This volume of the handbook covers a variety of topics with three chapters dealing with a range of lanthanide magnetic materials, and three individual chapters concerning equiatomic ternary ytterbium intermetallic compounds, rare-earth polysulfides, and lanthanide organic complexes. Two the chapters also include information of the actinides and the comparative lanthanide/actinide behaviors.

The chemistry of silicon has always been a field of major concern due to its proximity to carbon on the periodic table. From the molecular chemist’s viewpoint, one of the most interesting differences between carbon and silicon is their divergent coordination behavior. In fact, silicon is prone to form hyper-coordinate organosilicon complexes, and, as conveyed by reports in the literature, highly sophisticated ligand systems are required to furnish low-coordinate organosilicon complexes. Tremendous progress in experimental, as well as computational, techniques has granted synthetic access to a broad range of coordination numbers for silicon, and the scientific endeavor, which was ongoing for decades, was rewarded with landmark discoveries in the field of organosilicon chemistry. Molecular congeners of silicon(0), as well as silicon oxides, were unveiled, and the prominent group 14 metalloid proved its applicability in homogenous catalysis as a supportive ligand or even as a center of catalytic activity. This book focuses on the most recent advances in the coordination chemistry of silicon with transition metals as well as main group elements, including the stabilization of low-valent silicon species through the coordination of electron donor ligands. Therefore, this book is associated with the development of novel synthetic methodologies, structural elucidations, bonding analysis, and also possible applications in catalysis or chemical transformations using related organosilicon compounds.

Magnesium is the lightest of all the metals and the sixth most abundant on Earth. Magnesium is ductile and the most machinable of all the metals. Magnesium alloy developments have traditionally been driven by requirements for lightweight materials to operate under increasingly demanding conditions (magnesium alloy castings, wrought products, powder metallurgy components, office equipment, nuclear applications, flares, sacrificial anodes for the protection of other metals, flash photography and tools). The biggest potential market for magnesium alloys is in the automotive industry. In recent years new magnesium alloys have demonstrated a superior corrosion resistance for aerospace and specialty applications. Considering the information above, special issues on magnesium alloys are exposed in this book: casting technology; surface modification of some special Mg alloys; protective carbon coatings on magnesium alloys; fatigue cracking behaviors of cast magnesium alloys and also, magnesium alloys biocompatibility as degradable implant materials.

The term “first-principles calculations” is a synonym for the numerical determination of the electronic structure of atoms, molecules, clusters, or materials from ‘first principles’, i.e., without any approximations to the underlying quantum-mechanical equations. Although numerous approximate approaches have been developed for small molecular systems since the late 1920s, it was not until the advent of the density functional theory (DFT) in the 1960s that accurate “first-principles” calculations could be conducted for crystalline materials. The rapid development of this method over the past two decades allowed it to evolve from an explanatory to a truly predictive tool. Yet, challenges remain: complex chemical compositions, variable external conditions (such as pressure), defects, or properties that rely on collective excitations—all represent computational and/or methodological bottlenecks. This Special Issue comprises a collection of papers that use DFT to tackle some of these challenges and thus highlight what can (and cannot yet) be achieved using first-principles calculations of crystals.

FUNDAMENTALS OF PORPHYRIN CHEMISTRY An indispensable and concise overview of the chemistry of porphyrins and related molecules In Fundamentals of Porphyrin Chemistry: A 21st Century Approach, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a compact and accessible introduction to the broad field of porphyrin chemistry. It discusses the basics of porphyrin synthesis and structure, as well as that of related molecules, and the current and future roles that porphyrins play in chemical transformations, materials design and synthesis, energy capture and transduction, human health, and the environment. This edited volume is a self-contained tutorial on concepts of critical importance to porphyrin chemistry and serves as the foundation for discussions about the applications of porphyrin-related compounds found in the second volume. This book contains: A thorough introduction to porphyrins, including their structure, nomenclature, naturally occurring porphyrins, synthetic porphyrins, and common families of porphyrin-related compounds Comprehensive explorations of chemical porphyrin synthesis, including how to synthesize porphyrins from simple, symmetric, and advanced ABCD-substituted porphyrins Practical discussions of the physical characteristics of porphyrins, including their structural features, electronic structure, spectroscopy, magnetism, electrochemistry, and electron transfer processes Perfect for experienced academic researchers in the field of porphyrin chemistry seeking a quick reference, Fundamentals of Porphyrin Chemistry: A 21st Century Approach is also an indispensable resource for researchers new to the field who need an overview directing them to literature in more focused areas.