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The physics and chemistry of color
CLMs, while promising, need further investigation before technical and commercial success can be predicted. A. R. Burgess
The Physics and Chemistry of Color. By Kurt Nassau. Pp, 454. Wiley, Chichester. 1983. f36.00. This is a book for the general reader which covers a very wide range of topics from the colour of gemstones and metals to those of animals and plants. from the nature 01 to lasers, liquid auroras. and rainbows, crystals. photosynthesis, colour vision, and colour t&vision. Coloured glasses, colour changes in food, dyeing and bleaching, fireworks and neon signs. and many other aspects of everyday life involving colour receive attention. It is fascinating to learn that in some languages there are no separate words for blue and green, and yellow and orange are not distinguished. The subtitle of the book is ‘The Fifteen Causes of Colour’ and these arc grouped under Vibrations and Simple Excitations, Transitions Involving Ligand Field Effects, Transitions between Molecular Orbitals, Transitions Involving Energy Bands, and Geometrical and Physical Optics. These somewhat arbitrary subdivisions are then discussed in detail in Chapters 2-12 and form the bulk of the book. Explanations are clear and require only a basic knowledge of physics and chemistry and there is a wealth of diagrams and colour photographs. The physics is better than the chemistry. There are numerous errors in structural formulae and some of the information is out of date, but that should not disturb the general reader. R. H. Thomson Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Natural Carbon Compounds: Syntheses of the Benzo(c)Phenanthridine Alkaloids. By 1. NinomyiaandT. Naito.TheChemistryof theVancomycinGroupofAntibiotics.By F. Sztaricskai and R. Bognar. Pp. 209. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest 1984. f9.90. The first part of this book deals with the synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridines, although the main reactions of this group of alkaloids arc also summarised. The core of the review (pp. 3&X5) is divided into two chapters; the first of these considers the synthetic methodology, whilst the second deals with specific syntheses in more detail; this main section (with about 60 references) is particularly informative The chemistry of the vancomycins is discussed in the second part of this book, and the structure elucidation of vancomycin itself (chapter 3) makes an excellent story. Degradation, synthesis, and spectroscopy all play their part, and their application to solving the identity of four other vancomytins is discussed in subsequent chapters. Overall. this book is well written, and with few typographical errors. However, the
paper is of poor quality, there are a few inaccurate structures (e.g. p.24), several curly arrows are wrongly drawn (e.g. p.18) and the two figures are totally uninformative. Despite being volume 10 of ‘Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Natural Carbon Compounds’, neither part is really a review of recent results; their slightly broader perspective should make them of interest to any organic chemist, but this reasonably priced book is particularly worthy of attention by specialists in either licld. P. D. Bailey Advances in Chromatography, Vol. 22. Edited by J. C. Giddings, E. Grushka, J. Cazes and P. R. Brown. Pp. 344. Dekker, New York. 1983. SFr. 148.00. This volume maintains the high standard set by previous numbers in the Advances series. It contains seven reviews. The review by Taylor deals with the use of chromatographic methods in general for the separation of carotenoids and retinoids (215 references), while the remainder all deal with various aspects of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Desidcrio writes on the HPLC and mass spectrometry of neuropeptides, with valuable details of sample acquisition and preparation (95 refs.). Pfeifer and Hill contribute an excellent article on amino acid analysis using HPLC technology which should be read by all interested in the field (88 refs.), while Davankov, Kurganov. and Bochkov cover HPLC methods for the resolution of enantiomers, chietly amino-acid enantiomers using copper complexation chemistry (157 refs). The review by Veening and Willeford on the HPLC of metal complexes is a revelation of what can now be done in this area and must encourage organometallic chemists to make greater use of HPLC in their work (126 refs.). Petryka contributes a comprehensive review of the HPLC of porphyrins (Xl refs.), while Scott gives a highly personal account of his work on narrowbore packed columns, cautioning would-be experimenters with details of the pitfalls and difficulties likely to be encountered in setting up such systems. In summary, this most recent addition to the series will be a useful addition to the chromatographic review literature, especially in that of HPLC. J. H. Knox Practical Absorption Spectrometry. Edited by A. Knowles and C. Burgess. 234. Chapman & Hall, London. 1983. f 18.00.
Pp.
