The resurgence of main-group element chemistry

Abstract

After a brief historical introduction outlining the way that chemistry as a whole has developed during the past few decades, the recent resurgence of interest in the main-group elements is highlighted. These elements in the s and p blocks of the Periodic Table now constitute one of the major areas of contemporary chemical research. Reasons for this pattern of development are considered and then various illustrative examples are selected from the chemistry of each Group to give some idea of the enormous scope and variety of the chemistry of these elements.