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Chair Jeffrey K. Atkinson Professors Emeriti Martin S. Gibson, Richard R. Hiatt, David C. Moule Professors Ian D. Brindle, J. Stephen Hartman, Herbert L. Holland, Jack M. Miller, Mary Frances Richardson, Stuart M. Rothstein Associate Professors Jeffrey K. Atkinson, Alfredo Capretta, James McNulty, Andrew G. Reynolds, Art van der Est Assistant Professors Heather Gordon Adjunct Professor Klaus Kaiser Senior Demonstrators Gail Neff, Donna Vukmanic Co-ordinator, Analytical Services T.R.B. Jones |
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Administrative Assistant Chris Skorski, extension 3406 Mackenzie Chown E206 http://www.brocku.ca/chemistry/etc/gradchem.html The department provides facilities for students intending to work toward their master's degree in Chemistry. Faculty members specialize in organic/bio-organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and physical/theoretical chemistry. The department also supports the master's and doctoral degrees in Biotechnology. |
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Students will be admissible to the MSc program if they have completed a 4-year Honours undergraduate program in Chemistry or a cognate discipline such as biotechnology or biochemistry, with at least an upper B average. Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be considered for admission to a qualifying year. |
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Candidates with an honours degree or who have completed a qualifying year, require a minimum of one year of full-time study. The program must include CHEM 5F90; three 5(alpha)00 level half credits; one half credit (or one credit) which may be at either the 4(alpha)00 or 5(alpha)00 level; and one seminar on a topic approved by the candidate's Supervisor. Additional credits may be required of candidates with insufficient preparation in their area of research specialization. As part of CHEM 5F90 every MSc candidate must prepare and defend a thesis which demonstrates a capacity for independent work of acceptable scientific calibre. |
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Students with MSc degrees in Chemistry with a background in biological applications of chemistry may apply for admission into Brock's PhD program in Biotechnology. Brock also has an agreement with McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, that students who have graduated from the MSc program may apply to McMaster for PhD studies under a Brock co-supervisor. |
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The following research fields are currently represented: Inorganic chemistry Nuclear magnetic resonance both in solution and in the solid state; halogen redistribution and ionic-covalent equilibria in boron trihalide adducts. Magic Angle Spinning NMR of inorganic solids including silicon carbide, silicate minerals, supported catalysts, and fluorides. Synthesis and mass spectroscopy of organometallic compounds, including perhalogenoaromatic compounds and donor-acceptor adducts, supported catalysts and reagents; sol-gel synthesis of catalyst supports. Fast Atom Bombardment mass spectroscopy; strong hydrogen bonding to fluoride; polytypism and solid-state phase transitions; molecular modelling. Organic chemistry Synthesis of heterocyclic, aromatic and aliphatic systems, benzocyclobutenes, Diels-Adler synthesis of five- and six-membered carbocyclic and heterocyclic rings, pyrimidinophanes, new approaches in natural product synthesis; asymmetric catalysis; molecular rearrangements; fungal, bacterial and mammalian cell biotransformation; model systems for biochemical processes; mechanism of biological reactions; biosynthetic pathways; anticancer compounds; the chemistry of plant-insect interactions; affinity labelling; Friedel-Crafts and related reactions on supported catalysts. Physical and theoretical chemistry Rovibronic analysis of electronic band spectra of polyatomic molecules; Franck-Condon calculation of geometry changes on electronic excitation; quantum mechanical methods; atomic and molecular structure, applied statistics; photophysics of biologically relevant probes. Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations of biological molecules. Quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR). Electron spin resonance for the study of photosynthetic reaction centres. Analytical chemistry Development of analytical methods for pesticides and their degradation compounds; studies on the fate of pesticides in plants, insects and the environment. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance applied to environmental problems. Trace and ultra-trace determination of elements in complex matrices. Applications of FAB mass spectrometry in analytical chemistry. Facilities The equipment available in the Mackenzie Chown Complex is actively used for both teaching and research. Graduate students gain hands-on experience in operating modern equipment for separating of complex mixtures, determining molecular structures, and making quantitative measurements. Newer equipment is computer-controlled and is connected to the University's Ethernet backbone. The department also has a variety of computers and UNIX workstations for advanced computation, data interpretation, and molecular modelling. Specific instrumentation includes 200-and 300-MHz NMR cryospectrometers for solution and high resolution solid studies. A high resolution double focussing magnetic mass spectrometer, interfaced to a data acquisition system, allows for acquisition of positive and negative ion spectra with EI, CI, FAB and dynamic FAB sources. GC, LC (particle beam and dynamic FAB) and linked scanning are available, along with a dedicated HP quadrupole GC/MSD; HPLC MS (Ion Trap) system with ESI and APCI sources. The instrumentation laboratories also include uv/visible spectrophotometers, FT IR spectrophotometers; preparative and analytical gas chromatographs, lasers, high pressure liquid chromatographs with datastations, research AAs, and ICPs and DCPs, an ion chromatograph and an auto-polarimeter, high-sensitivity spectrofluorimeter and laser-based fiber-optic fluorimeter, electron spin resonance spectrometer. Undergraduate Courses One fourth-year course can be taken for credit by graduate students. The year 4 courses are listed in the undergraduate calendar. Course Descriptions The following, all but one of which are half credit courses, are available in the department. A selection of these, determined in part by students' interests, will be offered each year. Further information about the courses to be offered in any year may be obtained from the Chair of the Department. MSc Research and Thesis Theoretical and/or experimental research. An external examiner will participate in the evaluation of the student's performance in this course. Quantum Chemistry: Theory (also offered as PHYS 5P00) Self-consistent-field (SCF) method; configuration interaction; basis functions; electron correlation; physical properties of atoms, diatomic and polyatomic molecules. Quantum Chemistry: Applications