This book starts with the most elementary ideas of molecular orbital theory and leads the reader progressively to an understanding of the electronic structure, geometry and, in some cases, reactivity of transition metal complexes. The qualitative orbital approach, based on simple notions such as symmetry, overlap and electronegativity, is the focus of the presentation and a substantial part of the book is associated with the mechanics of the assembly of molecular orbital diagrams. The first chapter recalls the basis for electron counting in transition metal complexes. The main ligand fields (octahedral, square planar, tetrahedral, etc.) are studied in the second chapter and the structure of the "d block" is used to trace the relationships between the electronic structure and the geometry of the complexes. The third chapter studies the change in analysis when the ligands have pi-type interactions with the metal. All these ideas are then used in the fourth chapter to study a series of selected applications of varying complexity (e.g. structure and reactivity). The fifth chapter deals with the "isolobal analogy" which points out the resemblance between the molecular orbitals of inorganic and organic species and provides a bridge between these two subfields of chemistry. The last chapter is devoted to a presentation of basic Group Theory with applications to some of the complexes studied in the earlier chapters.

This book starts with the most elementary ideas of molecular orbital theory and leads the reader progressively to an understanding of the electronic structure, geometry and, in some cases, reactivity of transition metal complexes. The qualitative orbital approach, based on simple notions such as symmetry, overlap and electronegativity, is the focus of the presentation and a substantial part of the book is associated with the mechanics of the assembly of molecular orbital diagrams. The first chapter recalls the basis for electron counting in transition metal complexes. The main ligand fields (octahedral, square planar, tetrahedral, etc.) are studied in the second chapter and the structure of the "d block" is used to trace the relationships between the electronic structure and the geometry of the complexes. The third chapter studies the change in analysis when the ligands have pi-type interactions with the metal. All these ideas are then used in the fourth chapter to study a series of selected applications of varying complexity (e.g. structure and reactivity). The fifth chapter deals with the "isolobal analogy" which points out the resemblance between the molecular orbitals of inorganic and organic species and provides a bridge between these two subfields of chemistry. The last chapter is devoted to a presentation of basic Group Theory with applications to some of the complexes studied in the earlier chapters.

This book starts with the most elementary ideas of molecular orbital theory and leads the reader to an understanding of the electronic structure, geometry and reactivity of transition metal complexes. The pedagogical aim is to give the student a theoretical method of analysis which relies on some simple ideas (symmetry and overlap), applicable to problems of varying complexity.

