IChO

Awareness of experimental errors, use of significant figures; Mathematics skills commonly encountered at secondary school level, including solving quadratic equations, use of logarithms and exponentials, solving simultaneous equations with 2 unknowns, the meaning of sine and cosine, elementary geometry such as Pythagoras’ theorem, plotting graphs; (more advanced math skills such as differentiation and integration, if required must be included as one of the advanced topics); Nucleons, isotopes, radioactive decay and nuclear reactions (alpha, beta, gamma); Quantum numbers (n, l, m) and orbitals (s, p, d) in hydrogen-like atoms; Hund’s rule, Pauli exclusion principle; Electronic configuration of main group and the first-row transition metal atoms and their ions; Periodic table and trends (electronegativity, electron affinity, ionization energy, atomic and ionic size, melting points, metallic character, reactivity); Bond types (covalent, ionic, metallic, coordination), intermolecular forces and relation to properties; Lewis theory; Molecular structures and VSEPR theory; Balancing equations, empirical formulae, mole concept and Avogadro constant, stoichiometric calculations, density, calculations with different concentration units; Chemical equilibrium, Le Chatelier’s principle, equilibrium constants in terms of concentrations, pressures and mole fractions; Arrhenius and Bronsted acid-base theory, pH, self-ionization of water, equilibrium constants of acid-base reactions, pH of weak acid solutions, pH of very dilute solutions and simple buffer solutions, hydrolysis of salts; Solubility constants and solubility; Complexation reactions, definition of coordination number, complex formation constants; Partition coefficients: definition and simple calculations; Basics of electrochemistry: electromotive force, Nernst equation, electrolysis, Faraday’s laws; Rate of chemical reactions, elementary reactions, factors affecting the reaction rate, rate law for homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, rate constant, reaction order; Reaction energy profile, activation energy, Arrhenius-equation, catalysis, influence of a catalyst on thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of a reaction; Use of simple first-order and zeroth-order kinetic rate laws, exponential decay, half-lives; Energy, heat and work, enthalpy and energy, heat capacity, Hess’ law, Born-Haber cycle, standard formation enthalpies, solution, solvation and bond enthalpies; Definition and concept of entropy and Gibbs’ energy, second law of thermodynamics, direction of spontaneous change; Calculation of equilibrium constants from standard enthalpy and entropy data; Ideal gas law, partial pressures; Principles of direct and indirect titration (back titration); Acidi- and alkalimetry, acidimetric titration curves, choice and color of indicators for acidimetry; Redox titrations (permanganometric and iodometric); Simple complexometric and precipitation titrations; Basic principles of inorganic qualitative analysis for ions specified in factual knowledge, flame tests; Basic concepts of light and color, wavelength, frequency, wave numbers, photon energies, Lambert-Beer law; Reactions of s-block elements with water, oxygen and halogens, their color in flame tests; Stoichiometry, reactions and properties of binary non-metal hydrides; Common reactions of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur oxides (CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O4, SO2, SO3); Common oxidation states of p-block elements, stoichiometry of common halides and oxoacids (HNO2, HNO3, H2CO3, H3PO4, H3PO3, H2SO3, H2SO4, HOCl, HClO3, HClO4); Reaction of halogens with water; Common oxidation states of first row transition metals (Cr(III), Cr(VI), Mn(II), Mn(IV), Mn(VII), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(I), Cu(II), Ag(I), Zn(II), Hg(I), and Hg(II)) and the color of these ions; Dissolution of these metals and Al, amphoteric hydroxides (Al(OH)3, Cr(OH)3, Zn(OH)2); Permanganate, chromate, dichromate ions and their redox reactions; Iodometry (reaction of thiosulfate and iodine); Identification of Ag+, Ba2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, Cl–, CO32–, SO42–; Organic structure-reactivity relations (polarity, electrophilicity, nucleophilicity, inductive effects, relative stability), structure-property relations (boiling point, acidity, basicity); Simple organic nomenclature; Hybridization and geometry at carbon and other centers; Sigma and pi bonds, delocalization, aromaticity, resonance structures; Isomerism (constitutional, configuration, conformation, tautomerism); Stereochemistry (E/Z, cis/trans isomers, chirality, optical activity, Cahn-Ingold-Prelog system, Fisher projections, D/L); Cyclohexane conformations; Common electrophiles and nucleophiles; Electrophilic addition: addition to double and triple bonds, regioselectivity (Markovnikoff/Kharasch rule), stereochemistry; Electrophilic substitution: substitution on aromatic rings, influence of substituents on the reactivity and regioselectivity, electrophilic species; Elimination: E1 and E2 reactions at sp3 carbon centers, stereochemistry, acid-base catalysis, common leaving groups; Nucleophilic substitution: SN1 and SN2 reactions at sp3 carbon centers, stereochemistry; Nucleophilic addition: addition to carbon-carbon and carbon-hetero atom double and triple bonds, addition-elimination reactions, acid-base catalysis; Radical substitution: reaction of halogens with alkanes; Oxidations and reductions: switching between the different oxidation levels of common functional groups (alkyne – alkene – alkane – alkyl halide, alcohol – aldehyde, ketone – carboxylic acid derivatives, nitriles – carbonates); Grignard reaction, Fehling and Tollens reaction; Simple polymers and their preparation (polystyrene, polyethylene, polyamides, polyesters); Amino acids and their classification in groups, isoelectric point, peptide bond, peptides and proteins; Carbohydrates: open chain and cyclic forms; Structures of glucose and fructose; Lipids: general formulae of di- and triacyl glycerides, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; General structure of DNA and RNA, hydrogen bonding between bases, the concept of replication and transcription; Use of common protecting groups in organic synthesis; Simple multistep organic synthesis; Hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, micelle and bilayer formation; Polymers and monomers, chain polymerizations, polyaddition and polycondensation

