Rudi van Eldik was born in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 1945 and grew up in Johannesburg (South Africa). He received his chemistry education and DSc degree at the former Potchefstroom University (SA), followed by post-doctoral work at the State University of New York at Buffalo (USA) and the University of Frankfurt (Germany). After completing his Habilitation in Physical Chemistry at the University of Frankfurt in 1982, he was appointed as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Private University of Witten/Herdecke in 1987. In 1994 he became Professor of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, from where he retired in 2010. At present he is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, and Visiting Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the N. Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. His research interests cover the elucidation of inorganic and bioinorganic reaction mechanisms, with special emphasis on the application of high pressure thermodynamic and kinetic techniques. In recent years his research team also focused on the application of low-temperature rapid-scan techniques to identify and study reactive intermediates in catalytic cycles, and on mechanistic studies in ionic liquids. He is Editor of the series Advances in Inorganic Chemistry since 2003. He serves on the Editorial Boards of several chemistry journals. He is the author of over 880 research papers and review articles in international journals and supervised 80 PhD students. He has received honorary doctoral degrees from the former Potchefstroom University, SA (1997), Kragujevac University, Serbia (2006), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland (2010), University of Pretoria, SA (2010), and Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, Russia (2012). He has developed a promotion activity for chemistry and related experimental sciences in the form of chemistry edutainment presentations during the period 1995-2010. In 2009 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit (‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’) by the Federal President of Germany, and the Inorganic Mechanisms Award by the Royal Society of Chemistry (London). His hobbies include music, hiking, jogging, cycling and motor-biking. He is the father of two and grandfather of four children. Name: José Antonio OLABE Position: Research staff of CONICET Laboratory or research group: Coordination Chemistry Tel: 5411 4576-3378/89 ext.115 Fax: 5411 4576-3341 E-mail: olabe@qi.fcen.uba.ar Born in 1941, San Sebastián, Spain Studies in Chemistry: Doctor in Chemistry (1968), University of La Plata Postdoc: Inorganic Chemistry (Prof. P.J.Aymonino), La Plata (1969-70) Teaching Positions: Emeritus Professor, Facultad de Cs. Exactas y Nat., UBA Position at CONICET: Class I Researcher Topic of interest: Coordination Chemistry – Activation of small molecules - Catalysis Awards and Recognitions: Konex Award in Inorganic Chemistry, 2003. President of the Argentine Phys.Chem.Research Society, 2003-2005. Vice-Dean: Facultad de Cs. Exactas y Nat., UBA, 1990-1998. Invited Lecturer in National and International Meetings and Symposia. Selected Recent Publications “Three Redox States of Nitrosyl: NO+, NO• and NO–/HNO Interconvert Reversibly on the Same Pentacyanoferrate(II) Platform”, A.C.Montenegro, V.T.Amorebieta, L.D.Slep, D.F.Martín, F.Roncaroli, D.H.Murgida, S.E.Bari, J.A.Olabe, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48/23, 4213-4216. “Addition and Redox Reactivity of Hydrogen Sulfides (H2S/HS-) with Nitroprusside: New Chemistry of Nitrososulfide Ligands”, S.L.Quiroga, A.E.Almaraz, V.T.Amorebieta, L.L.Perissinotti, J.A.Olabe, Chem. Eur. J., 2011, 17, 4145-4156. “Disproportionation of O-Methylhydroxylamine catalyzed by aquapentacyanoferrate(II)”, M.M.Gutiérrez, J.A.Olabe, V.T.Amorebieta, Inorg. Chem. 2011, 50, 8817-8825. “Nucleophilic Addition Reactions of the Nitroprusside Ion – The Case of O-Methylhydroxylamine”, M.M.Gutiérrez, J.A.Olabe, V.T.Amorebieta, Eur.J.Inorg.Chem. 2012, 4433-4438. “Nitrosyl-Centered Redox and Acid-Base Interconversions in [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(NO)]3,2,1+. The pKa of HNO for its Nitroxyl Derivative in Aqueous Solution”, N. Osa Codesido, T. Weihermüller, J. A. Olabe, L. D. Slep, Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 981-997. Other important Publications “Reactivity of Reduced Nitroprusside, [Fe(CN)5NO•]3-, toward Oxygen”, M.Videla, F.Roncaroli, L.D.Slep, J.A.Olabe, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129, 278-279. “Release of NO from Reduced Nitroprusside Ion. Iron-Dinitrosyl Formation and NO-Disproportionation Reactions”, F.Roncaroli, R.van Eldik, J.A.Olabe, Inorg. Chem. 2005, 44, 2781-2790. “Metal Catalyzed Anaerobic Disproportionation of Hydroxylamine. Role of Diazene and Nitroxyl Intermediates in the Formation of N2, N2O, NO+ and NH3”, G.E.Alluisetti, A.E.Almaraz, V.T.Amorebieta, F.Doctorovich, J.A. Olabe, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 13432-13442. Reviews and Book Chapters “Chemistry of Bound Nitrogen Monoxide and Related Redox Reactions”, J. A. Olabe, en Physical Inorganic Chemistry: Reactions, Processes, and Applications, A. Bakac, Ed., Wiley, 2010, Cap. 7, (ISBN 0470224207). “The coordination chemistry of nitrosyl in cyanoferrates. An exhibit of bioinorganic relevant reactions”,(Perspective Article), JA.Olabe, Dalton Transactions, 2008, 3633-3648. “New Features on the Redox Coordination Chemistry of Metal Nitrosyls {(M-NO+; M-NO•; M-NO?/HNO)}”, F. Roncaroli, M. Videla, L.D. Slep, J.A. Olabe, Coord. Chem. Rev., 2007, 251, 1903-1930. “Redox Reactivity of Coordinated Ligands in Pentacyano(L)Ferrate Complexes”, J.A. Olabe, Adv. Inorg. Chem. 2004, 55, 61-126. “Reactivity and Structure of Complexes of Small Molecules: Nitric and Nitrous Oxide”, J.A. Olabe, L.D.Slep, in: Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry II, From Biology to Nanotechnology, J.A. Mc Cleverty y T.J. Meyer, Eds., Pergamon, Vol. 1, Section III, Cap. 1.31, 2003, 603-623.