Rubidium, like its near neighbor Cesium, exhibits photoeffect, loosing electrons in response to light exposure. Rubidium catalysts are widely used in organic chemical synthesis such as methanol and higher alcohols, and the synthetic rubber source materials, styrene and butadiene. Rb catalysts are also used in hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and polymerization reactions among others, where they have an advantage of working at lower temperatures and pressures than sodium and potassium catalysts.
Rubidium catalysts are also indifferent to sulfur, which poisons most other catalysts.
Through Chemistry of the Elements by N. N. Greenwood, A. Earnshaw Greenwood and Earshaw is an excellent inorganic chemistry text as well as a valuable reference for the chemist or geochemist. Their systematic treatment of the elements by group within the periodic table makes for a coherent treatment of periodic properties. Besides the almost encyclopedic coverage of element chemistry, they cover the sources and uses of the elements and their compounds, making the chemistry much more relevant to everyday life. This is a good text for a university level inorganic class, but has enough general information that would be digestable for lower level students as well. An excellent resource for chemistry instructors at all levels.