UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus is released in the official UPSC Notification. Candidates who choose chemistry as an optional subject must go through the syllabus to get complete clarity about what topics they need to prepare for. This UPSC Chemistry Syllabus outlines the detailed topics and sub-topics from which questions are framed in the exam. The Chemistry Optional UPSC Syllabus is highly specialised, so it is recommended that only candidates with interest and strong understanding should choose Chemistry as their optional subject in the UPSC Mains Exam.

Check out the UPSC Mains Syllabus here!

UPSC Chemistry Syllabus PDF - Download Now

Candidates can download the UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus PDF and save a copy of it for future use. Click on the link given in the table below to download the PDF for free of cost.

Also, check out the UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus here.

UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus 2023

The Official UPSC Chemistry Syllabus consists of topics and concepts like atomic structure, chemical bonding, solid state, gaseous state, thermodynamics and statistical thermodynamics, phase equilibria and solutions, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, photochemistry, surface phenomena and more. Let's have a look at the detailed Chemistry Optional UPSC Syllabus for Papers 1 & 2 below.

UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus For Paper 1

Below is the detailed Chemistry Syllabus for UPSC Optional Paper 1.

Atomic Structure

Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle Schrodinger wave equation (time independent); Interpretation of wave function, particle in one- dimensional box, quantum numbers, hydrogen atom wave functions; Shapes of s, p and d orbitals.

Chemical bonding

Ionic bond, characteristics of ionic compounds, lattice energy, Born-Haber cycle; covalent bond and its general characteristics, polarities of bonds in molecules and their dipole moments; Valence bond theory, concept of resonance and resonance energy; Molecular orbital theory (LCAO method); bonding H2 +, H2 He2 to Ne2, NO, CO, HF, CN–, Comparison of valence bond and molecular orbital theories, bond order, bond strength and bond length.

Solid State

Crystal systems; Designation of crystal faces, lattice structures and unit cell; Bragg’s law; X-ray diffraction by crystals; Close packing, radius ratio rules, calculation of some limiting radius ratio values; Structures of NaCl, ZnS, CsCl, CaF2; Stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric defects, impurity defects, semiconductors.

Gaseous State and Transport Phenomenon

Equation of state for real gases, intermolecular interactions, and critical phenomena and liquefaction of gases; Maxwell’s distribution of speeds, intermolecular collisions, collisions on the wall and effusion; Thermal conductivity and viscosity of ideal gases.

Liquid State

Kelvin equation; Surface tension and surface energy, wetting and contact angle, interfacial tension and capillary action.

Thermodynamics

Work, heat and internal energy; first law of thermodynamics.

Second law of thermodynamics; entropy as a state function, entropy changes in various processes, entropy-reversibility and irreversibility, Free energy functions; Thermodynamic equation of state; Maxwell relations; Temperature, volume and pressure dependence of U, H, A, G, Cp and Cv, and ; J-T effect and inversion temperature; criteria for equilibrium, relation between equilibrium constant and thermodynamic quantities; Nernst heat theorem, introductory idea of third law of thermodynamics.

Phase Equilibria And Solutions

Clausius-Clapeyron equation; phase diagram for a pure substance; phase equilibria in binary systems, partially miscible liquids—upper and lower critical solution temperatures; partial molar quantities, their significance and determination; excess thermodynamic functions and their determination.

Electrochemistry

Debye-Huckel theory of strong electrolytes and Debye-Huckel limiting Law for various equilibrium and transport properties.

Galvanic cells, concentration cells; electrochemical series, measurement of e.m.f. of cells and its applications fuel cells and batteries.

Processes at electrodes; double layer at the interface; rate of charge transfer, current density; overpotential; electroanalytical techniques: amperometry, ion selective electrodes and their uses.

Chemical Kinetics

Differential and integral rate equations for zeroth, first, second and fractional order reactions; Rate equations involving reverse, parallel, consecutive and chain reactions; Branching chain and explosions; effect of temperature and pressure on rate constant. Study of fast reactions by stop-flow and relaxation methods. Collisions and transition state theories.

Photochemistry

Absorption of light; decay of excited state by different routes; photochemical reactions between hydrogen and halogens and their quantum yields.

Surface Phenomena and Catalysis

Adsorption from gases and solutions on solid adsorbents; Langmuir and B.E.T. adsorption isotherms; determination of surface area, characteristics and mechanism of reaction on heterogeneous catalysts.

Bioinorganic Chemistry

Metal ions in biological systems and their role in ion-transport across the membranes (molecular mechanism), oxygen-uptake proteins, cytochromes and ferredoxins.

Coordination Chemistry

Bonding in transition of metal complexes. Valence bond theory, crystal field theory and its modifications; applications of theories in the explanation of magnetism and electronic spectra of metal complexes.

Isomerism in coordination compounds; IUPAC nomenclature of coordination compounds; stereochemistry of complexes with 4 and 6 coordination numbers; chelate effect and polynuclear complexes; trans effect and its theories; kinetics of substitution reactions in square-planar complexes; thermodynamic and kinetic stability of complexes.

EAN rule, Synthesis structure and reactivity of metal carbonyls; carboxylate anions, carbonyl hydrides and metal nitrosyl compounds.

Complexes with aromatic systems, synthesis, structure and bonding in metal olefin complexes, alkyne complexes and cyclopentadienyl complexes; coordinative unsaturation, oxidative addition reactions, insertion reactions, fluxional molecules and their characterization; Compounds with metal—metal bonds and metal atom clusters.

