B O O K REVIEWS lecture notea without careful attention to the manner of presentation. Chapter 1 consists of a table of group theory definitions in a concise form. In fset Chapters 2-17 can be described only as "terse" also, since they cover in less than 166 pages matrix representation theory, application9 to quantum mechanics, continuous groups, double groups, permutation groups applied to wavefunctions, coupling of states, point groups, crystal fields, cyclic groups, Bravais lattices, phonons, excitans, magnons, space groups, time reversal, and the Jahu-Teller effect. The chapter on time reversal is an extreme example of compression. It is simply a statement of results and certl~inlycannot be used for instruction, but merely for reference after an adequate introduction to the subject such as given in "Group Theory and Quantum Mechanics" by M. Tinkham, "Group Theory and Its Applications to the Quantum Mechanics of Atomic Spectra" by E. Wigner, or "Group Theory" by M. Hamermesh. An additional instructional drawback is that no problems are given in any chapter. The second half of the book is devoted to reproduction of several published papers on the rtpplication of group theory to solids. Three papers which were originally in another language have been translated into English. Unfortunately, the authors did not take the time to correct
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the errors in some of the original papers. Examples of this are H. Jahn's representation of the time reversal operator by a matrix and the character table of the double group far the tetrahedron in the paper by W. Opechowski. The only reference to a correction is that for the paper entitled Character Tables for Two Space Groups by Conyers Herring, but that correction appears after a paper by R. J. Elliott, fifty pages later. It appears that this volume does not have the "clarity and soundness of treatment" which the editors of this series of books hopefully propound in the Foreword. The style of writing is not easy but is filled with parenthetical expressions. Several drawings and tables seem to be obtained from other texts. For both the novice and the expert, reference to any of the several other hooks on this subject such as those given above will be more helpful.
Pam DORAIN Brandeis University Waltham, Maasachzlsetts
Elementary Infrared Speeboscopy Clifton E. Meloan, Kansas State University, Manhattan. Maemillan Co., New York, 1963. vii I93 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 cm. $8.95.
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The purpose of this book is to explain to the uninitiated some of the fundamentals of btrumentstion as well as the
theory and the structural aspects of infrared spectroscopy. Approximately the first third of the book presents a very brief discussion of sources, cells, detectors and ~ptical components of infrared instruments. Its purpose, rather than being extensive, is to ~rasentsome basic ideas to the users of such in.ltruments, to arouse the curiosity of the reader and encourage further study from more detailed sources of information. The uext scotion is concerned with elementary theory of molecular vibrations and rotatiom and is presented in a. nonmathematical fashion. The purpose of this section is to give the reader same confidence in the understanding of the origin of infrered spectra. The third pert of the book deals with the interpretation of infrared spectra and the correletion of spectra with molecular structure. This exposition is necessarily limited to only a few functional groups 8s examples rather than wider coverage. Close study of this section would yield a aealth of information to the beginner and pave the way for more extensive study from more detailed books. This is the sort of book that a technician or a graduate student who has not had such a. course could study in a few evenings and obtain a. good deal of information. The book is well written and has excellent and profuse illustrations. The reviewer regrets that the book was not published as a paperback issue. ks such, it could be assigned along with four (Continued, a page A494)
BOOK REVIEWS or five other such books to cover portions of a course in analytical chemistry for either seniors or beginning graduate students.
W. D. COOKE Cornell University Ithaca, New Ymk
Stereochamistry: The S t d i e Principles
J . Glundy, Brunel College, London. Butterworths, Washington, D. C.,
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1964. x 227 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $6.50.
This book concerns itself with the subject of stereoisnne~im; not, as the title would imply, stereochistry. The subject is treated in two sections of approximately equal length. The first seetion (Chapters 1-3) considen those properties of bond structure, atomic and group volumes and electrostatic effects which are ultimately responsible for the phenomena of stereoisomerism. The second section (Chapters 4-10) considers the stereoisomerism specifically. Of the twosections, the first is the better. A fairly modern picture of continuous hybridization and its effect on bond
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geometry is presented. Unfortunately the subsequent treatment of electronegativity does not exploit the earlier discussion of hybridization. Within this timt section there is a, stylistic withholding of the stereoisomeric conclusions to he drawn as a consequence of the ideas developed there. This factor greatly weakens the entire book. Even in this section, although it becomes much worse in the next, the work suffers from redundancy and an inappropriate teasing of ideas. The second half of the book, considering stereoisomerism per se, rtttempts to build a feeling for stereoisomeric form on the principles developed in the first portion. I t is not 8. successful attempt primarily, I believe, became the heart of steroisomeric understanding is sensitivity tu the three-dimensional eoneents of molecular covalent band. Mr. Grundy has divided stereoisomers into "primary" and "secondary" classes. These are equivalent t,o classical configurational isomers and c a j o m l i a a l isomers. The "primary-secondary" terminology used throughout the book provides no understanding not explicit in the classiesl terms. Cunformationd analysis of ethane and its derivatives is treated frequently and a t a length which is far too great. Again verbosity, rather than error, is the fault. The author is disturbed by the use of the Fischer projections because, he argues,
when considered in three-dimensions all the groups are eclipsed and thus conformatiunally unstable! Neither the obvious value and ressanahleness of the Fischer emuenlion nor its perfectly general use deter the author from proposing an alternabive "modern" projection in which D-glucose is shown as indistinguishable from a Fischer projection of D-tslose! XIost of the three-dimensional drawings are unnecessarily poor. That is, they do not give the reader any sense of depth nor orient him in space. There is no real discussion of the use of molecular models in the study of stereoisomerism. The documentation of the book is not good, running an average of less than one reference per page. Of the 196 references, 24 are to papen published since 1954 and m l y one is mare recent than 1959. There is no mention of the sequence specification (Cahn-Ingald-Prelog-eonvention) nor, in fact, is nomenclatt~rediscnssed as such. Brewster's treatment of group polarisabilities is ignored and there is no mention of the source, magnitude or dispersiun of optical rotation to be found in the hook. The index consists of 182 items, over one-half of which refer to terms fonnd in the first 45 pages. The typography is clear and only very minor errors on pages 12i, l i 9 , 208, and 215 were observed.
QUENTINR.PETERSEN Wabash College Cvawfordsville, Indiana
(Continued on page A496)
