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Basic Chemical Kinetics
ments operating in the Fourier-Transform mode has not only greatly increased the capabilities of the method in terms of sensitivity and scope, it has also made the use of NMR a practicable proposition for a much wider group of potential users. The particular interests of these extend out from the classical areas of chemistry into such important fields as biologically-oriented studies. This English edition of a text originally published in German in 1973, has been substantially revised and updated in order to take account of some of the advances in NMR technology which have since become widely available. Its stated aim is to ‘(serve chemistry students as a first introduction . _ _ as well as a guide line for more detailed studies of its applications , . . ” This readership is anticipated to comprise organic chemists, biochemists and spectroscopists. Certainly the text provides an excellent desk top reference volume even for the seasoned NMR user, for it is well endowed with tables of useful data. Both in the tables and on some figures, a dual colour approach is employed, which highlights the important features being presented. However, students of organic or biological chemistry may well feel that there is considerably more information and detail than they require. Although the text is claimed to be “essentially non-mathematical”, extended mention is made of Hamiltonian operators, wavefunctions, matrix methods, etc. The direct analysis of an AB system is frequently as complex a problem as “classical” organic chemists wish to tackle themselves, leaving the direct or computer aided analysis of more complex spin systems to their spectroscopic colleagues, who are adequately catered for in the text. A useful introduction to Fourier spectroscopy, with its particular relevance to the study of 13Cresonances, is presented. This extends to a discussion of methods available for the examination of solids, and of the NMR Imaging experiments. It would perhaps have been of more immediate practical value and interest if, instea.d, the text had included a simple discussion of selective excitation and the so-called BD-NMR experiments, which are much more likely to be of value to the average practising chemist or spectroscopist. The text overall provides a useful and (in paperback form) economic introduction to NMR spectroscopy, with a scope adequate for most requirements. T. N. H. Basic Chemical Kinetics, by Henry Eyring, S. H. Lin and S. M. Lin, John Wiley, Chichester and New York, 1980, pp. vii -t 493, price .$20.00. This book sets out to present a survey of the current status of theories of chemical kinetics and their applications to interpreting experimental data on the rates of chemical reactions. The introductory chapter contains a brief summary of the more important mathematical methods in chemical kinetics, such as separation of variables, determinant and Laplace transform
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methods. Chapter two, on potential energy surfaces, starts with background quantum mechanics and proceeds with surfaces for several specific elementary reactions, conc~ud~g with the app~cation of s~rne~ rules in reaction kinetics. Chapter three, entitled Collision Dynamics, deals largely with the development of the framework of theoretical background to interpreting molecular beam data on elastic scattering. The fourth chapter on transition state theory, is brief and rather esoteric. This is followed by a chapter on unimolecular reactions, most of which is concerned with the treatment of molecules in isolation. The description of the RRKM theory is very brief. The sixth chapter discusses the application of collision theory to the reaction dynamics of gas phase bimolecular reactions. This is followed by two lengthy chapters on a theoretical approach to photochemistry; the first of these concentrates on a quantum mechanical approach to elementary processes in photochemistry, while the second covers molecular energy transfer in gases and relaxation processes in condensed phases. The final chapter is a ha-powered treatment of chemical reactions in condensed phases. The book is concluded with four appendices, ~clud~g a set of problems. This book is pitched at an advanced level and is clearly intended for postgraduate and subsequent use, As a generaI survey of recent developments in the field the book has much to commend it. The treatment is not, however, uniformly good, and tends to be pafzhy in certain areas in which the three contributing authors have not been directly involved. J. A. K.
Absorption Spectra in the Infrared Region, Vol.3, edited by L. Lang, Butterworth, London, 1977, pp. 319, price S18.09. Volume three of this series presents infrared spectra of many organic compounds in the range 4000 to 400 cm’ l. These compounds include recently synthesized substances which will be of interest to both academic and industrial (petrochemical and pharmaceutical) research workers. Spectra of the more familiar compounds are included where they give more detailed information on these than previously available. Empirical and structural formulae, molecular weight, boiling or melting points and sampling conditions are given with each spectrum. One criticism of this volume is that there is no cumulative index, which, for a series that will eventually consist of many additional volumes, will create an acute problem as further volumes appear, unless this omission is rectified. M. A. S.
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methods. Chapter two, on potential energy surfaces, starts with background quantum mechanics and proceeds with surfaces for several specific elementary reactions, conc~ud~g with the app~cation of s~rne~ rules in reaction kinetics. Chapter three, entitled Collision Dynamics, deals largely with the development of the framework of theoretical background to interpreting molecular beam data on elastic scattering. The fourth chapter on transition state theory, is brief and rather esoteric. This is followed by a chapter on unimolecular reactions, most of which is concerned with the treatment of molecules in isolation. The description of the RRKM theory is very brief. The sixth chapter discusses the application of collision theory to the reaction dynamics of gas phase bimolecular reactions. This is followed by two lengthy chapters on a theoretical approach to photochemistry; the first of these concentrates on a quantum mechanical approach to elementary processes in photochemistry, while the second covers molecular energy transfer in gases and relaxation processes in condensed phases. The final chapter is a ha-powered treatment of chemical reactions in condensed phases. The book is concluded with four appendices, ~clud~g a set of problems. This book is pitched at an advanced level and is clearly intended for postgraduate and subsequent use, As a generaI survey of recent developments in the field the book has much to commend it. The treatment is not, however, uniformly good, and tends to be pafzhy in certain areas in which the three contributing authors have not been directly involved. J. A. K.
Absorption Spectra in the Infrared Region, Vol.3, edited by L. Lang, Butterworth, London, 1977, pp. 319, price S18.09. Volume three of this series presents infrared spectra of many organic compounds in the range 4000 to 400 cm’ l. These compounds include recently synthesized substances which will be of interest to both academic and industrial (petrochemical and pharmaceutical) research workers. Spectra of the more familiar compounds are included where they give more detailed information on these than previously available. Empirical and structural formulae, molecular weight, boiling or melting points and sampling conditions are given with each spectrum. One criticism of this volume is that there is no cumulative index, which, for a series that will eventually consist of many additional volumes, will create an acute problem as further volumes appear, unless this omission is rectified. M. A. S.