- Email: [email protected]
Spectroscopic properties of inorganic and organometallic compounds
314
but they do illustrate real-life applications. For example, a problem is worked on the water flow required to control the temperature of fermenting grape juice, whose density is changing at a given rate per day; more than half a page of text is required to explain the calculation, which depends on several assumptions and knowledge from the fermentation industry of how the change in density is related to the rate of ethanol production. The authors consider that the theoretical stiucture of physical chemistry rests largely on three foundations: kinetic theory, quantum theory and thermodynamics. They claim that thermodynamics is the only one of these three foundations to be “used by the average physical chemist on a day-today basis”. Real-life problems of the kind described above do support this contention, but the over-emphasis on bulk properties can lead to a shallowness in the depth of understanding acquired by a student physical chemist exposed to such an approach, and could also lead to a corresponding lack of ability to cope with new types of problem outside his previous experience. Certainly, problems on the molecular scale would prove difficult to such a student. Thus for example, chemical kinetics, as presented in this book, is clearly a difficult subject, because the reader is forced to generalise right from the start, instead of being introduced gently to a subject by a few simple examples. The book will be extremely useful to students in chemical engineering, to whom it is probably ideally suited, but to recommend it as the main physical chemistry text-book for a student in chemistry would be unrealistic. B. B.
Spectroscopic Properties of Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds, Vol. 8, senior reporter N. N. Greenwood, Specialist Periodical Reports, Chemical Society, London, 1975, pp. xi + 543, price %25.00. The format of this volume is basically the same as that of its predecessors, although to keep the length within reasonable bounds some trimming has occurred. Throughout the book more stringent criteria have been applied in selecting work for inclusion or for more detailed discussion. Despite omission of papers in three areas (proton NMR used solely for identification; metals in biological systems; use of paramagnetic complexes as shift reagents) the chapter on NMR spectroscopy contains some 1615 references. A useful new feature in this chapter is an appendix listing references.to nuclei other than ‘H. Over 1900 references are covered by the four chapters on vibrational spectroscopy; here the customary appendix containing additional references to metal carbonyl complexes has.been omitted. It is a pity that economic reality does not allow the entirevolume to reach the level of the final chapter on Mijssbauer spectroscopy which,, despite trimming, still .contains appreciably
315
more discussion and illustrations than either the NMR or vibrational spectroscopy sections_ Nevertheless, the bo.ok is an invaluable work of reference. A. J. B.
The Infrared Spectra of Complex Molecules, Vol. 1, 3rd. edn., by L. J. Bellamy, Chapman and Hall, London, 1975, pp. xix + 433, price 68.00.
The first edition of this book was published in 1954 and since then spectroscopists everywhere have benefited from the initiative and industry of Bellamy’s work. The book remains a persistent authority in its field and this third edition will be widely welcomed. A full revision of the text has been undertaken but the actual changes are not great. The basic data have changed little since the previous edition (1958). Many controversial issues have now been resolved, therefore only the final conclusions are now given. Very few group frequencies have emerged during the past fifteen years. There has however been a change in emphasis from the identification of specific groups to other possible uses of group frequency studies in the solution of structural and chemical problems. This shift in emphasis was covered in Bellamy’s (1967) publication of “Advances in Infrared Group Frequencies”, which is regarded as Volume 2. The problems encountered with such a vast increase in literature have been dealt with well. Only the most relevant references, including about 300 new ones (with some deletions) have been included. This new edition provides a critical and authoritative review of structural correlations in the infrared and will be much used in many spectroscopy laboratories. W. J. O.-T.
Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics, International Review of Science, Physical Chemistry Series Two, Vol. 10, edited by H. A. Skinner, consultant editor A. D. Buckingham, Butterworths, London and Boston, pp. 337, price g13.45.
