PREFACE
Volume 63 ofAdvances in Inorganic Chemistryis a thematic
issue devoted to inorganic photochemistry, coedited by Graz ̇yna
Stochel from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland.
Photochemistry has always played an important role in inor-
ganic/bioinorganic chemistry, and with the development of
sophisticated instrumentation, the underlying physical and
chemical processes have been clarified to a significant degree in
recent years. Inorganic photochemistry presently finds applica-
tion in diverse areas such as sensor technology, molecular
assemblies, catalysis, medical therapy, biomimetics, activation
of small molecules, semiconductors, solid materials, and environ-
mental processes. This volume includes 10 contributions
highlighting the role of photochemistry in a broad spectrum of
inorganic chemistry. We hope it will prove interesting and
inspiring to researchers in this field.
The first chapter by Harry B. Gray and collaborators presents a
detailed account on luminescent lanthanide sensors. This is
followed by a chapter on the photo-physics of soft and hard molec-
ular assemblies based in luminescent complexes written by Luisa
de Cola and collaborators. The photochemistry and photo-physics
of metal complexes with dendritic ligands are covered in the fol-
lowing chapter by Vincenzo Balzani and collaborators. In the
fourth chapter, Osamu Ishitani and collaborators present an
account on the photochemistry and photo-catalysis of rhenium(I)
diimine complexes. In the subsequent chapter, Luis G. Arnaut
reports on the design of porphyrin-based photosensitizers for
photodynamic therapy. Photosensitization and photo-catalysis in
bioinorganic, bio-organometallic, and biomimetic systems are
covered by Günther Knör and collaborator in the sixth chapter.
A short review on recent developments in transition metal
complexes as solar photo-catalysts in the environment is pres-
ented in the seventh chapter by Zofia Stasicka. This is followed
by a contribution from Arnd Vogler and collaborator on the photo-
chemical activation and splitting of water, CO 2 , and N 2 induced by
charge transfer excitation of redox-active metal complexes. In the
ninth chapter, Horst Kisch reports on visible light photo-catalysis
by metal halide complexes containing titania as a semiconductor
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