CHEMISTRY (2008)

Professor of Organic Chemistry & Head of Department
MT Davies-Coleman, PhD(Rhodes)
DST/NRF Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology and Director of the Nanotechnology Innovation Centre - Sensors
T Nyokong, BSc(Lesotho), MSc(McMaster), PhD(Western Ontario), FRSSAf, OMB
Senior Lecturer, Physical Chemistry
RC Cosser, PhD(Lond), DIC
Senior Lecturer, Inorganic & Analytical Chemistry
GM Watkins, PhD(UCT)
Lecturer, Inorganic & Analytical Chemistry
Z Tshentu, PhD(NMMU)
Lecturer, Organic Chemistry
R Klein, BSc(Hons)(UCT), MSc(Rhodes), PhD(Miami)
Lecturer, Academic Development
JD Sewry, MSc(Rhodes), HDE(UNISA)
Junior Lecturer, Physical Chemistry
E Lamprecht, BSc(Hons)(Rhodes)
Lecturer & NMR Specialist
KA Lobb, BSc(Hons)(Rhodes)
Director, Centre for Chemico- and Biomedicinal Research
PT Kaye, BSc(Natal), BSc(Hons)(UNISA), MSc(Natal), DPhil(Oxon), FRSC, FRSSAf
Research Associates
Professor Emeritus ME Brown, BSc(Hons)(Wits), PhD(Rhodes), FRSSAf
Professor Emeritus DEA Rivett, MSc(Rhodes), PhD(Cantab)
Associate Professor Emeritus DJ Eve, PhD (Rhodes), FRSC, CChem
AK Galwey, DSc(London)
DR Rosseinsky, MSc(Rhodes), PhD, DSc(Manch), FRSC CChem

Chemistry (CHE) is a six-semester subject which may be taken as a major subject for the degrees of BSc, BCom and BJourn.

To major in Chemistry, a candidate is required to obtain credits in CHE 1; CHE 2; CHE 3; and four semester credits, normally comprised of two full first year courses in any of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics. Students are advised to discuss their choice of the above courses with the Head of the Chemistry Department. Students are also referred to the relevant departmental Calendar sections that limit entry into CSC 102, PHY 102 and STA 102 to those performing satisfactorily in the corresponding 101 courses. See also Rule S.23.

Two, or in some cases four, Chemistry semester-credit courses are allowed as credits for other degree/diploma curricula in the Faculties of Humanities and Education. In particular, credits in CHE 101 and CHE 102 separately, or an aggregated credit CHE 1, are required for admission to BPharm 2, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in the theory section of each course separately.

Each undergraduate year is offered as a pair of semester-credit courses. The overall mark for each semester-course comprises 70% from the marks for the theory paper/s, 20% from the marks for the practical section and 10% from the coursework component. Credit in any semester-course is subject to a sub-minimum in the theory paper/s.

See the Departmental Web Page http://www.chem.ru.ac.za/ for further details, particularly the content of courses.

First-year level courses in Chemistry

4 lectures, 1 tutorial and 3 hours of practical weekly.

Note: It will be assumed that students in Chemistry 101 have a knowledge of chemistry at the standard of Physical Science at Matriculation level or its equivalent.

There are two first-year courses in Chemistry. CHE 101 is held in the first semester and CHE 102 in the second semester. Credit may be obtained in each course separately and, in addition, an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to be equivalent to a two-credit course CHE 1, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in the theory paper of each course separately. Supplementary examinations may be recommended in either course, provided that a candidate achieves a minimum standard specified by the Department.

Continuation Requirements

Candidates obtaining less than 20% in the theory paper of CHE 101 in June are not permitted to continue with any Chemistry course in that year.

A mark of at least 40% in the theory paper of CHE 101 is required for entry into CHE 102. Candidates who achieve this standard, but fail to obtain at least 50% overall, may join the CHE 102 course in July, but must write the CHE 101 paper, as well as the CHE 102 paper, in November. For CHE 101, the November mark will count (see Rule S.25.5).