This second volume on Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics is intended to complement the first volume. Topics not covered in the earlier work but included here are the chapter by D. R. Douslin on the PVT properties of fluids, that by D. I. Marchidan on thermodynamics of molten salts, by R. A. J. Shelton on alloy thermochemistry, and a chapter by Janet L. McNaughton and C. T. Mortimer on differential scanning calorimetry. Other new topics are the chapter by A. Cezairliyan and C. W. Beckett on the measurement of thermal properties at high pressures by transient techniques
but they do illustrate real-life applications. For example, a problem is worked on the water flow required to control the temperature of fermenting grape juice, whose density is changing at a given rate per day; more than half a page of text is required to explain the calculation, which depends on several assumptions and knowledge from the fermentation industry of how the change in density is related to the rate of ethanol production. The authors consider that the theoretical stiucture of physical chemistry rests largely on three foundations: kinetic theory, quantum theory and thermodynamics. They claim that thermodynamics is the only one of these three foundations to be “used by the average physical chemist on a day-today basis”. Real-life problems of the kind described above do support this contention, but the over-emphasis on bulk properties can lead to a shallowness in the depth of understanding acquired by a student physical chemist exposed to such an approach, and could also lead to a corresponding lack of ability to cope with new types of problem outside his previous experience. Certainly, problems on the molecular scale would prove difficult to such a student. Thus for example, chemical kinetics, as presented in this book, is clearly a difficult subject, because the reader is forced to generalise right from the start, instead of being introduced gently to a subject by a few simple examples. The book will be extremely useful to students in chemical engineering, to whom it is probably ideally suited, but to recommend it as the main physical chemistry text-book for a student in chemistry would be unrealistic. B. B.
Spectroscopic Properties of Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds, Vol. 8, senior reporter N. N. Greenwood, Specialist Periodical Reports, Chemical Society, London, 1975, pp. xi + 543, price %25.00. The format of this volume is basically the same as that of its predecessors, although to keep the length within reasonable bounds some trimming has occurred. Throughout the book more stringent criteria have been applied in selecting work for inclusion or for more detailed discussion. Despite omission of papers in three areas (proton NMR used solely for identification; metals in biological systems; use of paramagnetic complexes as shift reagents) the chapter on NMR spectroscopy contains some 1615 references. A useful new feature in this chapter is an appendix listing references.to nuclei other than ‘H. Over 1900 references are covered by the four chapters on vibrational spectroscopy; here the customary appendix containing additional references to metal carbonyl complexes has.been omitted. It is a pity that economic reality does not allow the entirevolume to reach the level of the final chapter on Mijssbauer spectroscopy which,, despite trimming, still .contains appreciably
315
more discussion and illustrations than either the NMR or vibrational spectroscopy sections_ Nevertheless, the bo.ok is an invaluable work of reference. A. J. B.
The Infrared Spectra of Complex Molecules, Vol. 1, 3rd. edn., by L. J. Bellamy, Chapman and Hall, London, 1975, pp. xix + 433, price 68.00.
The first edition of this book was published in 1954 and since then spectroscopists everywhere have benefited from the initiative and industry of Bellamy’s work. The book remains a persistent authority in its field and this third edition will be widely welcomed. A full revision of the text has been undertaken but the actual changes are not great. The basic data have changed little since the previous edition (1958). Many controversial issues have now been resolved, therefore only the final conclusions are now given. Very few group frequencies have emerged during the past fifteen years. There has however been a change in emphasis from the identification of specific groups to other possible uses of group frequency studies in the solution of structural and chemical problems. This shift in emphasis was covered in Bellamy’s (1967) publication of “Advances in Infrared Group Frequencies”, which is regarded as Volume 2. The problems encountered with such a vast increase in literature have been dealt with well. Only the most relevant references, including about 300 new ones (with some deletions) have been included. This new edition provides a critical and authoritative review of structural correlations in the infrared and will be much used in many spectroscopy laboratories. W. J. O.-T.
Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics, International Review of Science, Physical Chemistry Series Two, Vol. 10, edited by H. A. Skinner, consultant editor A. D. Buckingham, Butterworths, London and Boston, pp. 337, price g13.45.
This second volume on Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics is intended to complement the first volume. Topics not covered in the earlier work but included here are the chapter by D. R. Douslin on the PVT properties of fluids, that by D. I. Marchidan on thermodynamics of molten salts, by R. A. J. Shelton on alloy thermochemistry, and a chapter by Janet L. McNaughton and C. T. Mortimer on differential scanning calorimetry. Other new topics are the chapter by A. Cezairliyan and C. W. Beckett on the measurement of thermal properties at high pressures by transient techniques