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Advanced Practical Inorganic and Metalorganic Chemistry Blackie Academic and Professional, London, 1997 ISBN 0 7514 0225 7 Currently available from Stanley Thornes publishers   This is the first new book for over ten years to cover all aspects of preparative inorganic/metalorganic chemistry involving air-sensitive compounds. It is intended to be a bench-top handbook for postgraduates, who will find it useful throughout their research careers, and final-year undergraduates involved in inorganic research projects, who need information about techniques not covered in standard laboratory courses. This text is already being used by the author as the basis for a postgraduate course on advanced preparative techniques, and is ideally suited for use with multimedia resources.

 KEY FEATURES

 • Techniques used most widely by preparative inorganic/metalorganic research groups to handle air-sensitive materials are described in detail.

 • A chapter on special techniques includes descriptions of important new preparative methods.

 • A survey of synthetic routes to an extensive selection of starting materials is included.

 • Extensive safety information is provided.

 • Readily affordable.

Purpose:

This book is intended as a handbook for preparative chemists working with air-sensitive compounds. Although primarily for new research workers in inorganic/metalorganic chemistry, others with some training in practical chemistry who wish to acquire the skills necessary for handling air-sensitive materials will find it a useful source of information and advice.

Scope:

All aspects of laboratory work with air-sensitive compounds are covered, with an emphasis on safety. From setting up the laboratory bench and associated equipment, the reader is guided through various procedures for carrying out reactions, separating products and preparing samples for analysis. Schlenk and dry-box techniques are described in detail, as are high-vacuum manipulations of volatile reagents and solvent purification. The essential features of several more specialised techniques are also described, and references to leading articles are provided for further reading. A survey of preparative routes to an extensive selection of important starting materials includes associated literature references and brief descriptions of the procedures involved.

Appealing features:

The book is written in a very readable style and is extensively illustrated. The price is readily affordable by research students. All those involved in synthetic inorganic/metalorganic chemistry will find the survey of preparative methods useful.