Table of Contents

Preface. Preamble. 1 The Central Atom. 1.1 Key Concepts in Coordination Chemistry. 1.2 A Who's Who of Metal Ions. 1.3 Metals in Molecules. 1.4 The Road Ahead. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 2 Ligands. 2.1 Membership: Being A Ligand. 2.2 Monodentate Ligands - The Simple Type. 2.3 Greed is Good - Polydentate Ligands. 2.4 Polynucleating Species - Molecular Bigamists. 2.5 A Separate Race - Organometallic Species. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 3 Complexes. 3.1 The Central Metal Ion. 3.2 Metal-Ligand Marriage. 3.3 Holding On - The Nature of Bonding in Metal Complexes. 3.4 Coupling - Polymetallic Complexes. 3.5 Making Choices. 3.6 Complexation Consequences. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 4 Shape. 4.1 Getting in Shape. 4.2 Forms of Complex Life. 4.3 Influencing Shape. 4.4 Isomerism - Real 3D Effects. 4.5 Sophisticated Shapes. 4.6 Defining Shape. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 5 Stability. 5.1 The Makings of a Stable Relationship. 5.2 Complexation - Will it Last? 5.3 Reactions. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 6 Synthesis. 6.1 Molecular Creation - Ways to Make Complexes. 6.2 Core Metal Chemistry - Periodic Table Influences. 6.3 Reactions Involving the Coordination Shell. 6.4 Reactions Involving the Metal Oxidation State. 6.5 Reactions Involving Coordinated. 6.6 Organometallic Synthesis. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 7 Properties. 7.1 Finding Ways to Make Complexes Talk - Investigative Methods. 7.2 Getting Physical - Methods and Outcomes. 7.3 Probing the Life of Complexes - Using Physical Methods. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 8 A Complex Life. 8.1 Life's a Metal Ion. 8.2 Metalloproteins and Metalloenzymes. 8.3 Doing What Comes Unnaturally - Synthetic Biomolecules. 8.4 A Laboratory-free Approach - In Silico Prediction. Concept Keys. Further Reading. 9 Complexes and Commerce. 9.1 Kill or Cure? - Complexes as Drugs. 9.2 How Much? - Analysing with Complexes. 9.3 Profiting from Complexation. 9.4 Being Green. 9.5 Complex Futures. Concept Keys. Further Reading. Appendix A Nomenclature. Appendix B Molecular Symmetry: The Point Group. Index.

About the Author

Professor Geoffrey Lawrance; Professor of Chemistry and Assistant Dean Research (Science & IT), The University of Newcastle, Australia
Professor Lawrance is the author or co-author of over 290 journal articles, review articles and book chapters in a career spanning three decades. He has contributed chapters to Encyclopaedia of Inorganic Chemistry II (Wiley, 2005), and Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry II (Elsevier, 2004).

Reviews

"Recommended. Lower-and upper-division undergraduates, two-year technical program students, and general readers." (Choice, 1 March 2011) "Overall then, I applaud this attempt to produce a slightly different and distinctive introduction to a major area of modern chemistry." (Reviews, December 2010)