Inorganic Hydrides

Book excerpt: Inorganic Hydrides focuses on the hydrides of chemical elements. The hydrides discussed in this book are classified into four principal categories — ionic, covalent, transition metal hydrides, and metallic hydrides. Hydrides that do not fit into general classification, such as hydrides of copper and zinc, can be described as borderline hydrides and form a transition in type between the covalent hydrides of the later elements of the periodic table and the metallic hydrides of the transition elements. This text begins with an introduction to the classes of hydrides and hydrides of hydrogen, discussing element by element through frequent comparisons. The transition metal hydrides and metallic hydrides are also elaborated. This selection concludes with the chapter on bonding and bond strengths in hydrides, followed by the applications of infrared, Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The general chemistry of water and its solvent properties are also briefly deliberated. This publication is suitable for undergraduates, particularly on covering the developments and chemistry of inorganic hydrides.