Electronic Structure of Inorganic Molecules and Solids

Which topics were covered in the lecture? Which focus was set?

• Fundamentals of molecular symmetry, point groups and the use of character tables
• Basic information about group theory
• Application of symmetry and group theory in chemistry
• IR-Vibrations
• MO-Diagrams
• Band structures and their optimisation
• Isolobal analogy using the example of metal clusters

How did the Lecturer give this lecture? (blackboard writings, script, slides)

The lecture and the tutorial were held live via Zoom and also uploaded to Panopto afterwards. In the videos, the slides that are uploaded on Moodle are discussed.

How were the tutorial sessions structured? How time-consuming are the exercise sheets?

The completion of the exercises leads to the achievement of a grade bonus. The working time per exercise sheet takes about four hours, depending on the scope. The exercises are handed in once a week (on Sundays). The sheets are then corrected and returned with improvements.

What was the exam like? (written or oral, length of the exam, time required for exam preparations)

At the end of the lecture period, a written exam was written. There was the possibility to collect bonus points by completing the exercises (maximum grade bonus of 0.7).

What are the required qualifications for this course? Are there certain bachelor’s or master’s lectures that are fundamental or complementary to this lecture?

Those who are further interested will find more in-depth information in the lectures „Symmetry and Group Theory“ on the topic of the same name and „Surface Spectroscopy and Microscopy“ on the physical description of the band structure.

Would you recommend the lecture to others? What was your motivation for choosing this lecture?

This lecture gives a good and sufficient overview of the topics and their application in chemistry. It is a good supplement to the topics covered in quantum mechanics with clear reference to the application in inorganic chemistry.