Inorganic complexes and ligand exchange reactions are widely used in drugs, catalysis and many other areas. Making students aware of these applications helps them develop an appreciation of the importance of chemistry and of chemists in the wider community. The articles and audio files below illustrate some examples of these applications.

EDTA

An intriguing introduction using a story about Scoops Taylor in Boy's Life magazine begins this account of the applications of edta which touches on water softening, its use in the paper manufacturing industry, in the prevention of fouling of surgical equipment and its role in chelation therapy. Edta is explored in detail in 'EDTA -    A molecule with a complex story' as part of the molecule of the month series.

Cisplatin

This MP3 download or text transcript describes a drug compound that changed the field of chemotherapy and has a ligand exchange reaction at the centre of the way it destroys cancer cells.

Ruthenium compounds as anti cancer agents

New ruthenium-based drugs with fewer and less severe side effects, could place longstanding platimum based anticancer drugs.

Grubb's Catalyst

This MP3 download and text transcript describes Robert Grubbs’ role in the development of highly stable ruthenium complexes able to catalyse a wide range of these metathesis reactions in which substituents are exchanged betwen two alkenes. Another podcast describes the rhodium complex known as Wilkinson's catalyst, the first homogeneous hydrogenation catalyst.

Copper catalysis overcomes double bond trouble

Copper(I) hydride complexes are used to catalyse alkene reactions but the choice of ligands determines the yield and enatioselectivity that can be obtained.

Displacing precious metals in solar cells

Iron based complex ions are being developed for use in dye sensitised solar cells as cheaper alternatives to dyes based on precipus metals.