Chemical Education Today
Book & Media Reviews
Inorganic Electronic Structure and Spectroscopy Volume 1: Methodology Volume 2: Applications and Case Studies edited by E. I. Solomon and A. B. P. Lever Wiley: New York, 1999. Vol. 1: xiv + 732 pp. Vol. 2: xiv + 658 pp. Hardbound set: ISBN 0-471-32683-6. $260.00. reviewed by Craig E. Barnes
For some time now there has been a pressing need for a comprehensive review of the spectroscopic techniques and theoretical models used in inorganic chemistry to elucidate electronic structure. Previous texts covering this subject area are either out of print or have not been updated to reflect the current state of development for many of the techniques used by inorganic chemists. This two-volume set addresses this need for the practicing inorganic chemist and will undoubtedly become a fixture in personal and academic libraries for years to come. The theme of the first volume is methodology in transition metal spectroscopy and theoretical modeling. Each chapter was written by a specialist in the specific technique or subject. The traditional areas of spectroscopy are well represented: EPR (Chapter 2); Mössbauer (Chapter 3); IR, Raman, including resonance Raman (Chapter 7); photoelectron spectroscopies (Chapter 8). The chapter on photoelectron spectroscopy focuses on recent advances in this area using synchrotron laboratories as variable wavelength sources, but a brief introduction to the basic principles is also included. Newer techniques used in inorganic chemistry include polarized absorption spectroscopy (Chapter 4), luminescence spectroscopy (Chapter 5), laser spectroscopy (Chapter 6), and X-ray and absorption spectroscopy and EXAFS (Chapter 9). Three important chapters on traditional ligand field theory (Chapter 1), new theoretical modeling techniques, ab initio and approximate models (Chapter 10), and density functional methods (Chapter 11), applied to transition metal complexes, round out the first volume. Volume 2, Applications and Case Studies, is quite different from Volume 1 in its theme and organization. Each chapter covers an area or family of compounds of interest in inorganic chemistry from the perspective of spectroscopic studies and describes their electronic structures, thus very nicely fulfilling
edited by
Jeffrey Kovac University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN 37996-1600
the stated theme for this volume. In a few cases, more specialized techniques not covered in Volume 1 are introduced (e.g. ENDOR and ESEEM); in others short introductions of techniques covered in more detail in the first volume are presented. Included in this repertoire are bioinorganic spectroscopy (Chapter 1), electron-transfer rate theory (Chapter 2), mixed valence systems (Chapter 3), electrochemistry and charge transfer spectroscopy (Chapter 4), photochemistry of coordination compounds (Chapter 5), systems containing multiple metal–metal bonds (Chapter 6), transition metal nitrosyls (Chapter 7), electronic structure of heme sites (Chapter 8), electronic structure of TM carbonyl and metallocene complexes (Chapter 9), spin transition in iron(II) compounds (Chapter 10), and neutron and optical spectra of magnetically ordered crystals (Chapter 11). One area of inorganic chemistry largely omitted from this work is solid state chemistry. Included under this heading would be the spectroscopy and electronic structure of polynuclear cluster complexes, surfaces, and materials. The editors chose to stay largely within the traditional areas of discrete molecule systems, so readers interested in solid state systems will have to look elsewhere. Taken together, the collection of monographs in these two volumes will be a welcome addition to the library of books focusing on spectroscopic methods and their applications. Although the individual chapters are written by different authors, care has been taken to make them fit together well. As the editors point out, it has been quite some time since the spectroscopy of transition metal complexes was reviewed in this manner and many important advances have been made during that time. Cited literature extends to 1995 with a few references from 1996. The depth and breath of coverage is quite appropriate to the stated goals. The editors state that the level of presentation assumes an advanced undergraduate background with a basic understanding of quantum chemistry and group theory. Although the outstanding undergraduate may have the persistence to have a go at some of the material in this work, in my opinion it will more frequently be used at the graduate level and will certainly be used as a reference work in the libraries of practicing inorganic chemists who can afford to purchase it. Certainly every chemistry library should have a copy. Craig Barnes is in the Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1600;
[email protected].
JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 77 No. 10 October 2000 • Journal of Chemical Education
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