Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry

What is Gmelin?

  • A comprehensive treatise of inorganic chemistry
  • provides a collection of data in the fields of inorganic, organometallic and physical chemistry
  • includes physics, metallurgy, geochemistry, mineralogy and crystallography
  • 8th edition covers the entire field of inorganic chemistry from the middle of the 18th century forward
  • originally published only in German
    • in 1950's English translations appeared in the margins throughout the volumes; table of contents in both languages
    • since 1982 published entirely in English

Information included in Gmelin

  • The original source of data is referenced
  • text includes tables of numerical data, graphic material and diagrams of apparatus

Arrangement of Data

  • Compounds are arranged according to a set of numbers called "system numbers"
    • numbering sequence starts with the rare gases and progresses to the heavier metals for a total of 71 system numbers
    • anion-forming element have smaller numbers than cation-forming elements
    • a compound is found in the volume dealing with the element of the highest system number
    • zinc has a system number of 32.
    • zinc plus all zinc compounds with elements numbered from 1 to 31 are classified under number 32
    • a compound or combination of elements is discussed only in the volume assigned to the element having the highest system number
  • since 1978 all volumes have been arranged alphabetically by element symbol rather than by system number
  • the reverse of the title page for each volume contains the latest date through which the literature for that system volume has been evaluated
  • For each element or group of elements the text follows a specific pattern
    • history
    • occurrence
    • physical properties
    • chemical properties
    • treatment of the compounds
  • since 1978 all volumes have been arranged alphabetically by element symbol rather than by system number
    • classification still follows the "latest possible entry" format
  • the reverse of the title page for each volume contains the latest date through which the literature for that system volume has been evaluated
  • a General Formula Index arranged alphanumerically by element has been recently added
  • Three basic parts
    • Main Series volumes
    • Supplements to the Main Series
    • New Supplement Series



Note About Gmelin System Numbers:
System numbers do not follow the atomic number sequence, but have been assigned so that the elements which commonly form cations have the higher system numbers than those which commonly form anions. This system arranged compounds in the Gmelin Handbook series under its most electropositive element.

Within each system number volume, the further location of a compound is governed by its 2nd highest, 3rd highest, ..., and lowest element system number. The following example shows how compounds that contain Cu (Copper), with all the compounds having 60 as the highest system number, and arranged in the Gmelin sequence. System numbers are in parentheses.
(60, 16) Cu3P (60, 17, 3) 5CuO * As2 O5
(60, 16, 3) Cu2P2O7 (60, 17, 6) 7Cu * 2AsCl3
(60, 16, 5) addition of compounds of Cu(PF6)2 (60, 17, 7) 7Cu * 2AsBr3
(60, 16, 13, 3) CuBPO5 (60, 17, 9) Cu3AsS4
(60, 16, 15) the Cu-P-Si system (60, 18, 9) the Cu-Sb-S system
(60, 17) Cu-As alloys (60, 19, 9) Cu3BiS3