Nanocrystals are fundamental to modern science and technology. Mastery over the shape of a nanocrystal enables control of its properties and enhancement of its usefulness for a given application. Our aim is to present a comprehensive review of current research activities that center on the shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanocrystals. We begin with a brief introduction to nucleation and growth within the context of metal nanocrystal synthesis, followed by a discussion of the possible shapes that a metal nanocrystal might take under different conditions. We then focus on a variety of experimental parameters that have been explored to manipulate the nucleation and growth of metal nanocrystals in solution-phase syntheses in an effort to generate specific shapes. We then elaborate on these approaches by selecting examples in which there is already reasonable understanding for the observed shape control or at least the protocols have proven to be reproducible and controllable. Finally, we highlight a number of applications that have been enabled and/or enhanced by the shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanocrystals. We conclude this article with personal perspectives on the directions toward which future research in this field might take.

Shape‐Controlled Synthesis of Metal Nanocrystals: Simple Chemistry Meets Complex Physics?

Strong Closed-Shell Interactions in Inorganic Chemistry.

Advances in copper complexes as anticancer agents.

Polymeric materials with antimicrobial activity

The challenge of cyclic and acyclic schiff bases and related derivatives

Mercury organometallic compounds. Classification and analysis of crystallographic and structural data

Copper(II) salicylideneglycinate complexes as potential antimicrobial agents

The synthesis and characterization (elemental analysis, IR, electronic and EPR spectra as well as magnetization measurements over the temperature range 18 K–300 K) of solid complex [Cu(5-MeOsal)2(μ-nia)(H2O)]2 (1; 5-MeOsal = 5-methoxysalicylate, nia = nicotinamide) is reported together with the crystal structure In blue–green complex 1, two Cu(5-MeOsal)2(H2O) units are held together by a pair of bidentate nonchelating nicotinamide ligands, which form a (CuNC3O)2 ring Each Cu atom adopts a distorted square-pyramidal geometry The oxygen atoms from two unidentate 5-MeOsal anions occupy the trans position, a water molecule and the pyridine N atom of nicotinamide build the basal plane and a carboxamide O atom occupies the apical position The separation between two Cu atoms within the centrosymmetric dimer is 6940(2) A The dimeric units are self-assembled across a centre of symmetry by the formation of two pairs of strong hydrogen bonds, which create a one-dimensional polymeric structure with the interdimer Cu···Cu separation 4901(2) A It is believed that these hydrogen bonds between the copper(II) atoms are responsible for the unique magnetic properties of compound 1 The magnetic susceptibility of complex 1 exhibits a maximum at 6 K A satisfactory explanation was found with the Bleaney–Bowers equation for Cu–Cu interaction through carboxylato groups and H-bond bridges (2J = –683 cm–1) An additional molecular field correction that was used to characterize the interaction across the nia bridges is assumed to be extremely weak (zJ′ = –028 cm–1) (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

New dimeric copper(II) complex [Cu(5-MeOsal)2(μ-nia)(H2O)]2 with magnetic exchange interactions through H-bonds

Zinc carboxylates complexed with N-donor ligands have potential antifungal effects. The preparation, identification and especially the thermal properties of four hitherto non-characterized compounds of this group of general formula (CH3CH2COO)2Zn·2L·H2O are described in this paper. The experimental results are confronted with present knowledge on analogous compounds.

Preparation, identification and thermal properties of (CH3CH2COO)2Zn·2L·H2O (L=thiourea, nicotinamide, caffeine or theorbromine)

Zinc has a relatively low abundance in nature (10−6 of the earth's crust) but the chemistry of zinc compounds has been extensively investigated, and the relation-ships between structure and biomedical activity are of major importance. Zinc appears to bc one of the more biologically important metals,1 second only to iron among the heavy metals (i.e. excluding sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium).

Milan Melnik

Papers

Mercury organometallic compounds. Classification and analysis of crystallographic and structural data

Copper(II) salicylideneglycinate complexes as potential antimicrobial agents

New dimeric copper(II) complex [Cu(5-MeOsal)2(μ-nia)(H2O)]2 with magnetic exchange interactions through H-bonds

Preparation, identification and thermal properties of (CH3CH2COO)2Zn·2L·H2O (L=thiourea, nicotinamide, caffeine or theorbromine)

Review: zinc(ii) compounds: classification and analysis of crystallographic and structural data