An advanced-level textbook of inorganic chemistry for the graduate (B.Sc) and postgraduate (M.Sc) students of Indian and foreign universities. This book is a part of four volume series, entitled "A Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry – Volume I, II, III, IV". CONTENTS: Chapter 1. Stereochemistry and Bonding in Main Group Compounds: VSEPR theory, dπ -pπ bonds, Bent rule and energetic of hybridization. Chapter 2. Metal-Ligand Equilibria in Solution: Stepwise and overall formation constants and their interactions, Trends in stepwise constants, Factors affecting stability of metal complexes with reference to the nature of metal ion and ligand, Chelate effect and its thermodynamic origin, Determination of binary formation constants by pH-metry and spectrophotometry. Chapter 3. Reaction Mechanism of Transition Metal Complexes – I: Inert and labile complexes, Mechanisms for ligand replacement reactions, Formation of complexes from aquo ions, Ligand displacement reactions in octahedral complexes- acid hydrolysis, Base hydrolysis, Racemization of tris chelate complexes, Electrophilic attack on ligands. Chapter 4. Reaction Mechanism of Transition Metal Complexes – II: Mechanism of ligand displacement reactions in square planar complexes, The trans effect, Theories of trans effect, Mechanism of electron transfer reactions – types; Outer sphere electron transfer mechanism and inner sphere electron transfer mechanism, Electron exchange. Chapter 5. Isopoly and Heteropoly Acids and Salts: Isopoly and Heteropoly acids and salts of Mo and W: structures of isopoly and heteropoly anions. Chapter 6. Crystal Structures: Structures of some binary and ternary compounds such as fluorite, antifluorite, rutile, antirutile, crystobalite, layer lattices- CdI2, BiI3; ReO3, Mn2O3, corundum, pervoskite, Ilmenite and Calcite. Chapter 7. Metal-Ligand Bonding: Limitation of crystal field theory, Molecular orbital theory, octahedral, tetrahedral or square planar complexes, π-bonding and molecular orbital theory. Chapter 8. Electronic Spectra of Transition Metal Complexes: Spectroscopic ground states, Correlation and spin-orbit coupling in free ions for Ist series of transition metals, Orgel and Tanabe-Sugano diagrams for transition metal complexes (d1 – d9 states), Calculation of Dq, B and β parameters, Effect of distortion on the d-orbital energy levels, Structural evidence from electronic spectrum, John-Tellar effect, Spectrochemical and nephalauxetic series, Charge transfer spectra, Electronic spectra of molecular addition compounds. Chapter 9. Magantic Properties of Transition Metal Complexes: Elementary theory of magneto - chemistry, Guoy’s method for determination of magnetic susceptibility, Calculation of magnetic moments, Magnetic properties of free ions, Orbital contribution, effect of ligand-field, Application of magneto-chemistry in structure determination, Magnetic exchange coupling and spin state cross over. Chapter 10. Metal Clusters: Structure and bonding in higher boranes, Wade’s rules, Carboranes, Metal Carbonyl Clusters - Low Nuclearity Carbonyl Clusters, Total Electron Count (TEC). Chapter 11. Metal-π Complexes: Metal carbonyls, structure and bonding, Vibrational spectra of metal carbonyls for bonding and structure elucidation, Important reactions of metal carbonyls; Preparation, bonding, structure and important reactions of transition metal nitrosyl, dinitrogen and dioxygen complexes; Tertiary phosphine as ligand.

GEORGE CHRISTOU Indiana University, Bloomington I am no doubt representative of a large number of current inorganic chemists in having obtained my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the 1970s. It was during this period that I began my continuing love affair with this subject, and the fact that it happened while I was a student in an organic laboratory is beside the point. I was always enchanted by the more physical aspects of inorganic chemistry; while being captivated from an early stage by the synthetic side, and the measure of creation with a small c that it entails, I nevertheless found the application of various theoretical, spectroscopic and physicochemical techniques to inorganic compounds to be fascinating, stimulating, educational and downright exciting. The various bonding theories, for example, and their use to explain or interpret spectroscopic observations were more or less universally accepted as belonging within the realm of inorganic chemistry, and textbooks of the day had whole sections on bonding theories, magnetism, kinetics, electron-transfer mechanisms and so on. However, things changed, and subsequent inorganic chemistry teaching texts tended to emphasize the more synthetic and descriptive side of the field. There are a number of reasons for this, and they no doubt include the rise of diamagnetic organometallic chemistry as the dominant subdiscipline within inorganic chemistry and its relative narrowness vis-d-vis physical methods required for its prosecution.

J.P. Dahl: Carl Johan Ballhausen (1926–2010).- J.R. Winkler and H.B. Gray: Electronic Structures of Oxo-Metal Ions.- C.D. Flint: Early Days in Kemisk Laboratorium IV and Later Studies.- J.H. Palmer: Transition Metal Corrole Coordination Chemistry. A Review Focusing on Electronic Structural Studies.- W.C. Trogler: Chemical Sensing with Semiconducting Metal Phthalocyanines.- K.M. Lancaster: Biological Outer-Sphere Coordination.- R.K. Hocking and E.I. Solomon: Ligand Field and Molecular Orbital Theories of Transition Metal X-ray Absorption Edge Transitions.- K.B. Møller and N.E. Henriksen: Time-resolved X-ray diffraction: The dynamics of the chemical bond.