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

This review draws together the structural information presently available for almost 40 organocadmium and carbonyl derivatives. The cadmium oxidation state varies from 0 to +2. There is only one example of Cd(I), which is in a distorted tetrahedral environment. The oxidation state of +2 is most abundant, with Cd(II)found in digonal, trigonal planar, tetrahedral and five-coordinate (mostly trigonal-pyramidal) environments. The nuclearity ranges from one to seven, and one example each of nine and 13 metal atoms. Correlations are drawn between bond lengths and bond angles, and comparisons made with the corresponding zinc and mercury analogues.

Organometallic and Carbonyl Compounds of Cadmium: Analysis of Crystallographic and Structural Data

Structures of Grignard reagents determined by X-ray diffraction, as of the end of August 1992, have been reviewed. There are two preparative procedures reported for the 24 structures, which include monomers, dimers and oligomers. The hard Mg(II) atom is found in a tetra-, penta- and hexacoordinate environment with ligands ranging from soft, through borderline to hard. The most common halogen associated with these Grignard structures is bromine. The carbon donor ligands are uni-, bi- or pentadentate. Relationships between structural parameters, covalent radii of coordinated atoms and the geometry of the coordination sphere are discussed.

Structural Aspects of Grignard Reagents.

Structure of Heterometallic Platinum Complexes with Non‐Transition Metals. Part III: Heterotetranuclear Complexes

This review covers twenty four Pt(II) complexes of the inner coordination sphere Pt(κ3–P1 N1N2)(Y), (Y = Cl, CL); Pt(κ3–P1N1X1)(Y), (X1 = O1 and Y = P2L, Cl, I); (X1 = C1 and Y = NL, Cl); (X1 = S1 and Y = Cl, I); (X1 = Se1 and Y = Cl); Pt(κ3–N1P1N2)(Cl), Pt(κ3–S1P1S2)(Cl), Pt(κ3–P1S1Cl1)(Cl) and Pt(κ3–P1Si1N1)(OL). These complexes are crystallized in three crystal classes: monoclinic (16 examples), triclinic (5 examples), and orthorhombic (3 examples). Each κ3–ligand creates two metallocyclic rings with various combinations of the respective metallocyclic rings. If the common central ligating atom is N1, the 5 + 5 membered, 5 + 5, 5 + 6, 6 + 5, and 6 + 6; if the common central ligating atom is P1: 5 + 5, and 6 + 6; if the common central ligating atom is S1 or Si1, 5 + 6-membered. The structural parameters (Pt-L, L-Pt-L) are analysed and discussed with an attention to the distortion of a square-planar geometry about the Pt(II) atoms as well as trans-influence. The sums of the Pt-L (x = 4) bond distances the growing with the covalent radius of the Y atoms. Noticeably, the distortion of the square-planar geometry is growing with the decreasing size of the inner coordination sphere about the Pt(II) atom. There is a relation between the degree of distortion (Ʈ4) and the numbers of the metallocycles rings. The distortion diminishing is in the order of: 0.058 (5 + 5) > 0.037 (6 + 5) > 0.023 (5 + 6) > 0.022 (6 + 6) membered.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/12/12/1772/pdf?version=1670326055

Heterotridentate Organomonophosphines in Pt(κ3–X1P1X2)(Y) (X1,2 = N1,2 or S1,2), Pt(κ3–P1N1X1)(Y) (X1 = O, C, S or Se) Pt(κ3–P1S1Cl1)(Cl) and Pt(κ3–P1Si1N1)(OL)—Structural Aspects

Condensation of pyridine-2-carbonitrile (2-CNpy) with 2-aminoethanol (L1) or 1-amino-3-propanol (L2) in alcohol solutions of CuX2 (X =  , , Cl− and Br−) proceeds readily under mild conditions to form stable solid complexes [Cu(NO3)2(amL1-NH)2], [Cu(amL1-NH)2](ClO4)2, [Cu(amL2-NH)2](ClO4)2, [CuCl2(amL2-NH2)] · H2O, [CuCl2(amL2-NH)2] and [CuBr(amL2-NH)2]Br, which contain the imino form of N-2-hydroxyethylpyridine-2-carboxamidine (amL1-NH) and imino or amino forms of N-3-hydroxypropylpyridine-2-carboxamidine (amL2-NH or amL2-NH2). Crystal structures of [Cu(NO3)2(N-2-hydroxyethyl-pyridine-2-carboxamidine-N,N′)2] and [CuBr(N-3-hydroxypropylpyridine-2-carboxamidine-N,N′)2]Br and IR data confirm bidentate N,N-coordination of N-hydroxyalkylpyridine-2-carboxamidines (via the nitrogen atom of the pyridine ring as well as the nitrogen atom of the terminal imino group). The structure of [Cu(NO3)2(amL1-NH)2] consists of well-separated centrosymmetrical Cu(amL1-NH)2(NO3)2 entities, including two independent kinds of mo...

Innersphere transformations of pyridine-2-carbonitrile mediated by copper(II), cobalt(II) and nickel(II). Crystal structures of bis (nitrato)- bis ( N -2-hydroxyethyl- pyridine-2-carboxamidine- N,N ′)copper(II) and bromo-bis( N -3-hydroxy-propylpyridine-2-carboxamidine- N,N ′)copper(II) bromide

Milan Melnik

Papers

Organometallic and Carbonyl Compounds of Cadmium: Analysis of Crystallographic and Structural Data

Structural Aspects of Grignard Reagents.

Structure of Heterometallic Platinum Complexes with Non‐Transition Metals. Part III: Heterotetranuclear Complexes

Heterotridentate Organomonophosphines in Pt(κ3–X1P1X2)(Y) (X1,2 = N1,2 or S1,2), Pt(κ3–P1N1X1)(Y) (X1 = O, C, S or Se) Pt(κ3–P1S1Cl1)(Cl) and Pt(κ3–P1Si1N1)(OL)—Structural Aspects

Innersphere transformations of pyridine-2-carbonitrile mediated by copper(II), cobalt(II) and nickel(II). Crystal structures of bis (nitrato)- bis ( N -2-hydroxyethyl- pyridine-2-carboxamidine- N,N ′)copper(II) and bromo-bis( N -3-hydroxy-propylpyridine-2-carboxamidine- N,N ′)copper(II) bromide