Studies in Inorganic Chemistry 2, Phosphorus: An Outline of Its Chemistry, Biochemistry and Technology, Second Edition deals with the organic, inorganic, biochemical, physical, environmental, and technical aspects of phosphorus chemistry. This book is composed of 11 chapters and starts with a brief background of phosphorus with the recognition of three major allotropic modifications of elemental phosphorus. The chemical composition of phosphorus is analyzed as containing either three, four, five, or six oxygen atoms linked to a central phosphorus atom. Simple phosphorus nitrides and other related compounds are also dealt with, including compounds with P-NH2 linkages, P-NF2 linkages, and amides with P-N and P-C linkages. One kind of orthophosphate esters is analyzed, because it is numerous, involved in many life processes, and has various applications in industry and the sciences. Phosphorus sulfur compounds, polyphosphines, ring compounds, and high polymers are also described. This book further discusses the production through the combination of phosphine with borane that gives rise to more varieties of possible phosphorus-boron hydrides, and then explains the simplest but a hypothetical compound known as H2b-Ph2. Attention is also given to the preparation and study of metal-coordination compounds, of which the P atom retains at least an approximate tetrahedral bond configuration. Finally, the chemical methods for the detection and estimation of phosphorus in a compound are explained, where a prior oxidation and/or hydrolysis should first be considered. This text is intended for university undergraduate levels in the discipline of general chemistry. This book can also be a useful reference for research workers and technologists dealing with phosphorus chemistry.
