Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry 1200-1CHMCHNBW3

The initial part of the lecture is mainly devoted to fundamentals of inorganic chemistry with reference to position of elements in the periodic table, prediction of properties of the related compounds and tendencies of changes of their physicochemical properties. Attention is paid to structural features of inorganic compounds, their chemical reactivity upon consideration of the strength and nature of chemical bonds between atoms, ions and molecules. Basic properties of ionic crystals, importance of oxidation states, possibility of redox processes, as well as fundamentals of coordination chemistry, with reference to bioinorganic compounds (e.g. enzymes, cytochromes), are also covered. Among the other important issues are the systematic description of selected elements, including hydrogen and its compounds, metals (including transition metals, lanthanides and actinides, certain metal oxides, reaction mechanisms of coordination compounds, organometallic systems as well as representative catalytic processes. Following discussion of these fundamental issues, reference is given to modern scientific aspects and technological challenges related to inorganic chemistry, such as hydrogen energetics, alternative approaches to energy conversion (e.g. in fuel cells), reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels and utility chemicals and low-temperature nitrogen fixation to ammonia. Thus basic and conventional aspects of inorganic chemistry are supported with items of information related to biological chemistry, including those concerning importance of „bioelements” in medicine, biochemistry of calcium, storage and transport of oxygen molecules, enzymes, together with redox enzymes, cytochromes, as well as photosynthesis, and biosolar systems.