Cart
Article
Relativistic Effects and the Chemistry of the Heaviest Main-Group Elements
Hi-Res PDFAbstract
The heaviest main-group elements (mercury through radon and their heavier congenors) often show markedly different chemical properties than their lighter counterparts. Most of these differences arise from changes in the relative energies of the outer-shell atomic orbitals that can be explained by application of Einstein's theory of special relativity ("relativistic effects") to electrons in atoms. Changes include stabilization of lower oxidation states, destabilization of higher states, and greater tendencies towards cluster formation. These will be illustrated by examples of recent research reports, and predictions for the chemistry of elements 112 through 118.
Keywords:
Second-Year UndergraduateKeywords:
Inorganic ChemistryKeywords:
Textbooks / Reference BooksKeywords:
Main-Group ElementsCiting Articles
Citation data is made available by participants in CrossRef's Cited-by Linking service. For a more comprehensive list of citations to this article, users are encouraged to perform a search in SciFinder.
This article has been cited by 4 ACS Journal articles (4 most recent appear below).
Design Considerations for the Group 15 Elements: The Pnictogen···π Interaction As a Complementary Component in Supramolecular Assembly Design
Virginia M. Cangelosi, Melanie A. Pitt, W. Jake Vickaryous, Corinne A. Allen, Lev N. Zakharov and Darren W. JohnsonCrystal Growth & Design2010 10 (8), 3531-3536Design Considerations for the Group 15 Elements: The Pnictogen···π Interaction As a Complementary Component in Supramolecular Assembly Design
Virginia M. Cangelosi, Melanie A. Pitt, W. Jake Vickaryous, Corinne A. Allen, Lev N. Zakharov and Darren W. JohnsonCrystal Growth & Design2010 10 (8), 3531-3536An exhaustive structural survey was analyzed in combination with new structural reports on pnictogen···π interactions. The Cambridge Structural Database was searched for examples of pnictogen atoms (As, Sb, and Bi) that lie within the sum of their van der ...
The Full Story of the Electron Configurations of the Transition Elements
W. H. Eugen SchwarzJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 444-448The Full Story of the Electron Configurations of the Transition Elements
W. H. Eugen SchwarzJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 444-448The dominant electronic valence configurations of atoms in chemical substances of a transition element of group G in period n is (n − 1)dGns0. Transition-metal chemistry is d orbital chemistry. In contrast, the ground states of free, unbound atoms derive, ...
Theoretical Basis and Correct Explanation of the Periodic System: Review and Update
W. H. Eugen Schwarz, Ronald L. RichJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 435-443Theoretical Basis and Correct Explanation of the Periodic System: Review and Update
W. H. Eugen Schwarz, Ronald L. RichJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 435-443Long-standing questions on the theoretical basis of the periodic system have been answered in recent years. A specific type of periodicity is imposed on all elements by the main groups just before and after the noble gasses. The upper np shells of these ...
Einstein Revisited
Leonard FineJournal of Chemical Education2005 82 (11), 1601Einstein Revisited
Leonard FineJournal of Chemical Education2005 82 (11), 1601The relation of Eintein to chemical thought is revisited.
Full Text HTMLTools
-
Add to Favorites
-
Download Citation
-
Email a Colleague -
Permalink
Order Reprints
Rights & Permissions
Citation Alerts
SciFinder Links
Explore by:
History
- Received: August 03, 2009
CiteULike
Delicious
Digg This
Facebook
Newsvine
Tweet This
