Organometallics, Vol. 1, No. 11, 1982 1555
Book Reviews Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry, 8th Edition, Se, Selenium. Supplement Volume B1, Compounds with Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen. W. Behrendt and U. W. Gerwarth, volume authors, H. Hein, D. Doschel, P. Kuhn, B. v. Tschirschnitz-Geibler, volume editors. Gmelin Institut fur Anorganische Chemie der Max-Planck-Gesellschaftzur Forderung der Wissenschaften and Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York. 1981. IX + 343 pages. DM 933. $434.40. This volume represents an updating of the first volume, “Selen” B which appeared in 1949 and covered the literature through 1947. This supplemental tome covers the literature which describes the hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen compounds of selenium published from 1948 through mid-1980. The first page informs the reader of the existing general literature which covers the topic covered by this book. Section 2.1 covers the HSe and DSe radicals and present.9 a detailed coverage of their spectral properties. Section 2.2 is concerned with H,Se and its isotopic species. Among the various topics covered are its preparation, thermodynamics, toxicity, structure, details on its vibrational spectrum, NMR, both ‘H and 77Se,and optical spectra. Its chemical reactions, both organic and inorganic, are covered. Section 3 describes the binary oxides, SeO, SeOz and SeO* Descriptions of the spectral properties of the three species are given. The mechanical and thermal properties of the di- and trioxides are presented. Their chemical behavior is described briefly, but thoroughly and includes inorganic, organic, and organometallic reactions. Section 3.2 covers the oxoacids of selenium and their anions. Although the spectroscopic properties are included, the greater coverage, as expeded, is devoted to their chemical behavior. Besides the well-known acids, H2Se03and H2Se04,the following are also given thorough treatment: (H2Se03)2,H2Se205,HzSe05, HzSe208, H2Se207, HzSe3010,and H4Se3011. The interested investigator will find, among other topics, the following: detailed spectroscopic information, physical properties, and chemical behavior in both aqueous and nonaqueous media. Section 4 is concerned with selenium-nitrogen compounds. The first species covered is the SeN radical. This is followed by coverage of, Se4N4,a molecule of considerable current interest. The final four sections deal with nitrosyl and nitryl selenates, selenious and selenic acid diamides, polymeric anions of selenonylimide, and anions of imidoselenic acids. The volume contains a wealth of useful information. Interest in this element has grown dramatically during the past 10 years with a concurrent explosion in the related number of publications. Hence, although the coverage of particular topics is very brief in some instances, the literature coverage is detailed and thorough. Ralph A. Zingaro, Texas A&M University
Sulfur in Organic and Inorganic Chemistry. Volume 4. Edited by A. Senning. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 1982. xii + 440 pages. $75.00. The first three volumes of this series appeared approximately 10 years ago, and the present book brings an update of Volume 1 (with the exception of the original chapters on the S-S and the S-0 bond). Included in Volume 4 are chapters on the S-Si bond (A. Haas and R. Hitze), the S-N bond, (H. W. Roesky), the S-P bond (L. Almasi), the S-F bond (J.M. Shreeve), the S-C1 bond, (W. R. Hardstaff and R. F. Langler),the S-Br bond (P. S. Magee), and the S-I bond (L. Field and C. M. Lukehart). Both inorganic and organic sulfur chemistry have seen considerable progress in the last 10 years, so this update is appropriate. It is unfortunate that chapters on the S-S and S-0 bonds could not be included in the present volume. The discussion of the S-Si bond, short though it is (13 pages, 36 references), is useful to have since organosilicon compounds, including sulfur derivatives, are finding ever increasing utility in organic synthesis. The current interest in S-N compounds, in part a result of the interesting properties of (SN),, is high, and the 31-page (138 references) chapter on this subject will be useful to workers in this field. The chapter on the P-S bond, with its 490 references, is much longer (84 pages) and brings results mostly from the area of organophosphorus chemistry. The focus of each sulfur-halogen chapter is quite unique, reflecting the nature of the S-X species involved in each case and the emphasis of the research which has been done. The chapter
on S-F chemistry is full of interesting exotica, in large part because of the facility with which S-F compounds are formed in which sulfur is in a higher oxidation state. This excellent 61-page report on this very active area by one of its leading contributors is backed up by 481 references. The 89-page chapter on the S-C1 bond is divided into two parts: discussions of the chlorination (by C1, and S02C12,for the most part) of organosulfur compounds, reactions which produce organosulfur derivatives with S-Cl bonds, and of inorganic S-Cl compounds. The discussions in the 43-page S-Br chapter are organized throughout according to compound type, f i t inorganic compounds and then organic compounds. The S-I compounds which are stable are rather limited, so the organization of the 41-page S-I chapter is different again. A discussion of the donor-acceptor complexes formed between I2and IX and sulfur compounds is included, along with sections on inorganic S-I compounds and organic sulfenyl, sulfinyl, and sulfonyl iodides. All chapters cover the period of 1969-1979 and they present useful, comprehensive discussions which are well referenced. There is an author index for the references cited in the book, and there is also a subject index. The contents of the previous three volumes are listed. Together with its three companion volumes, the present book may be recommended as a useful source of information on sulfur chemistry. Dietmar Seyferth, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
13C NMR Data for Organometallic Compounds. By B. E. Mann and B. F. Taylor. Academic Press, New York. 1981. viii 326 pages. $32.50.
+
This book is a volume of the excellent “Organometallic Chemistry” series of monographs, edited by P. M. Maitlis, F. G. A. Stone, and R. West. As the authors point out, the 13C chemical shift range for organometallic compounds spans dc -61.7 to +448.3. Within this range lie many compounds, main-group and transition-metal derivatives, whose 13CNMR spectra have been measured. The authors list these chemical shifta and associated spin-spin coupling constants in 19 tables which take up 222 pages of the book. The organizationis by ligand type and, within a given ligand-type table, by element. Compounds of the metalloids (B, Si, Ge, As) and even of phosphorus and selenium are included. The literature (1799 references) is covered through the end of 1979. The first 36 pages of the book are used to present “A Guide to the Use of 13CNh4R Spectroscopyto Investigate Organometallic Compounds”. Included here are, inter alia, useful discussions of the chemical shift range, coupling to quadrupolar nuclei, theoretical treatments, empirical relationships, correlationswith other experimental parameters, 13C spin-spin coupling, relaxation measurements, and applications. These discussions are based on the reasonable assumption that the reader has some familiarity with the experimental and the organic aspects of 13C NMR spectroscopy. Although the book is a photoreproduction of the original manuscript, the final result is completely legible and attractive. The only feature which could be considered objectionable is the display of cyclic formulas in linear fashion, e.g., Co(C5H5)(CO)OC(OR)=C(C02R)C0. The saving in space leads to a loss in clarity. This very useful book should find a place in all chemical libraries; the price is not prohibitive for the individual purchaser. One hopes that future editions will keep this book up-to-date. Dietmar Seyferth, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
I
Progress in Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 29. Edited by Stephen J. Lippard. Wiley-Interscience, New York/Chichester/Brisbane/Toronto/Singapore. 1982. v + 401 pages including Cumulative Index, Volumes 1-29. ISBN 0-471-09370-X. $49.50. This volume continues the high standards characteristic of the previous members of the series and consists of five chapters convering diverse topics. The first by M. H. Chisholm and I. P. Rothwell deals with chemical reactions of metal-metal bonded complexes of the transition elements. As stated by the authors, this chapter is not intended as a comprehensive account but rather is an illustration of emerging trends in research in this area.
