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An Essay on Periodic Tables

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150 Years of the Periodic Table

Part of the book series: Perspectives on the History of Chemistry ((PHC))

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Abstract

After a compact history of the PT, from Döbereiner’s triads to the theoretical predictions up to element 172, a number of particular issues is discussed: Why may Z = 172 be a limit for stable electron shells? What are the expected stability limits of the nuclear isotopes? When are formally empty atomic orbitals used in molecular electronic structures? What is ‘Secondary Periodicity’? When do the elements (Ir, Pt, Au), at the end of a bond, simulate (N, O, I), respectively? Some new suggestions for alternative PTs are commented upon. As a local connection, Johan Gadolin’s 1794 analysis of the Ytterby mineral is mentioned.

This chapter has been reproduced with permission from Ref. [1]. https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0801. Copyright 2019 IUPAC and De Gruyter.

A collection of invited papers based on presentations at “Mendeleev 150”: 4th International Conference on the Periodic Table endorsed by IUPAC, Saint Petersburg (Russia), 26–28 July 2019.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For more information on triads, see Chapter 3 of this volume—Ed.

  2. 2.

    Other chapters in this volume treat in greater detail Beguyer de Chancourtois (5), Newlands (6), Meyer (8 and 9), Mendeleev (2), and the discovery of predicted elements (10)—Ed.

  3. 3.

    Chapter 12 of this volume recounts the discovery of the noble gas elements—Ed.

  4. 4.

    That is, Seaborg chose names for the actinides by analogy to the lanthanides’ names—Ed.

  5. 5.

    The very compact size of the 5g shell would make these elements ‘superlanthanides’.

  6. 6.

    See Chapter 16 of the present volume for further information on the Madelung rule and related topics—Ed.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, POB 55 (A. I. Virtasen Aukio 1), 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Pekka Pyykkö

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Carmen J. Giunta

  2. School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Vera V. Mainz

  3. School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    Gregory S. Girolami

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Pyykkö, P. (2021). An Essay on Periodic Tables. In: Giunta, C.J., Mainz, V.V., Girolami, G.S. (eds) 150 Years of the Periodic Table. Perspectives on the History of Chemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67910-1_17

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