Chemistry strongly benefits from technological advances that accelerate progress in the design and development of new compounds and materials, as well as in understanding their composition, properties, and behavior.
In this course, students undertake a guided research project that serves as a framework to explore both the scientific principles and technological aspects of advanced instrumentation routinely used in modern chemistry laboratories. Through this project, students gain hands-on experience with key analytical techniques.
These include methods for structural characterization of materials at the nanoscale (e.g., Scanning Electron Microscopy, Scanning Probe Microscopy) and at the macroscale (e.g., X-ray diffraction). A visit to the Synchrotron radiation facility Soleil may also be organized, providing exposure to state-of-the-art characterization tools.
CHE_3S002_EP-2026 CHE_3S002_EP - Mastering the Synthesis and Transformation of Molecules (2026-2027)
Mastering the transformation of organic molecules is key to tackle societal challenges such as the synthesis of new pharmaceutical drugs, the design of functional polymers and the recycling of wastes to value-added products. CHE_3S002_EP is an intermediate–level chemistry course that introduces the reactivity and transformation of organic chemicals, based on quantum chemistry. From the description of the electronic structures and bonding interactions in molecules (using molecular orbitals and Hückel theory), the transformation of organic and inorganic compounds is introduced, as well as the reactivity of organic functionalities (carbonyls, alkenes and aromatics) and the concepts of catalysis. This interactive course explores these topics through lectures, tutorials and labs.