This is Volume 3 of a series of books inspired by the UV Spectrometry Group, Volume 1 being entitled ‘Standards in Absorption Spectrometry’ and Volume 2 ‘Standards in Fluorescence Spectrometry’. Volume 3 comprises a series of chapters by different authors, but, in contrast with many such works, I am glad to say that the avowed intention to produce a ‘coherent whole’ is undoubtedly fulfilled. Indeed,
thanks to careful editing, it is difficult to tell that this is not a single-authored book. It is about the measurement of electronic transitions using normal UV spectrometers covering the range 19&X00 nm. There are chapters on spectrometer design and light sources (Tyson), monochromators (Irish), detectors (Treherne), signal processing (Ford) and interfacing techniques (Tranter), the last being especially useful for people wishing to up-date their spectrometer. Users’ problems are covered in chapters on cells and cell holders, and aspects of measuring spectra by Russell and Knowles, on data analysis (Maddams). and a very informative chapter by Fell, Chadburn, and Knowles on the uses of derivative spcctroscopy, difference spectroscopy, and dualwavelength spectroscopy. Finally, there are chapters on the automation of sample handling (Baber) and on maintenance (Brickell). The book is rounded off by useful appendices on solvent properties, transmission of window materials, and wavelength standards. This is a most useful book for anyone working in, or entering the field of UV spectrometry. No analytical laboratory should be without a copy. Murtyn C. R. symons A First Course in Fluid Dynamics. By A. R. Paterson. Pp. 528. Cambridge University Press, 1983. Hardback f30.00, paperback f 12.50. An obvious question posed by the title is: first course for whom? This book is in fact for students of applied mathematics, typically in their second year but meeting fluid mechanics for the first time. Dr. Paterson has perceived a gap in existing textbooks and filled it admirably. He gives a systematic treatment of the basic concepts of fluid mechanics and more extended treatment of, principally. linear and non-linear sound and water waves and aerofoil theory. Dr. Paterson emphasises that the mathematical constructs should be seen as models for real flows and encourages his readers to refer to other sources for descriptions and illustrations of observed flow behaviour. The book will find its most effective use as a course text when the lecturer supplements the theory with slides and films of flows in the laboratory and nature. One can always criticise an author for under-emphasising one’s favourite topic, but I think others will also feel that over-brief treatment of two matters detracts from the usefulness of the book. Although the role of viscosity in fluid dynamics is explained. only very few viscous flows are actually analysed. Secondly, stability theory is introduced only through occasional examples; the fact that fluid flows frequently exhibit instabilities is really too central to the relationship bctween the mathematical models and nature for it to be satisfactorily left to the supplementary reading. But, in general, this book should receive a warm welcome. D. J. Tritton
151
The Physics and Chemistry of Color. By Kurt Nassau. Pp, 454. Wiley, Chichester. 1983. f36.00. This is a book for the general reader which covers a very wide range of topics from the colour of gemstones and metals to those of animals and plants. from the nature 01 to lasers, liquid auroras. and rainbows, crystals. photosynthesis, colour vision, and colour t&vision. Coloured glasses, colour changes in food, dyeing and bleaching, fireworks and neon signs. and many other aspects of everyday life involving colour receive attention. It is fascinating to learn that in some languages there are no separate words for blue and green, and yellow and orange are not distinguished. The subtitle of the book is ‘The Fifteen Causes of Colour’ and these arc grouped under Vibrations and Simple Excitations, Transitions Involving Ligand Field Effects, Transitions between Molecular Orbitals, Transitions Involving Energy Bands, and Geometrical and Physical Optics. These somewhat arbitrary subdivisions are then discussed in detail in Chapters 2-12 and form the bulk of the book. Explanations are clear and require only a basic knowledge of physics and chemistry and there is a wealth of diagrams and colour photographs. The physics is better than the chemistry. There are numerous errors in structural formulae and some of the information is out of date, but that should not disturb the general reader. R. H. Thomson Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Natural Carbon Compounds: Syntheses of the Benzo(c)Phenanthridine Alkaloids. By 1. NinomyiaandT. Naito.TheChemistryof theVancomycinGroupofAntibiotics.By F. Sztaricskai and R. Bognar. Pp. 209. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest 1984. f9.90. The first part of this book deals with the synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridines, although the main reactions of this group of alkaloids arc also summarised. The core of the review (pp. 3&X5) is divided into two chapters; the first of these considers the synthetic methodology, whilst the second deals with specific syntheses in more detail; this main section (with about 60 references) is particularly informative The chemistry of the vancomycins is discussed in the second part of this book, and the structure elucidation of vancomycin itself (chapter 3) makes an excellent story. Degradation, synthesis, and spectroscopy all play their part, and their application to solving the identity of four other vancomytins is discussed in subsequent chapters. Overall. this book is well written, and with few typographical errors. However, the
