Electronic Structure and Chemistry of the Heaviest Elements

Abstract

Investigations of chemical properties of the heaviest elements are among the most fundamental in all of chemistry. They seek to probe the uppermost reaches of the periodic table of the elements where the nuclei are unstable and relativistic effects on the electronic shells are very strong. Theoretical research in this area is extremely important. It is often the only source of useful chemical information. It also enables one to predict behaviour of the heaviest elements in the sophisticated and expensive experiments with single atoms. Spectacular developments in the relativistic quantum theory and computational algorithms allowed for accurate predictions of properties of the heaviest elements and their experimental behaviour. The works on the relativistic electronic structure calculations for the heaviest elements are overviewed. Preference is given to those related to the experimental research. Role of relativistic effects is discussed.