Inorganic stereochemistry, isomerism in coordination compounds; Solid state structures, basic unit cells (metals, NaCl, CsCl), cell parameters, Bragg’s law, solid sphere model, space filling ratios, ratios of ionic radii; Crystal field theory, calculation of magnetic moment; Thermodynamic cycles, adiabatic processes, work of adiabatic processes, adiabatic flame temperatures, heat engine efficiency; Variation of equilibrium constant with temperature, complex calculations of equilibrium constants from thermodynamic data; Calculations of electrochemical data (e.g. cell potentials) from thermodynamic data or equilibrium constants and vice versa; Latimer, Frost and Pourbaix diagrams; Rate laws beyond simple zeroth and first order reactions, kinetic isotope effects; Analysis of complex reactions using steady-state and quasi-equilibrium approximations, mechanisms of catalytic reactions, determination of reaction order and activation energy for complex reactions, (also possibly applied to kinetics of enzyme catalysis); Kinetic theory of gases, collision theory; Phase diagrams, the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, triple and critical points; Advanced stereochemistry: axial chirality, planar chirality; Stereoselective transformations (diastereoselective, enantioselective), optical purity, enantiomeric and diastereomeric excess; Conformational analysis, use of Newman projections, anomeric effect; Aromatic nucleophilic substitution; Electrophilic substitution on polycyclic aromatic compounds and heterocycles; Pericyclic reactions (cycloadditions, sigmatropic rearrangements, electrocyclic reactions), regioselectivity, stereoselectivity and stereospecificity; Advanced polymers, rubbers, copolymers, thermosetting polymers. Polymerization types, stages and kinetics of polymerization; Monosaccharides, pyranoses and furanoses, Haworth projection and conformational formulae, oligo- and polysaccharides, glycosides, determination of structure; Amino acid side groups, reactions and separation of amino acids, protein sequencing; Biosynthesis of peptides and proteins: translation, genetic code, mRNA and tRNA, codone-anticodone interaction, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases; Nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides with formulae, Functional nucleotides, PCR, DNA chips; Secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins, non-covalent interactions, protein folding and processing; stability and denaturation, protein purification by precipitation, chromatography and electrophoresis; Enzymes and classification according to reaction types, active sites, coenzymes and cofactors, mechanisms of enzyme catalysis, catalytic constants, inhibitors and activators; Complex solubility calculations (with hydrolyzing anions, complex formation); Quantum mechanics: simple Schrödinger equations, particle in a box, calculation of orbital and spin angular momentum; Spectroscopic calculations: energetics of rotational, vibrational, and electronic transitions using simple model theories; Simple MO theory; Basics of mass spectrometry (molecular ions, isotope distribution); Basics of IR spectroscopy (types of vibrations, characteristic peaks); Interpretation of simple 1H and 13C NMR spectra (chemical shift, multiplicity, integrals); Interpretation of simple heteronuclear NMR spectra (e.g., 11B, 19F or 31P)

Heating in the laboratory, heating under reflux; Mass and volume measurement (with electronic balance, measuring cylinder, pipette and burette, volumetric flask); Reading temperature from a non-digital thermometer; Preparation and dilution of solutions and standard solutions; Operation of a magnetic stirrer; Carrying out of test tube reactions (e.g. qualitative testing for organic functional groups using a given procedure); Volumetric determination, titrations, use of a pipette bulb or filler; Measurement of pH (by pH paper or calibrated pH meter); Gravity filtration; Drying of precipitates; Operation of simple semi-automatic digital instruments using detailed instructions (not application specific); Plotting experimental data on graphs, analysis of graphs

Synthesis techniques: vacuum filtration, thin layer chromatography; Synthesis in microscale equipment; Advanced inorganic qualitative analysis; Use of a spectrophotometer; Extraction with immiscible solvents; Column chromatography; Recrystallization; Distillation; Vacuum distillation, use of a nomogram; Viscometry; Analysis of experimental data with spreadsheet software