Inorganic Chemistry This series reflects the breadth of modern research in inorganic chemistry and fulfils the need for advanced texts. The series covers the whole range of inorganic and physical chemistry, solid state chemistry, coordination chemistry, main group chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry. Chemical Bonds A Dialog Jeremy K. Burdett The University of Chicago, USA Understanding the nature of the chemical bond is the key to understanding all chemistry, be it inorganic, physical, organic or biochemistry. In the form of a question and answer tutorial the fundamental concepts of chemical bonding are explored. These range from the nature of the chemical bond, via the regular hexagonal structure of benzene and the meaning of the term 'metallic bond', to d-orbital involvement in hypervalent compounds and the structure of N_2O. Chemical Bonds: A Dialog provides

* a novel format in terms of a dialog between two scientists

* insights into many key questions concerning chemical bonds

* an orbital approach to quantum chemistry