Several areas of coordination chemistry are currently under investigation in our research group. The molecules of interest are di-, tri- or polymetallic systems in which the first row transition metals are held in close proximity to one another by the presence of suitable bridging ligands. One aspect of this work is to develop synthetic strategies and conditions to prepare mononuclear complexes and to utilize these complexes as reagents in subsequent reactions to produce polynuclear species. Typically the mononuclear starting complexes are the porphyrin or Schiff bas ligands. The former are ideal for providing a rigid framework with a strong field donor set while the latter are more flexible and easier to modify. The magnetic properties of polymetallic species, antiferromagnetism and ferromagnetism, and the molecular interpretation of these bulk properties is also of intense interest. Other systems of investigation are intermediate (S=3/2) spin and spin crossover iron(III) complexes. Binuclear compounds which also exhibit an intermediate spin or spin crossover are also under investigation as they are members of a new class of magnetic materials. The inorganic laboratories include a state-of-the-art inert atmosphere system and a low temperature Faraday balance.