This book consists of contributions by participants in the Symposium "Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Characterizat.ion of Solute Species in Non~Aqueous Solvents" which took place at the American Chemical Society Meeting, Division of Analytical Chemistry, August 31 and September I, 1976, San Francisco, California. The manuscripts were submitted to the editor during the first half of 1977 and, in most cases, represent reviews of selected research topics in the broad area of characterization of solute species in non~aqueous solvents. In organizing this Symposium, I attempted to bring together a significantly large group of research workers involved in spectro­ scopic and electrochemical studies in the three large classes of non-aqueous solvents ~ organic solvents, covalent inorganic sol­ vents and molten salts. The experimental apprcaches and problems, such as avoidance of traces of moisture and oxygen, are frequently similar for all types of non-aqueous solvents. It is hoped that this volume will be useful to all concerned with chemistry in non-aqueous solvents. Gleb l>lamantov , Contents 1. IDENTIFICATION AND SYSTEMIZATION OF SOLVENT PROPERTIES INVOLVED IN THE LIGAND SUBSTITUTION KINETICS OF LABILE COMPLEXES OF NICKEL(II) J. F. Coetzee, D. Frollini, C. G. Karakatsanis, E. J.