Courses

The Zurich School of Crystallography is an intensive summer school held every two years for young scientists from around the world.

The minor subject in crystallography comprises at least 20 ECTS credit points. It is offered by the Fachbereich Chemie together with the Laboratory for Crystallography of the ETH Zurich. The minor subject is, in principle, open to all students, but is especially suitable as a minor study for an MSc degree in Chemistry. There are no special prerequisites.

The minor subject in crystallography comprises 13 credit points from the compulsory modules of the ETH and the Uni Zurich, then at least 7 credit points must be selected from the choosable compulsory modules of the ETH and the Uni Zurich. If alternatives are desired, other modules may be allowed by arrangement (for example, modules from solid-state physics of the ETH or Biology of the Uni Zurich).

Further information can be found in the university lecture index and regulations.

(2 credit points; 2 hr/week in autumn semester)
This is a course for senior undergraduate or graduate students, postdocs, etc.

An introduction to the principles of X-ray diffraction and crystal structure determination as it relates to Chemistry. The aim is to gain an understanding of the principles of small-molecule crystal structure determination by X-ray diffraction. The course should equip participants with the knowledge that will enable them to understand how a crystal structure determination is performed and to analyse critically any crystal structure reported in the literature or retrieved from a crystallographic database.

The course includes: fundamental crystallographic concepts, what is crystallography and what can it tell us, unit cells, Bravais lattices, Laue symmetry, crystal classes, point groups, space groups, crystal growth, instrumentation. Diffraction of X- rays by crystals: physical and geometric basics, powder and single crystal methods. A brief demonstration of structure solution and modelling. Interpretation of crystal structure data; internal coordinates for structure description: atom spacing, co-ordination polyhedra, bond angles, torsion angles; intermolecular interactions, absolute configuration determination. Crystallographic databases.

(2 credit points; 2 hr/week in spring semester; prerequisite: KRI 101 or equivalent knowledge)

An advanced course in X-ray crystal structure analysis for senior undergraduate or graduate students, postdocs, etc. The course extends the material presented in KRI 101. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the principles and practice ofcrystal structure determination by X-ray diffraction. The course includes hands-on computer experience with solving and refining small-molecule crystal structures and should equip participants with the knowledge that will enable them to carry out indpeendently a small molecule crystal structure determination and to analyse the results of an analysis. An introduction to biomacromolecular crystallography will also be given.

The course includes: Review of principles of diffraction and instrumentation, unit cells, lattices, and symmetry. Practical aspects of structure determination: working safely with X-rays, crystal selection and mounting, data collection strategies, data reduction, corrections for absorption, extinction and Lp, structure solution techniques, structure solution and refinement software, structure modelling and refinement, disorder, twinning, false symmetry, interpretation of anisotropic displacement parameters, problem detection and resolution. Determination of the absolute configuration, interpretation of results and scope of chemically useful information, validation and publication of results, critical evaluation of published crystal structures, biomacromolecular crystallography.

(2 credit points; 2 hr/week in spring semester; prerequisite: KRI 101 or equivalent knowledge)

The aim is to enhance the material learnt in KRI 101 through practical experience. Participants will carry out some of the current analyses being undertaken in the crystallography laboratories of the lecturers. The work may include: sample preparation setting up experiments on the diffractometer and conductiong data collections, evaluation of data, determination of space group, structure solution, model development and and refinement, evaluation and interpretation of the results.