BOOK REVIEWS essent,islly of the first edition in slight,ly larger format to r h i e h has been added s chapter of l i pages an Magnetic Kesonnnce Spectra. I n the section corresponding to the first edition nhout 30 changes have heen made. For the most part these have bem the deletion, addition, or corrccbion of s word or sent,enre. Sineo this reviewer agrws with the comments t,hat were made in thp review uf t,he first edit,ion he will make only a few general remarks. I h . Bak has n t t ~ m p t e dt o writ,e o monograph covering the wholc field of molecular spectra, in a form that is suitable for the non-speet,roscopist.. The treatment is extreme1.v c o n d ~ n ~ eand d cunscquently i t is very weak a t orsctly thc places where the
non+pecialist needs the most help. The majority of the ideas, terms, symbols, and formulas encountered in molecular spectroscopy are mentioned but they are not amplified and for this reason the book is scarcely suitable for a person encountering this subject for the first time. Conceivably, the book would be useful t o a person already familiar with molcmlar spectroscopy but desiring a compendium logically arranged. Five-sixths of the new chapter is devoted t o nuclear magnet,ic resonance and the remainder to electron magnetic resonance. The levcl is more e l ~ m m t i t r y than the preceding portion of the book. Under NMIt both the ehemicd shift and spin-spin interaction are discussed qualitatively and an attempt is made t o explain the observed spectra in terms of p r a -
magnetic currents, diamagnetic currants, and magneticslly interacting spins. T h e three pages devoted t o E M R do not allow the author t o say very much. Several examples of the spectra of organic molecules are given in this chapter but, the organic chemist cannot expect t o learn much from such a. cursory treatment of this important ficld. Owners of the first edition will scarcely find i t worth while t o buy the second edition for the sake of the chapter on Magnetic Resonance Spectra. Others should realize thp limitations of this monograph.
JAMES CURRY Williams College Williamslnzun, Mnssachzrsetts
Introduction to Molecular Spectroscopy
Gordon AT. Ranow, Case Institute of techno log.^, Cleveland. MeGraw-Hill Book Go., Inc., 1962. xiii 318 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 24.5 cm. $10.75.
+
I n some fonn or other molecular spectroscopy is used by a wide variety of scientists. The s p x e chemist studying the combustion processes in rockets, the biochemist investigating photosynthesis and the theoretical chemist seekine t o test his theories of bonding are but few examples of the chemists who either use this type of spectroscopy as a. tool or utilize the data obtained from it. Molecular spectroscopy is a rather specializpd allhject and the book reviewed here has heen written with the aim of giving t h r non-specialist ;I deeper understanding of this field. Dr. Barrow, an cxpericneed teacher and contributor t o the literature, has written on spectroscopy a t a level bctween that found in physical chemistry texbbooks and the specialized works represented by the classical books of G. Herzberg. In this hook theory is developed first and the results are then applied t,o B fcw examples. Schriidinger's equation is int,raduced in t,he first chanter and its use in
in the r electrons of a eonjugstpd syst,em. Continual use is made of the equation in the later chapt,ers. Usua1l.v n sohjeet is first treated hy appl,ving class%l mechanics and the development is carried through the Lagrangian forrnulat,ion. A good deal of emphasis is placed on the use of simple mechanical models that can be easily visualiscd. After that has been done fairly thoroughly, the quantum mechanical trcntmrnt is used, hut here the methods of solution xrp often only sketched. Nnouph detail, however, is given so t h a t tho rrnder may understand what is going on. F i n d v , thc refincmcnts that are necessary to make the model more successful are pointed out and a t times t h e corresponding equations are given. The development of t h e theory is logical and is very carefully dona. Most readers will welcume t,he wealth of detail that is given
(Continued on page A S )
A56
/
Journal of Cherniccrl Education
BOOK REVIEWS in the mathematical steps. All of the specialized terms and symhols so peculiar to molecular spectroscopy are carefully ~xplained. The theory of rotation, rotation-vihrat,ion. and electronic mectra of diatomic a n d polyatomic mol&ules is covered. There is a chapter on adsorption and emission of radiation. This includes the derivation of the equation, unfamiliar to many chemists, which relates the integrated absorption coefficient to the transfer of molecules from on? energy state to another. The importmce of the subject of the symmetry of molecules is emphasized and a separate chapter is devoted to i t and elementary group theory. This material may he rather difficult for many chemists hut i t is essential for understanding the theory and is used in the following ehapters. I n the final chapter theory is applied to the explanation of the electronic spectra of more complicated systems. The examples chosen are: formaldehyde, bensene, and several of the coordination compounds of the transition elements. Crystal field theory is used when nppropriate. A few miscellaneous comments are in order. Because there are adequate texts available on instrumentation and experimental techniques, these topics have been omitted. For the same reason there is
A58 / Journol o f Chemicol Education
no discussion of nuclear magnetic resonance or electronic spin resonance. Unfortunately only three lines me devoted to Raman spectra. A fair number of references, mostly to the standard specialized texts are given. Seventy-four exercises are distributed among the twelve chapters. In summary, this in an excellent intermediate book on the theory of moleculsr spectroscopy. I t is suitable as a reference book for seniors or to use in s. graduate course or for self-study. Some nonohvsical chemists mav find nmts of this through it.
JAMES CURRY Williams College Williamatown, Massachusetts
rather trivial and unimaginative explorations. Over the last decade, this rather hectic and exciting period seems to be comine to a close. and is beine redaced bv
cal science. Separate laboratory courses in the use of radioactivity have appeared during the transition period, although in many institutions radiochemical techniques have become an integral part of the traditional "technique" courses, a t both the graduateandundergrsduatelevel. This well-written book will be useful in either of these situations. I t was written directly for the uninformed nonapecidist and student who wishes to cnrich his experience by the addition of still another valuable experimental tool. This reviewer's oninion of the volume is that it is Iruhnl~ly rhr Owt ~ l i nnd' I:tlxmturv I,mk $3" 1l.i.i W I I ~ I Wtlmt h:m \TI l y r p + w ~ d .TIw w.~wri!nvnt~arc dl.signed to show something significant and illustrate the unique character and advantages of radiochemistry in a modest amount of time. Further, adequate exnlsnation of lahoratorv safetv. decont;wtin:jti
