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Atom-molecule collision theory: a guide for the experimentalist
350
Atom-Molecule Collision Theory: A Guide for the Experimental&, edited by R. B. Bernstein, Plenum Press, New York and London, 1979, pp. x.x + 779, price $57.50 + 20% outside U.S.A. This volume is intended to serve the needs of the experimentalist in atom-molecule collisions who requires a working knowledge of the theory relevant to his measurements. This reviewer must declare himself as a theoretician so he may not be seeing the book from the viewpoint intended by the editor. However, since learning of the existence of the volume and seeing preprints of a few chapters, I have awaited it eagerly and I was not disappointed. Over the past decade or so, improved computational facilities have enabled essentially exact quantal solutions to be obtained for certain inelastic and reactive molecular scattering problems. Along with this has come a fuller understanding of classical methods and the sudden and related approximations. Thus, theoretical techniques have now reached the stage where, given the appropriate potential surface (or surfaces), a reasonably accurate calculation of cross sections may be performed. Accordingly, detailed comparisons between theory and experiment are often possible_ The editor of this multi-authored book, R. B. Bernstein, has himself made many significant contributions to the development of the field, both experimentally and theoretically. I agree with his judgement that theoretical developments have stabilized sufficiently for a review in book form to be timely. He is to be congratulated on his choice of contributors - virtually all are among the leaders in their area - and the standard of the articles is high. While there are a few short formal studies, generally the authors have concentrated on methods which are currently being implemented. After an introductory chapter by Bernstein, two chapters on potential energy surfaces follow, treating ab initio (Schaefer) and semiempirical (Kuntz) methods. Pauly’s chapter on elastic scattering by spherical potentials is the longest single chapter, not unreasonably since this area is the best understood of those covered. While much here will be familiar to most users, it is valuable to have the theoretical material seen as relevant by a distinguished experimentalist gathered together. After elastic scattering by noncentral potentials (Stolte and Reuss), a series of chapters gives extensive coverage of inelastic scattering, particularly rotational and vibrational excitation (Light, Kouri, Secrest, Pattengill, Gentry). Kouri gives a valuable account of the recently developed decoupling methods. Non-adiabatic electronic transitions (Child) lead to a further group of chapters on reactive scattering. While quantum methods for three-dimensional reactive scattering (discussed here by Light and Wyatt) are still being actively developed, the corresponding classical calculation is straightforward and Truhlar and Muckerma provide a very detailed description of how such a calculation can be performed. Collision-induced dissociation is covered by two chapters (Diestler and Kuntz) while a fitting conclusion is provided by Levine and Kinsey with
351
authoratative user-oriented discussion of information-theory methods and their application to all the diverse processes considered previously. I think this is an excellent book. Unfortunately for most of us, its price, while not unreasonable for its length, will preclude individual purchase but it should be on the shelves and in the laboratories of all those interested in atom-molecule collisions. A. S. D.
Aromatic and Heterocyclic Chemistry Voi. 7, senior reporters l-I. Suschitzky 0. Meth-Cohn, Specialist Periodical Report, The Chemical Society, London, 1979, pp. xiii + 368, price E33.00.
and
The volume covers original material abstracted in Volumes 87 and 88 of Chemical Abstracts and thus originally published in 1977 or early 1978. It offers an excellent survey of this very large field; reading the book carefully presents a formidable task, let alone the writing of it. We should be most grateful to the editors and the authors for having undertaken this task and done it so well. The contents are arranged logically with chapters on the following topics: Three- and Four-Membered Ring Systems (R. C. Storr), Five-Membered Ring Systems (G. V. Boyd), Six-Membered Homocyclic Compounds (A. W. Summerville), Six-Membered Heterocyclic Systems (R. K. Smalley), Seven-Membered Ring Systems (G. R. Proctor), Medium Rings and Macrocycles (0. Meth-Cohn), Electrophilic Substitution (D. J. Chadwick) (something of a misnomer as this chapter covers considerable topics in addition to classical electrophilic substitution but is none the worse for that), Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions (G. M. Brook), Substitution by Radicals, Carbenes and Nitrenes (IX. S. Atkinson) and Porphyrins (A. H. Jackson). In a book of this type the comprehensibility is very much determined by the style adopted by the author and, in particular, by the use of formulae_ On the whole the comprehensibility is very good and the number of formulae is quite adequate in most of the chapters, almost every reaction discussed being illustrated by formulae. In the opinion of this reviewer, this is the correct policy as it is essential for rapid understanding. A minor point that could be improved in future volumes would be to insert plus signs and arrows in the formulae_ This could often be done without any extra space being used and would show which reaction goes to which product. The really big chapters, 2, 3 and 4, comprise about two thirds of the size of the book. It is interesting that the number of formulae is less in chapter 4, where the author has chosen to be rather more precise in the running text and uses allocated space somewhat differently. Perhaps he should have been allowed rather more space because certainly the going seems to be more difficult in this chapter because of the smaller proportion of formulae.
