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A Classic Experiment; Reimagined: Using Group Theory to Assign Coordination Complex Geometry via IR Spectroscopy
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DOI：10.1021/acs.jchemed.6c00422.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Group theory is a foundational yet abstract component of undergraduate inorganic chemistry, and students often struggle to translate symmetry operations into experimentally observable spectroscopic outcomes. This work addresses the challenge of facilitating students’ movement beyond symbolic manipulation to apply group theory in authentic chemical contexts. We present a modernized laboratory experiment in which students synthesize a molybdenum carbonyl complex and use character tables to predict infrared-active vibrational modes for possible geometric isomers before collecting and interpreting the IR data. Through a guided-inquiry framework, students compare predicted and experimental spectra to make evidence-based stereochemical assignments. Pre- and post-assessment results demonstrate substantial improvements in calculating IR-active modes, refinement in point group assignment, improved vibrational analysis, and marked increases in student confidence, supporting the effectiveness of embedding symmetry analysis within hands-on synthetic and spectroscopic practice.
Keywords:
Group theory
Infrared spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Students
Undergraduates
Upper-Division Undergraduate
Inorganic Chemistry
Inquiry-Based/Discovery Learning
Conformational Analysis
Coordination Compounds
Group Theory/Symmetry
IR Spectroscopy
Molecular Properties/Structure
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2.9
Papers:
1.2K
Citations:
2.3W
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