Main-Group and Transition-Metal Chemistry

70 lessons, pages 3191–3260.

  1. Inorganic Chemistry at Level 5: Unit Overview — Periodic trends as the organising framework
  2. Brønsted–Lowry Acids in Inorganic Systems — Proton transfer and conjugate pairs beyond water
  3. Lewis Acids and Bases — Electron-pair acceptors and donors
  4. Lewis Acid–Base Adducts — BF₃·NH₃, dative bonds and adduct formation
  5. The Solvent-System Definition of Acids and Bases — Autoionisation of liquid ammonia and other solvents
  6. The Lux–Flood Concept — Oxide-ion transfer in melts and high-temperature chemistry
  7. Hard and Soft Acids and Bases — Pearson's classification and polarisability
  8. Applying HSAB Principles — Predicting stability, mineral occurrence and ligand preference
  9. Acidity of Hydrated Metal Ions — Charge density and hydrolysis of [M(H₂O)₆]ⁿ⁺
  10. Oxoacids and Pauling's Rules — Predicting pKa from the number of oxo groups
  11. Trends in Binary Hydride Acidity — Across periods and down groups
  12. Acidic, Basic and Amphoteric Oxides — Metallic character and oxide behaviour
  13. Amphoterism in Beryllium, Aluminium and Zinc — Hydroxo complexes and dissolution in excess base
  14. Levelling and Differentiating Solvents — Why the strongest acid in water is H₃O⁺
  15. Superacids and Non-Aqueous Acidity — The Hammett acidity function in concept
  16. Gas-Phase Acidity and Proton Affinity — Intrinsic acid strength without solvation
  17. Thermodynamic Cycles for Acid Strength — Why HF is weak and HI is strong in water
  18. Frustrated Lewis Pairs — Steric hindrance and small-molecule activation
  19. Acid–Base Chemistry in Complex Formation — Ligands as Lewis bases, metal ions as Lewis acids
  20. Acid–Base Concepts: Checkpoint — Comparing definitions and choosing the right model
  21. Hydrogen: A Unique Element — Position in the Periodic Table, isotopes and bonding modes
  22. Ionic, Covalent and Metallic Hydrides — Classification, structure and reactivity
  23. Group 1 Descriptive Chemistry — Reactivity, oxides, peroxides and superoxides
  24. Alkali Metals in Liquid Ammonia — Solvated electrons and reducing solutions
  25. Group 2 Descriptive Chemistry — Solubility trends and the Be–Al diagonal relationship
  26. Thermal Stability of Group 1 and Group 2 Salts — Polarising power and carbonate and nitrate decomposition
  27. Boron and Its Electron-Deficient Compounds — Boranes and three-centre two-electron bonds
  28. Aluminium and the Heavier Group 13 Elements — Al₂Cl₆ dimers and the rise of the +1 state
  29. Carbon and Silicon Compared — Catenation, π bonding and oxide structures
  30. Silicates and Silicones — Structural classes and polymer frameworks
  31. Germanium, Tin and Lead — Increasing stability of the +2 oxidation state
  32. Nitrogen and Its Compounds — Inert N₂, ammonia and the oxides of nitrogen
  33. Phosphorus Chemistry — Allotropes, oxides and oxoacids
  34. Arsenic, Antimony and Bismuth — Growing metallic character down Group 15
  35. Oxygen, Ozone and the Oxides — Allotropy, bonding and oxide classification
  36. Sulfur and Its Oxoacids — Allotropes, sulfur oxides and sulfuric acid chemistry
  37. The Halogens: Descriptive Chemistry — Oxidising power, interhalogens and oxoanions
  38. Fluorine: The Anomalous Halogen — Weak F–F bond and extreme electronegativity
  39. Noble-Gas Compounds — Xenon fluorides and oxides and their shapes
  40. The Inert-Pair Effect and Relativistic Effects — Why heavy p-block elements favour lower oxidation states
  41. Transition Metals: General Characteristics — Variable oxidation state, colour, catalysis and magnetism
  42. Trends Across the 3d Series — Radii, ionisation energies and stable oxidation states
  43. The Lanthanide Contraction and the Heavier Transition Metals — Why zirconium and hafnium are so alike
  44. Frost Diagrams for Transition Metals — Visualising oxidation-state stability
  45. Latimer Diagrams and Disproportionation — Reading reduction-potential diagrams
  46. Chromium and Manganese Chemistry — Chromate, dichromate and permanganate
  47. Iron, Cobalt and Nickel Chemistry — Fe(II)/Fe(III), Co(II)/Co(III) and Ni(II)
  48. Copper and Zinc Chemistry — Cu(I) disproportionation and the d¹⁰ zinc ion
  49. Coordination Geometry and Isomerism Revisited — Octahedral, tetrahedral and square-planar complexes in 3D
  50. Crystal Field Theory in Descriptive Chemistry — Explaining colour, spin state and stability
  51. Complex Stability and the Chelate Effect — Stability constants and the Irving–Williams series
  52. Transition-Metal Oxides and Halides — Structures and the acid–base character of high-oxidation-state oxides
  53. Transition Metals in Catalysis — Heterogeneous and homogeneous examples
  54. Metals in Biology — Haemoglobin, cytochromes and zinc enzymes
  55. Descriptive Chemistry: Checkpoint — Main-group and transition-metal trends compared
  56. Metals in Nature: Ores and Minerals — Oxides, sulfides and carbonates explained by HSAB
  57. Principles of Extractive Metallurgy — Concentration, conversion, reduction and refining
  58. Ore Concentration Methods — Froth flotation, magnetic and gravity separation
  59. Roasting and Calcination — Converting sulfides and carbonates to oxides
  60. Ellingham Diagrams — Standard Gibbs energy of oxide formation against temperature
  61. Applying Ellingham Diagrams — Choosing a reducing agent and a temperature
  62. Iron and Steel Production — Blast-furnace chemistry and steelmaking principles
  63. Electrolytic Extraction of Reactive Metals — Aluminium, sodium and magnesium
  64. Hydrometallurgy — Leaching, solvent extraction and electrowinning
  65. Refining Metals to High Purity — Electrorefining, zone refining, Mond and van Arkel processes
  66. Extraction of Titanium and Refractory Metals — Why carbon reduction fails and the Kroll process
  67. Alloys and Their Properties — Substitutional and interstitial alloys
  68. Corrosion and Its Prevention — Electrochemistry of rusting and sacrificial protection
  69. Metallurgy, Energy and the Environment — Recycling, emissions and sustainable extraction
  70. Main-Group and Transition-Metal Chemistry: Unit Review — Acid–base concepts, descriptive chemistry and metallurgy drawn together