Complexity occurs in biological and synthetic systems alike. This general phenomenon has been addressed in recent publications by investigators in disciplines ranging from chemistry and biology to psychology and philosophy. Studies of complexity for molecular scientists have focussed on breaking symmetry, dissipative processes, and emergence. Investigators in the social and medical sciences have focused on neurophenomenology, cognitive approaches and self-consciousness. Complexity in both structure and function is inherent in many scientific disciplines of current significance and also in technologies of current importance that are rapidly evolving to address global societal needs. Several of these multifaceted scientific disciplines are addressed in this book including complexity from the general and philosophical perspective, magnetic phenomena, control of self assembly and function in large multicomponent clusters, application of theory to probe structure and mechanism in highly complex molecular species, and the design of multifunctional nanoscale molecules of value in decontamination and solar fuels research. Each chapter is both a review and addresses some ongoing challenges, thus each should provide a good preparation for further work in these highly active areas of research endeavour.

Provides different views of complexity ranging from classical ones involving dissipative processes, emergences and such phenomena, to structure and function in new types of materials. Examines the synthetic materials with perhaps the highest known controllable complexity: the polyoxometalates. Addresses philosophical, experimental and computational perspectives on complexity.

Inhalt
Challenges of Complexity in Chemistry and Beyond; K. Mainzer.-Emergence, breaking symmetry and neurophenomenology as pillars of chemical tenets; A. Dei.- Complexity in Molecular Magnetism; D. Gatteschi.-Rational Design of Single-Molecule Magnets; T.Glaser.- Emergence in Inorganic Polyoxometalate Cluster Systems: From Dissipative Dynamics to Artificial Life; L. Cronin.-.The Amazingly Complex Behaviour of Molybdenum Blue Solutions; E. Diemann and A. Müller.-Encapsulated Water Molecules in Polyoxometalates. Insights from Molecular Dynamics; P. Miró and C. Bo.- Organometallic Dendrimers: Design, Redox Properties and Catalytic Functions; D. Astruc et al.- Antioxidants of hydrocarbons: From simplicity to complexity; V. Farzaliyev.- Structural and Electronic Features of Wells-Dawson Polyoxometalates; L. Vilà-Nadal et al.- Homogeneous computational catalysis: the mechanism for cross-coupling and other C-C bond formation processes; Maseras et al.-Electron Transfer to Dioxygen by Keggin Heteropolytungstate Cluster Anions; O. Snir and I.A. Weinstock.-. Multi-electron transfer catalysts for air-based organic oxidations and water oxidation; C.L. Hill et al.-Electron Transfer to Dioxygen by Keggin Heteropolytungstate Cluster Anions; O. Snir and I.A. Weinstock.-. Multi-electron transfer catalysts for air-based organic oxidations and water oxidation; C.L. Hill et al.-Electron Transfer to Dioxygen by Keggin Heteropolytungstate Cluster Anions; O. Snir andI.A. Weinstock.-. Multi-electron transfer catalysts for air-based organic oxidations and water oxidation; C.L. Hill et al.-Electron Transfer to Dioxygen by Keggin Heteropolytungstate Cluster Anions; O. Snir and I.A. Weinstock.-. Multi-electron transfer catalysts for air-based organic oxidations and water oxidation; C.L. Hill et al.-Electron Transfer to Dioxygen by Keggin Heteropolytungstate Cluster Anions; O. Snir and I.A. Weinstock.-. Multi-electron transfer catalysts for air-based organic oxidations and water oxidation; C.L. Hill et al.-