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for: Inorganic Chemistry (journal)
[[image:Inorganic-montage.png|thumb|right|150px|Inorganic compounds show rich variety:
A: Diborane features unusual bonding
B: Caesium chloride has an archetypal crystal structure
C: Fp2 is an organometallic complex
D: Silicone's uses range from breast implants to Silly Putty
E: Grubbs' catalyst won the 2005 Nobel Prize for its discoverer
F: Zeolites find extensive use as molecular sieves
G: Copper(II) acetate surprised theoreticians with its diamagnetism]]
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds (compounds containing C-H bonds), which are the subjects of organic chemistry. The distinction between the two disciplines is far from absolute, and there is much overlap, most importantly in the sub-discipline of organometallic chemistry.
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for: Inorganic Chemistry (journal)
[[image:Inorganic-montage.png|thumb|right|150px|Inorganic compounds show rich variety:
A: Diborane features unusual bonding
B: Caesium chloride has an archetypal crystal structure
C: Fp2 is an organometallic complex
D: Silicone's uses range from breast implants to Silly Putty
E: Grubbs' catalyst won the 2005 Nobel Prize for its discoverer
F: Zeolites find extensive use as molecular sieves
G: Copper(II) acetate surprised theoreticians with its diamagnetism]]
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds (compounds containing C-H bonds), which are the subjects of organic chemistry. The distinction between the two disciplines is far from absolute, and there is much overlap, most importantly in the sub-discipline of organometallic chemistry.
Key concepts
Important classes of inorganic compounds are the oxides, the carbonates, the sulfates and the halides. Many inorganic compounds are characterized by high melting points. Inorganic salts typically are poor conductors in the solid state. Another important feature is their solubility in e.g. water (see: solubility chart), and ease of crystallization. Where some salts (e.g. NaCl) are very soluble in water, others (e.g. SiO2) are not.
The simplest inorganic reaction is double displacement when in mixing of two salts the ions are swapped without a change in oxidation state. In redox reactions one reactant, the oxidant, lowers its oxidation state and another reactant, the reductant, has its oxidation state increased. The net result is an exchange of electrons. Electron exchange can occur indirectly as well, e.g. in batteries, a key concept in electrochemistry.
When one reactant contains hydrogen atoms, a reaction can take place by exchanging protons in acid-base chemistry. In a more general definition, an acid can be any chemical species capable of binding to electron pairs is called a Lewis acid; conversely any molecule that tends to donate an electron pair is referred to as a Lewis base. As a refinement of acid-base interactions, the HSAB theory takes into account polarizability and size of ions.
Inorganic compounds are found in nature as minerals. Soil may contain iron sulfide as pyrite or calcium sulfate as gypsum. Inorganic compounds are also found multitasking as biomolecules: as electrolytes (sodium chloride), in energy storage (ATP) or in construction (the polyphosphate backbone in DNA).
