International Chemistry Olympiad. These problems were prepared with reliance on fundamental topics that
are traditionally covered in high school chemistry courses supplemented with six topics of advanced difficulty for the Theoretical part and one topic of advanced difficulty for the Practical part. These topics are listed under “Topics of Advanced Difficulty”, and their applications are given in the problems. In our experience each of these topics can be introduced in two to three hours. Whenever possible the relevance of the problem in the chemical sciences, and to the complex world in which we live, is given. olutions will be sent to the head mentor of each country by email by February 1st of 2012. We welcome any comments, corrections, or questions about the problems to icho2012@umd.edu.
We hope that these problems will be useful in your efforts to prepare students for the 44th IChO, and we look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC, and at the University of Maryland.
Content
Theoretical Problems
Problem 1 Structure of Boron Hydrides and NMR Spectroscopy
Problem 2 Structure of Aluminum Halides
Problem 3 Polyoxoanions of Boron
Problem 4 Boron Nitride and Its Solid State Structure
Problem 5 The Tin Pest: Solid State Structure and Phase Equilibrium
Problem 6 Silanes: Thermochemistry and Bond Dissociation Enthalpy
Problem 7 Lewis Acid-Base Chemistry
Problem 8 Nitrogen Oxides: Chemistry, Reaction Equilibrium and Thermodynamics
Problem 9 Isomerism of Coordination Compounds of Metals
Problem 10 Absorption Spectroscopy
Problem 11 Solution Equilibria
Problem 12 First Order Rate Processes and Radioactivity
Problem 13 Kinetics and Mechanisms of Isomerization of an Octahedral Metal Complex
Problem 14 Metal Phthalocyanines: Mechanism of Reduction
Problem 15 Isotope Effects in Azo Coupling Reactions
Problem 16 Fluorescent Lamps: Heating Inert Gas Atoms by Electrons
Problem 17 Molecular Motors
Problem 18 Particles in a Box Problem and Conjugated Polyenes
Problem 19 Toluene in a Superacid Solution
Problem 20 Mechanism of Catalysis by Lactate Dehydrogenase
Problem 21 Substrate Specificity of Subtilisin
Problem 22 Electro-spray Ionization Mass-spectrometry of Peptides
Problem 23 Persistent Carbenes
Problem 24 The Diels–Alder Reaction
Problem 25 Pericyclic Reactions and the Woodward–Hoffmann Rules
Problem 26 Synthesis of Tetracycline
Problem 27 Synthesis of Antiviral Drugs
Practical Problems, Safety
Problem 28 Analysis of Sodium Sesquicarbonate (Trona)
Problem 29 Analysis of Copper in a Nickel Coin
Problem 30 Synthesis and Analysis of Iron Oxalate Complex
Problem 31 Synthesis and Reduction of an Imine: Green Synthesis of a New Compound
Problem 32 Kinetics of Ferricyanide Oxidation of Ascorbic Acid
Problem 33 Synthesis of a Mannich Base: a Mannich Mystery
