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Advances in infrared and Raman spectroscopy, vol. 8
297
Vibrational Spectra and Structure, A Series of Advances, Vol. 10, edited by James R. Durig, Elsevier, Amsterdam and New York, 1981, pp. xvi + 498, price US $121.25, Dfl. 285.00. This volume is a very welcome addition to this well-known and highly rated series. The usual format of having a small number of authoritative indepth reviews is retained_ One’s overall impression is that standards have been maintained and that readers will be stimulated as well as enlightened. It has been recognised for some time that tunable lasers were the key to a veritable Aladdin’s cave of scientific riches. Now that their range is being
rapidly extended and their availability increasing, this promise is being rapidly fulfilled. The first review, by R. S. McDowell, demonstrates the considerable potential of using tunable lasers in vibrational spectroscopy. In the past eight years or so, the exciting new field of vibrational optical activity (VOA) has become prominent. An excellent review by L. A. Nafie will do much to promote the greater use of VOA under its twin guises of vibrational circular dichroism and Raman optical activity. The other reviews are of a less general character but will be greatly welcomed by specialists in Raman microprobe analysis (reviewed by J. J. Blaha), the local mode model (B. R. Henry), vibronic spectra and structure
associated with Jahn-Teller and sum rules for VIB-ROT
interactions interaction
in the solid phase (M. C. M. O’Brien) coefficients
(L. Nemes). W. J. O.-T.
Advances
in Infrared
and Kaman Spectroscopy, Vol. S, edited by R. J. H. Heyden and Sons, London, 1981, pp_ sv + 386,
Clark and R. E. Hester, price 235.00.
This series continues
to be presented
in a first class fashion and remains
required reading for academic and industrial vibrational spectroscopists. The topics covered in this volume consist of an interesting mixture of fundamen-
tal and applied topics. Gaseous pollution monitoring is of prime importance in atmospheric studies as well as in industrial plant. The first chapter, by H. W. Schrotter, provides detailed information on the infrared DIAL and Raman LID.4R methods. The possibility of bond-selective photochemical reactions continues to interest many spectroscopists and the second chapter on Spectroscopic Studies of Vibrational Energy Transfer by R. T. Bailey and F. R. Cruickshank provides an escellent background article to this topic. A most useful summary of the current theories of energy transfer is included_ About 170 papers on vibrational spectra of liquid crystals have appeared and most of these are discussed in B. J. Bulkin’s article Vibrational Spectra of Liquid Crystals. The author makes the valid point that the early esten-
298
sive studies on nematic phases did not yield much quantitative information and that it would have been more profitable to study the more ordered smectic phases. The many conflicts between laboratory measurements and interpretation are fairly presented and possible explanations offered. The next chapter, A New Chiroptical Method: Infrared Rotatory Dispersion of Induced Cholesteric Solutions, by E.-H. Morte and B. Schrader neatly bridges the liquid crystals review and S. F. Mason’s timely account of infrared circular dichroism. The latter review opens with a well-written interesting historical introduction for which general readers will be grateful_ Tile final chapter, by L. D. Barron and E. N. Svendsen, consists of a theoretical account of Antisymmetric Light Scattering and Time Reversal_ W. J. O.-T. edited by M. J. S. Dewar, K. Hafner, E. Heilbronner, S. Ito, J. M. Lehn, K. Niedenzu, C. W. Rees, K. Schafer and G. Wittig, managing editor F. L. Baschke, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1980, pp. 132, price DM 68.00.
Topics
in Current
Chemistry,
Vol. 93, Van der Waals Systems,
This volume consists of three review articles concerned in some way with the properties of Van der WaaIs complexes: Ab Initio Studies of the Interaction in Van der Waals Molecules, by A. Van der Avoird, P. E. S. Wormer, F. Mulder and R. M. Berns. Molecular Orbitals, Physical Properties, Thermodynamics of Formation and Reactivity, by P. Hobza and R. Zahradnik. Intermolecular Interactions and Anesthesia: Infrared Spectroscopic Studies, by G. Trudeau, J.-M. Dumas, P. Dupuis, M. Guerin and C. Sandorfy. All three articles are we11 constructed and informative, and the third, despite its title, is lively and interesting reading. The first is by one of the stronger research teams currently in the field and is clearly put over in terms which are understandable by non-specialists, one of the major objectives of any review article. This small volume, despite its price, is recommended reading. M. W. E.
Hazards Royal
in the Chemical Society
Laboratory,
of Chemistry,
London,
edited by L. Bretherick, The 1981, pp. xxi + 567, price 215.00.
