Abstract: Since coordination chemistry towards the 21^st century has so many interdisciplinary areas with nearly every branches of chemistry, it will be located at the central part of modern chemistry. The definitions of ligand and central atom are greatly extended, and there are plentiful opportunities and challenges facing coordination chemists in the future.

Key words: coordination chemistry, ligand, central-atom, chemistry-of-21^st-century

摘要： 提出21世纪的配位化学处于现代化学的中心地位，在过去的一个世纪中配体和中心原子的概念大大扩充了，配位化学的内涵也有很大的发展，探讨了21世纪的配位化学工作者面临的机遇与挑战。

关键词: 配位化学, 配体, 中心原子, 21世纪化学