Vibronic
selection rule, Relaxation in selection rule. Magnetic dipole selection rules, single-photon and
two-photon spectroscopy, forbidden transition, Laporte selection rule
Ligand field theory of transition-metal complexes: electronic structure of free atoms and ions,
Splitting of levels and terms in various chemical environment (Oh, Td), weak fields and strong
fields, correlation table, Jahn-Teller effect, Orgel diagram, correlation diagram, method of
descending symmetry, non-crossing rule. Hole formalism, Tanabe-Sugano diagram, Chargetransfer spectra.
E: Photochemistry and conservation of orbital symmetry (3 Classes)
Woodward Hoffmann rule, Frontier orbitals, Symmetry State Correlation, Electrocyclic reaction,
Cycloaddition reaction (ethylene dimerization), Sigmatropic rearrangement

References
References:
1. Symmetry and Structure, by S. F. A. Kettle, JohnWiley & Sons. NY.
2. Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory, by R. L. Carter, JohnWiley & Sons. NY.
3. Molecular Symmetry, by D. J. Willock, JohnWiley & Sons. NY.
4. Chemical Applications of Group Theory, by F. A. Cotton, JohnWiley & Sons. NY.
5. Group Theory and Chemistry, by D. M. Bishop, Dover Publication. NY.
6. Symmetry and Group Theory in Chemistry, by M. Ladd, Horwood Publishing. Chichester

Course Credit Options

Sl. No.ProgrammeSemester NoCourse Choice
1 IP 2 Not Allowed
2 IP 4 Elective
3 IP 6 Not Allowed
4 MP 2 Not Allowed
5 MP 4 Not Allowed
6 MR 2 Not Allowed
7 MR 4 Not Allowed
8 MS 10 Not Allowed
9 MS 4 Not Allowed
10 MS 6 Not Allowed
11 MS 8 Core
12 RS 1 Elective
13 RS 2 Elective