paper is of poor quality, there are a few inaccurate structures (e.g. p.24), several curly arrows are wrongly drawn (e.g. p.18) and the two figures are totally uninformative. Despite being volume 10 of ‘Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Natural Carbon Compounds’, neither part is really a review of recent results; their slightly broader perspective should make them of interest to any organic chemist, but this reasonably priced book is particularly worthy of attention by specialists in either licld. P. D. Bailey Advances in Chromatography, Vol. 22. Edited by J. C. Giddings, E. Grushka, J. Cazes and P. R. Brown. Pp. 344. Dekker, New York. 1983. SFr. 148.00. This volume maintains the high standard set by previous numbers in the Advances series. It contains seven reviews. The review by Taylor deals with the use of chromatographic methods in general for the separation of carotenoids and retinoids (215 references), while the remainder all deal with various aspects of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Desidcrio writes on the HPLC and mass spectrometry of neuropeptides, with valuable details of sample acquisition and preparation (95 refs.). Pfeifer and Hill contribute an excellent article on amino acid analysis using HPLC technology which should be read by all interested in the field (88 refs.), while Davankov, Kurganov. and Bochkov cover HPLC methods for the resolution of enantiomers, chietly amino-acid enantiomers using copper complexation chemistry (157 refs). The review by Veening and Willeford on the HPLC of metal complexes is a revelation of what can now be done in this area and must encourage organometallic chemists to make greater use of HPLC in their work (126 refs.). Petryka contributes a comprehensive review of the HPLC of porphyrins (Xl refs.), while Scott gives a highly personal account of his work on narrowbore packed columns, cautioning would-be experimenters with details of the pitfalls and difficulties likely to be encountered in setting up such systems. In summary, this most recent addition to the series will be a useful addition to the chromatographic review literature, especially in that of HPLC. J. H. Knox Practical Absorption Spectrometry. Edited by A. Knowles and C. Burgess. 234. Chapman & Hall, London. 1983. f 18.00.
Pp.
This is Volume 3 of a series of books inspired by the UV Spectrometry Group, Volume 1 being entitled ‘Standards in Absorption Spectrometry’ and Volume 2 ‘Standards in Fluorescence Spectrometry’. Volume 3 comprises a series of chapters by different authors, but, in contrast with many such works, I am glad to say that the avowed intention to produce a ‘coherent whole’ is undoubtedly fulfilled. Indeed,
thanks to careful editing, it is difficult to tell that this is not a single-authored book. It is about the measurement of electronic transitions using normal UV spectrometers covering the range 19&X00 nm. There are chapters on spectrometer design and light sources (Tyson), monochromators (Irish), detectors (Treherne), signal processing (Ford) and interfacing techniques (Tranter), the last being especially useful for people wishing to up-date their spectrometer. Users’ problems are covered in chapters on cells and cell holders, and aspects of measuring spectra by Russell and Knowles, on data analysis (Maddams). and a very informative chapter by Fell, Chadburn, and Knowles on the uses of derivative spcctroscopy, difference spectroscopy, and dualwavelength spectroscopy. Finally, there are chapters on the automation of sample handling (Baber) and on maintenance (Brickell). The book is rounded off by useful appendices on solvent properties, transmission of window materials, and wavelength standards. This is a most useful book for anyone working in, or entering the field of UV spectrometry. No analytical laboratory should be without a copy. Murtyn C. R. symons A First Course in Fluid Dynamics. By A. R. Paterson. Pp. 528. Cambridge University Press, 1983. Hardback f30.00, paperback f 12.50. An obvious question posed by the title is: first course for whom? This book is in fact for students of applied mathematics, typically in their second year but meeting fluid mechanics for the first time. Dr. Paterson has perceived a gap in existing textbooks and filled it admirably. He gives a systematic treatment of the basic concepts of fluid mechanics and more extended treatment of, principally. linear and non-linear sound and water waves and aerofoil theory. Dr. Paterson emphasises that the mathematical constructs should be seen as models for real flows and encourages his readers to refer to other sources for descriptions and illustrations of observed flow behaviour. The book will find its most effective use as a course text when the lecturer supplements the theory with slides and films of flows in the laboratory and nature. One can always criticise an author for under-emphasising one’s favourite topic, but I think others will also feel that over-brief treatment of two matters detracts from the usefulness of the book. Although the role of viscosity in fluid dynamics is explained. only very few viscous flows are actually analysed. Secondly, stability theory is introduced only through occasional examples; the fact that fluid flows frequently exhibit instabilities is really too central to the relationship bctween the mathematical models and nature for it to be satisfactorily left to the supplementary reading. But, in general, this book should receive a warm welcome. D. J. Tritton
151