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'''F. Albert Cotton''' (born [[April 9]], [[1930]]) is the W.T. Doherty-Welch Foundation Chair and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at [[Texas A&M University]]. His particular areas of interest include the structure, synthesis, and properties of bi- and multimetallic [[Complex (chemistry)|complexes,]] but he has contributed to many areas involving transition metals.
==Education==
After a BS degree from [[Temple University]] in 1951, Cotton pursued a Ph.D. thesis under the guidance of [[Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson]] at [[Harvard]] where he worked on [[metallocene]]s.<ref>Wilkinson, G.; Pauson, P. L.; Cotton, F. A., "Bis-Cyclopentadienyl Compounds of Nickel and Cobalt", Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1954, volume 76, pages 1970-4. DOI: 10.1021/ja01636a080.</ref> He received his Ph.D. in 1955.
==Independent career==
Cotton began his career at [[MIT]] with an emphasis on both electronic structure and chemical synthesis. He pioneered the study of multiple bonding between metals, initially with research on [[rhenium]] halides,<ref>Bertrand, J. A.; Cotton, F. A.; Dollase, W. A., "Metal-Metal Bonded, Polynuclear Complex Anion in CsReCl<sub>4</sub>", Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1963, volume 85, pages 1349-50. DOI: 10.1021/ja00892a029.</ref> and in 1964 identified the first known [[quadruple bond]] in the Re<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>8</sub><sup>2-</sup> ion. He soon focussed on species related to [[chromium(II) acetate]]<ref>Cotton, F. A.; Walton, R. A. “Multiple Bonds Between Metal Atoms” Oxford (Oxford): 1993. ISBN 0-19-855649-7.</ref> in work which continues today. He also initiated a broad study on metal [[cluster compound]]s. He was an early proponent of single crystal [[X-ray diffraction]] as a routine tool for elucidating the rich chemistry of metal complexes. Through his studies on clusters, he demonstrated that many exhibited "fluxionality", whereby ligands interchange coordination sites on spectroscopically observable time-scales. He coined the term [[hapticity]]. In the early 1970's, he moved to his current location at Texas A&M, where he has continued to be a prolific publisher and influential mentor.
==Pedagogical influence==
In addition to his diverse research, Cotton has contributed to the pedagogy of [[inorganic chemistry]]. He authored "Chemical Applications of Group Theory".<ref>Cotton, F. A., "Chemical Applications of Group Theory," John Wiley & Sons: New York, 1990.</ref> This text introduced generations of chemists to the value of group theoretical analysis of [[chemical bond|bonding]] and [[spectroscopy]]. With his PhD advisor, he coauthored a text known simply as "Cotton and Wilkinson".<ref>Cotton, F. A. and Wilkinson, G., "Advanced Inorganic Chemistry", John Wiley and Sons: New York, 1988.</ref> The text, which has had many editions, surveys the entirety of inorganic chemistry with an emphasis on post-[[Alfred Werner|Werner]]ian themes of cluster chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, and organometallic chemistry. Prior to "Cotton and Wilkinson", instruction in inorganic chemistry was more practically driven, less connected to [[organometallic chemistry|organometallics]], and less focused on molecular structure.
==Recognition==
Cotton has published over 1600 papers. He has been honored throughout the world with prestigious prizes.
==Criticism==
There has been widespread criticism that Cotton is quick to publish work that may be considered trivial and of dubious value to the scientific community, particularly if it were submitted by a more junior scientist. This is particularly true in the area of crystal structures.
==See also==
[http://www.chem.tamu.edu/rgroup/cotton Texas A&M biography]
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:American chemists|Cotton, F. Albert]]
[[Category:Living people|Cotton, F. Albert]]
[[Category:Members and associates of the US National Academy of Sciences|Cotton, F. Albert]]
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