Chemical Hardness is one of the highly useful concepts which enable chemists to understand reactivities without reference to large supercomputers and databases. Originally developed as an intuitive, qualitative concept, it is today firmly based on and justifed by quantum chemistry.

This book explains the history, applications and theoretical foundations of "chemical hardness". Written by R. G. Pearson, the originator of the concept, it is a clear and well-written account of the consequences that can be derived from "hardness". It also shows the links to quantum chemistry and especially density functional theory which have provided a theoretical basis for and at the same time have extended the range of applications of "chemical hardness".

An excellent and highly readable source of information for every chemist!