Main Group Chemistry

Boranes, borazines, phosphazenes and cyclic phosphazene, silicates and silicones, Interhalogen compounds; Sulphur—nitrogen compounds, noble gas compounds.

General Chemistry of ‘f’ Block Element

Lanthanides and actinides: separation, oxidation states, magnetic and spectral properties; lanthanide contraction.

Also, check out the UPSC Botany Optional Syllabus here.

UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus For Paper 2

Below is the detailed Chemistry Syllabus for UPSC Optional Paper 2.

Delocalised Covalent Bonding

Aromaticity, anti-aromaticity; annulenes, azulenes, tropolones, fulvenes, and sydnones.

Reaction mechanisms

General methods (both kinetic and non-kinetic) of study of mechanisms or organic reactions: isotopies, method cross-over experiment, intermediate trapping, stereochemistry; energy of activation; thermodynamic control and kinetic control of reactions.

Reactive intermediates

Generation, geometry, stability and reactions of carbonium ions and carbanions, free radicals, carbenes, benzynes and nitrenes.

Substitution reactions

SN1, SN2, and SNi, mechanisms ; neighbouring group participation; electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions of aromatic compounds including heterocyclic compounds—pyrrole, furan, thiophene and indole.

Elimination reactions

E1, E2 and E1cb mechanisms; orientation in E2 reactions—Saytzeff and Hoffmann; pyrolytic syn elimination—acetate pyrolysis, Chugaev and Cope eliminations.

Addition reactions

Electrophilic addition to C=C and CC; nucleophilic addition to C=O, CN, conjugated olefins and carbonyls.

Reactions and Rearrangement

Pinacol-pinacolone, Hoffmann, Beckmann, Baeyer-Villiger, Favorskii, Fries, Claisen, Cope, Stevens and Wagner—Meerwein rearrangements.

Aldol condensation, Claisen condensation, Dieckmann, Perkin, Knoevenagel, Witting, Clemmensen, Wolff-Kishner, Cannizzaro and von Richter reactions; Stobbe, benzoin and acyloin condensations; Fischer indole synthesis, Skraup synthesis, Bischler-Napieralski, Sandmeyer, Reimer-Tiemann and Reformatsky reactions.

Pericyclic reactions

Classification and examples; Woodward-Hoffmann rules—electrocyclic reactions, cycloaddition reactions [2+2 and 4+2] and sigmatropic shifts [1, 3; 3, 3 and 1, 5], FMO approach.

Preparation and Properties of Polymers

Organic polymers polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, teflon, nylon, terylene, synthetic and natural rubber.

Biopolymers: Structure of proteins, DNA and RNA.

Synthetic Uses of Reagent

OsO4, HlO4, CrO3, Pb(OAc)4, SeO2, NBS, B2H6, Na-Liquid NH3, LiAIH4, NaBH4, n-BuLi, MCPBA.

Photochemistry

Photochemical reactions of simple organic compounds, excited and ground states, singlet and triplet states, Norrish-Type I and Type II reactions.

Spectroscopy

Principle and applications in structure elucidation:

(i) Rotational—Diatomic molecules; isotopic substitution and rotational constants.

(ii) Vibrational—Diatomic molecules, linear triatomic molecules, specific frequencies of functional groups in polyatomic molecules.

(iii) Electronic—Singlet and triplet states. n and transitions; application to conjugated double bonds and conjugated carbonyls Woodward-Fieser rules; Charge transfer spectra

(iv) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR): Basic principle; chemical shift and spin-spin interaction and coupling constants.

(v) Mass Spectrometry: Parent peak, base peak, metastable peak, McLafferty rearrangement.

Also, check out UPSC Medical Science Optional Syllabus here.

UPSC Chemistry Optional Exam Pattern 2024

The UPSC Mains Exam consist a total of 9 papers which includes 2 Optional Papers. Candidates choosing Chemistry as an optional subject must appear for Optional Paper 1 & 2, each for 250 marks. Check the UPSC Chemistry Optional Exam Pattern for the same below.

How To Prepare For UPSC Chemistry Syllabus?

Candidates who are appearing for the exam should start their preparations as soon as possible as along with covering the whole UPSC Chemistry optional Syllabus, they also have to complete the revision. Preparing an effective study plan will help them do the same. To draw a favourable UPSC Result, here are some effective tips mentioned below to help cover the UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus:-

• The first step to any preparation should be knowing the syllabus for the paper. Candidates should go through the detailed UPSC Chemistry Syllabus for their preparation. The major topics are from physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry hence candidates are advised to prepare them well first.
• Before going into the detailed study of the topics, candidates must first go through the basics. Candidates can go through the class 11 and class 12 NCERT textbooks to get the basics.
• Using data charts, diagrams and mnemonics is another way to remember the concepts. Candidates can use mnemonics to remember the periodic table which will be useful for the candidates.
• There will be numerical in the inorganic section for which the candidates should know how to apply any concept they have learnt. Solving as many questions as possible will help them know which concept is applied where and this will indeed help them in solving the numericals with accuracy.

Check out UPSC Chemistry Optional Question Papers here!

UPSC Chemistry Syllabus - Recommended Books

Here is a list of books to which the candidates can refer to for their preparation for UPSC Chemistry Syllabus:-

The above article on the UPSC Chemistry Optional Syllabus is intended to guide the candidates preparing for the exam. To boost your preparations, join the Testbook community today by downloading the Testbook App and start your UPSC Chemistry preparation!