  Aims. We aim to provide constraints on evolutionary scenarios in clusters.
One of our main goals is to understand whether, as claimed by some, the cool
core/non-cool core division is established once and for all during the early
history of a cluster.
  Methods. We employ a sample of about 60 objects to classify clusters
according to different properties: we characterize cluster cores in terms of
their thermo-dynamic and chemical properties and clusters as a whole in terms
of their dynamical properties.
  Results. We find that: I) the vast majority of merging systems feature high
entropy cores (HEC); II) objects with lower entropy cores feature more
pronounced metallicity peaks than objects with higher entropy cores. We
identify a small number of medium (MEC) and high (HEC) entropy core systems
which, unlike most other such objects, feature a large central metallicity. The
majority of these outliers are mergers, i.e. systems far from their equilibrium
configuration.
  Conclusions. We surmise that medium (MEC) and high (HEC) entropy core systems
with a large central metallicity recently evolved from low entropy core (LEC)
clusters that have experienced a heating event associated to AGN or merger
activity.
