Professor Geoffrey Lawrance; Professor of Chemistry and Assistant Dean Research (Science & IT), The University of Newcastle, AustraliaProfessor 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).

• 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.

"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)