Inorganic

Inorganic is a term used in chemistry to describe substances and processes that do not fall under organic chemistry. Traditionally, inorganic chemistry studies compounds that are not based on carbon-hydrogen frameworks, though the boundary is not strict. Many compounds containing carbon—such as carbonates, cyanides, carbon dioxide, and metal carbonyls—are considered inorganic, while organometallic chemistry sits at the interface with organic chemistry.

Inorganic chemistry encompasses the chemistry of elements across the periodic table, including main-group elements, transition metals, lanthanides, and actinides. Its scope includes synthesis and characterization of minerals, coordination compounds, catalysts, inorganic materials, and solid-state systems. Subfields include coordination chemistry (metal-ligand complexes), bioinorganic chemistry (metals in biology), organometallic chemistry (compounds with metal–carbon bonds), solid-state/inorganic materials chemistry, and catalysis.

Common tools and methods include X-ray crystallography to determine structures, spectroscopy (UV-Vis, IR, NMR in relevant cases), electrochemistry, and various forms of thermogravimetric analysis. Applications span catalysis for chemical synthesis, electronic and magnetic materials, ceramics and pigments, and medicinal inorganic chemistry (for example, metal-based drugs and contrast agents).

Historically, the term arose to distinguish inorganic compounds from those associated with living organisms; today the distinction is primarily methodological. Inorganic chemistry remains essential to materials science, catalysis, and industrial chemistry, due to the wide diversity and utility of its compounds.