There has been enormous progress in our understanding of molybdenum and tungsten enzymes and relevant inorganic complexes of molybdenum and tungsten over the past twenty years. This set of three books provides a timely and comprehensive overview of the field and documents the latest research. Building on the first and second volumes that focussed on biochemistry and bioinorganic chemistry aspects, the third volume focusses on spectroscopic and computational methods that have been applied to both enzymes and model compounds. A particular emphasis is placed on how these important studies have been used to reveal critical components of enzyme mechanisms. This text will be a valuable reference to workers both inside and outside the field, including graduate students and young investigators interested in developing new research programs in this area.

Molybdenum is crucially important for almost all organisms ranging from ancient single cell micro-organisms to modern human beings. The reactions catalyzed by molybdenum and tungsten co-factors involve two electron oxidation or reduction usually accompanied by an oxygen atom transfer from water to substrate or vice versa as part of the carbon, nitrogen and sulphur metabolism. This book deals with the advances of molybdenum and tungsten co-factor model chemistry including a brief survey of the earlier stages of even older inorganic dithiolene chemistry.