Miessler and Tarr: Inorganic Chemistry, 3rd. Ed
Textbook
Submitted by Nancy Scott Burke Williams, Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna CollegeMiessler and Tarr is an inorganic textbook which is is best suited to an upper-division one-semester inorganic course, though there is more material than can be covered in a single semester, so some choice of topics is necessary. It is very well suited for a course oriented around structure, bonding, and reaction chemistry of transition metal compounds, but is very limited in its treatment of solids, main-group, descriptive chemistry, and bioinorganic. Pchem would be helpful but is not necessary. In particular, the treatment of MO theory is very in-depth. The quality of end-of chapter problems is generally good. The book is fairly readable, giving it an advantage over some of the more "reference work" style textbooks, but as a result, is a less useful text to have on your bookshelf five years hence. Pearson Higher Ed. suggests a retail price of $144.20.
Comments
Works for pre-Pchem course
Good for one-semester course
I feel like I have used nearly every inorganic text out there, and this is the one I've settled on for the last few years for our one-semester pre-P Chem inorganic course.
I really like the way the authors treat atomic structure (especially orbitals) and, like Maggie, the qualitative approach to MO theory works well for me. I introduce character tables, but skip the section on molecular vibrations in order to jump straight into molecular orbitals.
I also skip the chapter on electronic spectra of coordination compounds.
I supplement the solid state chapter with an exercise that uses the ICE solid state model kits. I have posted the activity to VIPEr. It's called "Solid-State Model Building Exercise."
Joanne Stewart
I have found this text to be
And in case you are doing home improvement...
Here is an alternative use for this textbook.
http://thereifixedit.com/2010/01/11/another-problem-solved-with-science/
One of the commenters, Rissa at 1:27 pm on Jan 11 says, "Having studied inorganic chemistry, I can tell you with authority that this is the only good use for that book."