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“Less is more” could be the theme of Descriptive
Inorganic, Coordination, and Solid-State Chemistry, 2nd edition.
Instead of attempting to cover the vastness of modern inorganic
chemistry, the author has elected to present the fundamentals of three
core areas in inorganic chemistry: coordination, solid-state, and
descriptive chemistry. The author proposes that it is more important
for students to have a firm foundation and thorough understanding of
three core areas of the discipline than a superficial exposure to all
the topics clustered under the umbrella of inorganic chemistry. The
text is written for sophomore-level students who have completed only an
introductory college chemistry course. In keeping with the “less
is more” philosophy, reviews of atomic structure (for example,
quantum numbers and electronic configurations) and molecular structure
(for example, Lewis structures and VSEPR theory) typically found in
sophomore-level inorganic texts have been omitted. The text is
divided into three sections: Part I, Coordination Chemistry; Part II,
Solid-State Chemistry; and Part III, Descriptive Chemistry of the
Representative Elements. The material in each section is organized and
written such that it may be presented without reference to concepts and
theories covered in the other sections. As an introduction to inorganic
chemistry, Chapter 1 relates the historical development of inorganic
chemistry to the discovery of new elements and the synthesis of novel
compounds. The historical connection is a common thread that runs
throughout the entire text, particularly in the descriptive chemistry
chapters. Part I, Coordination Chemistry (Chapters 2–6)
contains chapters on the historical development and nomenclature,
structure, bonding, reaction mechanisms, and applications of
coordination compounds. These chapters include a very good discussion
on crystal field theory, rates of substitution reactions, and
electron-transfer reactions. A notable omission from this section is a
discussion of molecular orbital theory as related to bonding in
coordination compounds. In addition, there is only a very limited
discussion of the electronic absorption spectra of coordination
compounds.
Part II, Solid-State Chemistry (Chapters
7–8) presents chapters on the structures and energetics of
solid-state systems. The discussions on lattice types (for example A,
AB, and AB2) and the theoretical development of lattice energy contain
several well-constructed figures and diagrams that make the overall
presentations pedagogically sound.
Part III, Descriptive
Chemistry of the Representative Elements (Chapters 9–19)
contains chapters on each of the eight groups of the representative
elements. Each of these chapters includes sections on the history of
the elements, fundamental properties, important reactions and
compounds, and selected topics. In addition, Part III includes separate
chapters on the chemistry of hydrogen and oxygen. These ten chapters
are tied together in terms of a “network of interconnected
ideas”. The network is composed of eight components: the periodic
law; the uniqueness principle; the diagonal effect; the inert-pair
effect; the metal, nonmetal, and metalloid regions; acid–base
character of oxides; standard reduction potentials; and pp–dp
bonding. By working the concepts of the network into each of the
descriptive chapters, the author does an exceptional job at giving the
reader an appreciation for the design and usefulness of the periodic
table.
In general, I found the text easy to read and the
explanations to be clear and concise. The author uses a refreshing
conversational style that hints at his own personality and love of
inorganic chemistry. (An instance is, “Ah ha, you say, but why
are the Si–O bonds so strong relative to the Si–Si
bonds?”) He writes as a guide leading the reader through the
material instead of lecturing his audience on the concepts. The bottom
line is: if your institution offers an intermediate-level inorganic
course, this text is worth checking out.
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