Atom-Molecule Collision Theory: A Guide for the Experimental&, edited by R. B. Bernstein, Plenum Press, New York and London, 1979, pp. x.x + 779, price $57.50 + 20% outside U.S.A. This volume is intended to serve the needs of the experimentalist in atom-molecule collisions who requires a working knowledge of the theory relevant to his measurements. This reviewer must declare himself as a theoretician so he may not be seeing the book from the viewpoint intended by the editor. However, since learning of the existence of the volume and seeing preprints of a few chapters, I have awaited it eagerly and I was not disappointed. Over the past decade or so, improved computational facilities have enabled essentially exact quantal solutions to be obtained for certain inelastic and reactive molecular scattering problems. Along with this has come a fuller understanding of classical methods and the sudden and related approximations. Thus, theoretical techniques have now reached the stage where, given the appropriate potential surface (or surfaces), a reasonably accurate calculation of cross sections may be performed. Accordingly, detailed comparisons between theory and experiment are often possible_ The editor of this multi-authored book, R. B. Bernstein, has himself made many significant contributions to the development of the field, both experimentally and theoretically. I agree with his judgement that theoretical developments have stabilized sufficiently for a review in book form to be timely. He is to be congratulated on his choice of contributors - virtually all are among the leaders in their area - and the standard of the articles is high. While there are a few short formal studies, generally the authors have concentrated on methods which are currently being implemented. After an introductory chapter by Bernstein, two chapters on potential energy surfaces follow, treating ab initio (Schaefer) and semiempirical (Kuntz) methods. Pauly’s chapter on elastic scattering by spherical potentials is the longest single chapter, not unreasonably since this area is the best understood of those covered. While much here will be familiar to most users, it is valuable to have the theoretical material seen as relevant by a distinguished experimentalist gathered together. After elastic scattering by noncentral potentials (Stolte and Reuss), a series of chapters gives extensive coverage of inelastic scattering, particularly rotational and vibrational excitation (Light, Kouri, Secrest, Pattengill, Gentry). Kouri gives a valuable account of the recently developed decoupling methods. Non-adiabatic electronic transitions (Child) lead to a further group of chapters on reactive scattering. While quantum methods for three-dimensional reactive scattering (discussed here by Light and Wyatt) are still being actively developed, the corresponding classical calculation is straightforward and Truhlar and Muckerma provide a very detailed description of how such a calculation can be performed. Collision-induced dissociation is covered by two chapters (Diestler and Kuntz) while a fitting conclusion is provided by Levine and Kinsey with
351
authoratative user-oriented discussion of information-theory methods and their application to all the diverse processes considered previously. I think this is an excellent book. Unfortunately for most of us, its price, while not unreasonable for its length, will preclude individual purchase but it should be on the shelves and in the laboratories of all those interested in atom-molecule collisions. A. S. D.
Aromatic and Heterocyclic Chemistry Voi. 7, senior reporters l-I. Suschitzky 0. Meth-Cohn, Specialist Periodical Report, The Chemical Society, London, 1979, pp. xiii + 368, price E33.00.
and
The volume covers original material abstracted in Volumes 87 and 88 of Chemical Abstracts and thus originally published in 1977 or early 1978. It offers an excellent survey of this very large field; reading the book carefully presents a formidable task, let alone the writing of it. We should be most grateful to the editors and the authors for having undertaken this task and done it so well. The contents are arranged logically with chapters on the following topics: Three- and Four-Membered Ring Systems (R. C. Storr), Five-Membered Ring Systems (G. V. Boyd), Six-Membered Homocyclic Compounds (A. W. Summerville), Six-Membered Heterocyclic Systems (R. K. Smalley), Seven-Membered Ring Systems (G. R. Proctor), Medium Rings and Macrocycles (0. Meth-Cohn), Electrophilic Substitution (D. J. Chadwick) (something of a misnomer as this chapter covers considerable topics in addition to classical electrophilic substitution but is none the worse for that), Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions (G. M. Brook), Substitution by Radicals, Carbenes and Nitrenes (IX. S. Atkinson) and Porphyrins (A. H. Jackson). In a book of this type the comprehensibility is very much determined by the style adopted by the author and, in particular, by the use of formulae_ On the whole the comprehensibility is very good and the number of formulae is quite adequate in most of the chapters, almost every reaction discussed being illustrated by formulae. In the opinion of this reviewer, this is the correct policy as it is essential for rapid understanding. A minor point that could be improved in future volumes would be to insert plus signs and arrows in the formulae_ This could often be done without any extra space being used and would show which reaction goes to which product. The really big chapters, 2, 3 and 4, comprise about two thirds of the size of the book. It is interesting that the number of formulae is less in chapter 4, where the author has chosen to be rather more precise in the running text and uses allocated space somewhat differently. Perhaps he should have been allowed rather more space because certainly the going seems to be more difficult in this chapter because of the smaller proportion of formulae.