Candidates who obtain from 20% to 39% in the theory paper of CHE 101 in June cannot continue into CHE 102. They must transfer to the remedial course, Chemistry 1R, to revise the topics from CHE 101 for re-examination in November, but will continue with the CHE 102 practical course. In the following year, candidates with a credit for CHE 101 (but not for CHE 102) who wish to register for CHE 102 must spend the first semester in Chemistry 1R, previewing the material to be covered in CHE 102. These students will be permitted to write an examination in June to obtain credit for the theory component of CHE 102, but must have completed the CHE 102 practicals satisfactorily in order to obtain a credit for CHE 102. Those students who fail the CHE 102 examination in June will proceed into the mainstream CHE 102 in the second semester, and rewrite the CHE 102 paper in November.

CHE 101 Fundamental principles of chemical systems

Chemical symbols and numeracy, nuclear chemistry, atomic structure and bonding, chemical and physical equilibrium, introduction to organic chemistry.

CHE 102 Fundamental properties of chemical systems

Properties of inorganic systems, chemistry and the environment, organic functional group chemistry, biological building blocks, reaction rates, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry.

Second-year level courses in Chemistry

5 lectures and 4.5 hours of practical weekly.

There are two independent second-year courses in Chemistry. CHE 201 is held in the first semester and CHE 202 in the second semester. Credit may be obtained in each course separately and, in addition, an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to be equivalent to a two-credit course CHE 2, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in the theory papers of each course separately. No supplementary examinations will be offered for either course.

Credit in Chemistry (CHE 1) is required before a student may register for CHE 201 or CHE 202.

CHE 201 Modern analytical methods and environmental thermodynamics

Theory: general principles; spectroscopy including UV, IR, NMR, MS, AA. Electroanalytical techniques. Thermal analysis. Chromatography. Environmental thermodynamics.

Practical: Entrepreneurial project and inorganic/analytical chemistry.

Theory: Fossil fuels and organic chemicals: feedstocks, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, heterocycles. Polymer chemistry: natural, synthetic, kinetics, physical properties. Inorganic Chemistry.

Practical: Physical, organic and polymer chemistry.

Third-year level courses in Chemistry

5 lectures and 4.5 hours of practical weekly.

There are two independent third-year courses in Chemistry. CHE 301 is held in the first semester and CHE 302 in the second semester. Credit may be obtained in each course separately and, in addition, an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to be equivalent to a two-credit course CHE 3, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in the theory papers of each course separately. No supplementary examinations will be offered for either course.

Credits in Chemistry (CHE 2), and four semester credits, normally comprised of two full first year courses in any of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, are required before a student may register for CHE 301 or CHE 302. Students are referred to the relevant departmental Calendar sections that limit entry into CSC 102, PHY 102 and STA 102 to those performing satisfactorily in the corresponding 101 courses. Note also that the university timetable may prevent certain first year courses from being taken concurrently with Chemistry 3. See also Rule S.23.

CHE 301: Chemistry at the biological interface

Theory: Molecular modelling and quantum mechanics. Biologically active organic compounds: natural products; synthesis: carbonyl chemistry, retrosynthesis, combinatorial chemistry. Photochemistry and photodynamic therapy. Surface chemistry of solutions. Bioinorganic chemistry. "Green chemistry".

Practical: Physical and organic chemistry.

Theory: Basics of plant design; mass and energy balances; safety and environmental impact; financial aspects. Surface chemistry of solids and heterogeneous catalysis. Crystallography. Transition metals in SA. Linear free energy relationships. Organometallics. Reaction kinetics and energetics.

Practical: Project on industrial chemistry. Inorganic chemistry.

Chemistry Honours

Students who achieve a satisfactory standard in third-year Chemistry may be accepted for the Honours course. The course consists of lectures on a choice of advanced topics, a review essay and a research project (conducted over most of the year as a member of one of the Department's research groups).

MSc and PhD degrees

Suitably qualified students are encouraged to proceed to the research degrees of MSc and PhD under the direction of the staff of the Department.

Requirements for the MSc and PhD degrees are given in the General Rules.