Application of ab initio molecular orbital theories to problems in atomic and molecular structure, to intermolecular forces and to chemical reactivity. Chemistry in Cyberspace The use of the personal computer and workstation as a tool for organic and inorganic chemistry. Topics include the use of the internet as a source of basic information, interactive computation, and software; the use of molecular mechanics/modeling packages; and a comparison of the use of semi-empirical and ab initio computational chemistry packages designed for the experimental chemist to supplement, interpret or predict lab data. The ease of use and accuracy of results of various programs will be explored. Molecular Spectroscopy: Theory Selected topics in advanced molecular spectroscopy, such as rotational-vibrational Hamiltonian, Coriolis coupling, Herzberg- Teller, Renner, Jahn-Teller effects, inversion dynamics, overtone spectra, infrared and Raman intensities, molecular structure and conformation. Molecular Spectroscopy: Applications Design of grating instruments; calibration and operation of Raman, infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometers; analysis of spectra. Special Topics in Physical Chemistry Topics may include aspects of chemical dynamics, molecular spectroscopy, statistical mechanics and quantum theory. Biophysical Photochemistry (also offered as BTEC 5P13) The principles of light-induced processes such as electron, energy, and signal transfer and their role in biological systems. Marcus theory, Dexter and Foerster mechanisms of energy transfer. The optical and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of excited states. Computational Chemistry: Applications in Biotechnology (also offered as BTEC 5P14) Structure-based drug design; molecular modelling; conformational search techniques; secondary and tertiary protein structure prediction; quantitative structure-activity relationships; bioinformatics. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy Applications of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy to chemical systems. Theory of chemical shifts, coupling constants and relaxation times; instrumentation, including an introduction to pulse and Fourier Transform techniques and two-dimensional NMR; structure determination by NMR; chemical exchange effects. Mass Spectroscopy The theory and practice of modern mass spectroscopy applied to organic, inorganic and organometallic systems; systematic interpretation of organic mass spectra; high resolution mass spectra GC/MS; metastable ions; computerized mass spectrometry. Special Topics in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy Selected topics in advanced NMR spectroscopy, emphasizing recent applications in areas such as two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution NMR of solids. A continuation of CHEM 5P15. Prerequisite: CHEM 5P15. Special Topics in Mass Spectroscopy Selected topics in advanced mass spectrometry emphasizing instrumentation development, ionization techniques and applications. A continuation of CHEM 5P16. Prerequisite: CHEM 5P16. Organic Reaction Mechanisms The critical study of papers of mechanistic and/or synthetic interest in the recent literature drawing attention to the ways in which mechanisms are established and applied as well as to the mechanisms themselves. Special Topics in Organic Chemistry Topics may include organic photochemistry, biotransformation, free radical chemistry, symmetry and stereochemistry and a further study of mechanistic or synthetic organic chemistry. Advanced Organic Synthesis Strategies in the design of organic syntheses; examples from the current literature will be used to illustrate new trends in synthetic methodology and approaches to the synthesis of complex or organic molecules and natural products; new reagents in organic synthesis including an examination of organometallics and enzymes. Evantioselective Syntheses A survey of the methods available for achieving stereoselectivity including chiral catalysis, asymmetric induction via a substrate-and reagent-based strategies and the "chiral pool" approach. The application of the methods to the synthesis of complex organic molecules and natural products will be examined using examples from current literature. Natural Products Chemistry A study of the structural features, synthesis and biosynthesis of natural products selected from the acetogenin, alkaloid, steroid and terpene and other areas. Medicinal Chemistry Structure and activity of biologically active organic compounds.Introduction to pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and receptor theory as a background for a more detailed study of chemistry of drugs such as enzyme inhibitors and receptor antagonists. Rational drug design, combinatorial libraries, screening, and general routes of metabolism. Prerequisite: CHEM 3P20 and 3P21 or permission of the instructor. Advanced Enzyme and Co-enzyme Mechanisms (also offered as BCHM 5P27) Hydrolytic and other processes catalyzed by enzymes lacking non-protein prosthetic groups; transferase reactions involving biotin, pyridoxal phosphate, thiamine pyrophosphate, folic acid and cobalamin; oxidation mechanisms involving pyridine nucleotides, flavoenzymes, hydroperoxidases and oxygenases. Students completing this course will forfeit credit in CHEM 4P27. Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry A directed reading course in advanced inorganic chemistry based on a critical approach to the original literature. Topics are to be arranged between the student and instructor. Chemistry of Organometallic and Co-ordination Compounds A study of main group and transition metal organometallic and co-ordination compounds with emphasis on synthesis, reactivity, structure and biological properties. Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry The course will include topics such as pesticide and residue analysis, advanced chromatographic techniques, chemical analysis applied to environmental and agricultural problems, preconcentration techniques and new analytical techniques. Atomic Spectrometry Arcs, sparks, ICP, DCP, AA, will be investigated. Evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of excitation sources and sample introduction techniques. Particular concentration in this course will be the sample and how it is analyzed and some discussion will centre on sample preparation, matrix elimination or minimization. Solid sampling methods such as laser ablation and glow discharge will be reviewed. Biophysical Techniques (also offered as BCHM 5P67) An advanced seminar/lecture course on experimental techniques in biochemistry. The focus is on understanding the theory, applications and limitations of a variety of techniques students will encounter during their graduate studies. Techniques will range from advanced spectroscopy (absorption, fluorescence, NMR, X-ray diffraction) to molecular biochemistry (DNA and protein sequencing, gel electrophoresis, radioisotope labelling). |
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2002-2003 Graduate Calendar
Last updated: March 20, 2003 @ 11:10AM