Coordination chemistry

This chapter begins by discussing coordination chemistry in aqueous solution, and then moves on to the more varied coordination chemistry that is seen in non-aqueous solution. It covers the complexes of f-elements, excluding those with Ln- or An-carbon bonds. The chapter also highlights the importance of chelating and macrocyclic ligands in f-element coordination chemistry, particularly in aqueous solution. Both lanthanoids and actinoids are generally considered as hard Lewis acids, and so their coordination chemistry is dominated by hard O and N donor ligands. Bonding is highly ionic in most cases, resulting in labile complexes that can have highly irregular coordination geometries dictated by ligand steric factors. Large ionic radii result in high coordination numbers, except where ligands are exceptionally sterically demanding.