We are interested in detailed studies of the relationship between the molecular and the electronic structure of metal centres in co-ordination chemistry, biology and materials science in order to understand the control of the reactivity and the microscopic properties of d- and f- block metal ions. Members of our research group are involved in a wide range of skills, which incorporate inorganic and organic chemical synthesis, conventional analytical (micro, TG/DTA), spectroscopic (UV/vis/nIR, IR, NMR, Mass, Raman), magnetic (EPR, susceptibility) and electrochemical (c.v., c.p.e) techniques. We rely heavily on structural analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction. We use state-of-the-art spectroscopic methods in EPR spectroscopy at the EPSRC national service facility, part of which is sited in this Department, X-ray absorption and diffraction at the SRS at Daresbury and spectroelectrochemistry, which is the application of various forms of spectroscopy (e.g. UV/vis, XAS, EPR) coupled to electrochemical generation.