3rd Edn.,
As legislation proceeds, the rapid advancement in matters concerned with safety in a laboratory context is reflected in the need to prepare and publish another edition (the 3rd) in 4 years after publication of the previous edition. Not only has there been a very large increase in the number of compounds legislated to be toxic (13 000 in 1974, 34 000 in 1978, and even more now),
Vibrational Spectra and Structure, A Series of Advances, Vol. 10, edited by James R. Durig, Elsevier, Amsterdam and New York, 1981, pp. xvi + 498, price US $121.25, Dfl. 285.00. This volume is a very welcome addition to this well-known and highly rated series. The usual format of having a small number of authoritative indepth reviews is retained_ One’s overall impression is that standards have been maintained and that readers will be stimulated as well as enlightened. It has been recognised for some time that tunable lasers were the key to a veritable Aladdin’s cave of scientific riches. Now that their range is being
rapidly extended and their availability increasing, this promise is being rapidly fulfilled. The first review, by R. S. McDowell, demonstrates the considerable potential of using tunable lasers in vibrational spectroscopy. In the past eight years or so, the exciting new field of vibrational optical activity (VOA) has become prominent. An excellent review by L. A. Nafie will do much to promote the greater use of VOA under its twin guises of vibrational circular dichroism and Raman optical activity. The other reviews are of a less general character but will be greatly welcomed by specialists in Raman microprobe analysis (reviewed by J. J. Blaha), the local mode model (B. R. Henry), vibronic spectra and structure
associated with Jahn-Teller and sum rules for VIB-ROT
interactions interaction
in the solid phase (M. C. M. O’Brien) coefficients
(L. Nemes). W. J. O.-T.
Advances
in Infrared
and Kaman Spectroscopy, Vol. S, edited by R. J. H. Heyden and Sons, London, 1981, pp_ sv + 386,
Clark and R. E. Hester, price 235.00.
This series continues
to be presented
in a first class fashion and remains
required reading for academic and industrial vibrational spectroscopists. The topics covered in this volume consist of an interesting mixture of fundamen-
tal and applied topics. Gaseous pollution monitoring is of prime importance in atmospheric studies as well as in industrial plant. The first chapter, by H. W. Schrotter, provides detailed information on the infrared DIAL and Raman LID.4R methods. The possibility of bond-selective photochemical reactions continues to interest many spectroscopists and the second chapter on Spectroscopic Studies of Vibrational Energy Transfer by R. T. Bailey and F. R. Cruickshank provides an escellent background article to this topic. A most useful summary of the current theories of energy transfer is included_ About 170 papers on vibrational spectra of liquid crystals have appeared and most of these are discussed in B. J. Bulkin’s article Vibrational Spectra of Liquid Crystals. The author makes the valid point that the early esten-
298
sive studies on nematic phases did not yield much quantitative information and that it would have been more profitable to study the more ordered smectic phases. The many conflicts between laboratory measurements and interpretation are fairly presented and possible explanations offered. The next chapter, A New Chiroptical Method: Infrared Rotatory Dispersion of Induced Cholesteric Solutions, by E.-H. Morte and B. Schrader neatly bridges the liquid crystals review and S. F. Mason’s timely account of infrared circular dichroism. The latter review opens with a well-written interesting historical introduction for which general readers will be grateful_ Tile final chapter, by L. D. Barron and E. N. Svendsen, consists of a theoretical account of Antisymmetric Light Scattering and Time Reversal_ W. J. O.-T. edited by M. J. S. Dewar, K. Hafner, E. Heilbronner, S. Ito, J. M. Lehn, K. Niedenzu, C. W. Rees, K. Schafer and G. Wittig, managing editor F. L. Baschke, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1980, pp. 132, price DM 68.00.
Topics
in Current
Chemistry,
Vol. 93, Van der Waals Systems,
This volume consists of three review articles concerned in some way with the properties of Van der WaaIs complexes: Ab Initio Studies of the Interaction in Van der Waals Molecules, by A. Van der Avoird, P. E. S. Wormer, F. Mulder and R. M. Berns. Molecular Orbitals, Physical Properties, Thermodynamics of Formation and Reactivity, by P. Hobza and R. Zahradnik. Intermolecular Interactions and Anesthesia: Infrared Spectroscopic Studies, by G. Trudeau, J.-M. Dumas, P. Dupuis, M. Guerin and C. Sandorfy. All three articles are we11 constructed and informative, and the third, despite its title, is lively and interesting reading. The first is by one of the stronger research teams currently in the field and is clearly put over in terms which are understandable by non-specialists, one of the major objectives of any review article. This small volume, despite its price, is recommended reading. M. W. E.
Hazards Royal
in the Chemical Society
Laboratory,
of Chemistry,
London,
edited by L. Bretherick, The 1981, pp. xxi + 567, price 215.00.
3rd Edn.,
As legislation proceeds, the rapid advancement in matters concerned with safety in a laboratory context is reflected in the need to prepare and publish another edition (the 3rd) in 4 years after publication of the previous edition. Not only has there been a very large increase in the number of compounds legislated to be toxic (13 000 in 1974, 34 000 in 1978, and even more now),