Needless to say, the boron chapter is espeeiallv well done. The onlv maior omission is, R dldruasion of ~-~~ - - the a n a l v t h chemistrv & elements. Frequent references are given to o r i g i n a l a e and key review grticles. References to 1982 literature were noted The transition metal coverage is again organized by families following a chapter on coordination chemistrv. Theoretr. 7L conceots.. TanabeSueano diaerams and the like. " are given at appropriav spots in the chapters on the families of elements. Some may complaim about the lack ofspace given to reaction mechanisms, but the organometallicwverage is good. Frequent mention is made of bioinorganic compounds. The book concludes with chapters on the lanthanides and actinides. A verv, detailed index is included. Here. finally ia a place (since Partiogton or ~ e m y j where one can find listings of such ivms a.i Pharoah's serpents, obsidian, Marsh test, Nessler's reagent, and Caro's acid. One would naturally wonder if this is an appropriate text for the senior advanced inorganic chemistry course. The authors have done a good job of blending theoretical concepts into the descriptive chapters and give wave equations and symmetry elements in the appendices, but it is the opinion of this reviewer that this book is not an ideal student text. Sharpe's, "Inorganic Chemistry," (Longman, 1981), is more appropriate. Its more limited coverage and expanded theoretical presentation is better for a text with a descriptive focus. Greenwood and Earnshaw's book is one, however, which every instructor of inorganic chemistry should have on hidher shelf. It should be included in every library collection as well as be in the hands of industrial chemists. This book will be astandard reference work for many years to come. Wayne C. Wolsey Macalester College St. Paul, MN 55105 ~~~~
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A Thermodynamic Bypass OOTO Log K P. A. H W ,,Royel Society of Chemistly, England, Dlstributd by American Chemical Society,Washington. CC,1983. vii 70 pp. Figs.13.5 X 21.5 an. $9.00 B.
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Elementary thermodynamics is probably the most abundantly documented and least develooine tooic in ohvsicd chemistrv. For this reason it b easv-to-aooroachnew works on the subject w&;autiok skepticism even while hoping to find perhaps a uniquely lucid development, applications in some new areas, or a fresh appmacb to some tiresome prohlem. In the preaent case, the author's offering, suggested by the title, involves a revision of standard thermodynamic tables to include entries of the common logarithm of the equilibrium constant for the formation of one mole of material at temperature T from its elements, each in its standard state at the temperature T. These columns which take the place of -(Go-HT,O)IT entries in con-
p134
Journal of Chemical Education
ventional tables-"permit a good deal of chemistry to he discussed in quantitative terms before anything which passes for 'tbermodynamies' is tackled." While the desirability of that goal may be uestioned, it is certainly true that tabula~ o n of s log K facilitate the computation of equilibrium constants and should be welcomed by students. The author makes his case for tabulating log K in ashort chapter (6 pp.) then illustrates it with ten well-solved problems. The remainder of the w a t i v e sxtions of the hook constitute yet another condensed survey for elementary chemieal thermodynamics. I t is little noteworthy except for its unusually forceful treatment of the inadequacy of equilibrium thermodynamics to predict the outcome of reactions in which equilibrium is never allowed to o c m including both induntrial and biologid processes. The main value of the work is the appendix in which data from standard tabulations (JANAF, Pitser and Brewer, Lahy etc.) has been converted to log Kvalues and tabulated a t 298.15,500 K and 1000°K along with the unusual AH& and S& values. Authors searching for a gimmick to help justify the apparently insatiable urge to write physical chemistry and thermodynamics text8 could do worse than adont this method. It desewes to be introduced ibca chemistry curricula; it seems a shame that the essential featurev were not simply published as a short paper plus tables in a journal such as this. S. 0. Colgate University d Florida. Oainesville Oainesvllle, Fl32611
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the many practical examples reflect an emphasis on structure and reactivity problems that have been of particular interest to these authors. This book is a worthy successor to its progenitor, "Quantum Chemistry" by Dsudel, Lefevre, and Moser. Prof. Bernard Pullman states in the preface to the new book that the authors have accomplished a remarkable synthesis of concepts, ideas, and methods. I certainly agree, and I think the new "Quantum Chemistry" is a required addition to the personal libraries of those interested in quantum chemical concepts. William C. Herndon Universiv of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX
NMR and Chemistry: An lntroductlon to t h e Fourier Transform-Muninuclear Era J. W. Akin, Chapman 8 Hall, New York, NY, 1983. xiii 283 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. $39.93 HB $16.95 PB.
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Quantum Chemistry R. Daudel, G. Leroy, D. Peeters, and M. Sam, John Wiley 8 Sons, lnc., New York. 558 pp. Figs. and tables. NY, 1984. xv 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $97.00.
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This is not an elementary quantum chemistry textbook, and it is also not a suitable text for sole use in an advanced course. Why then, do I feel that every chemist with a more than casual interest in quantum chemistry should have a copy? The reason lies in the authors' idiosyncratic approach to the subject. For example, the theory of partitioning electrons into regions of space called "loges" in one of the central themes of the first part of the hwk. The relationship of loge theory to the bond-orbital concept (Leonard-Jones and Hall), information theorv (Adangal)and Rader partitioning is careid; presented. The relationships to qualitative ideas uf Cillespie and Linnett are also delineated, along with many summaries of results and comparisons with experiment. Nowhere else can one find such a useful and understandable exposition of the loge idea, which of course was developed and espoused by this group of theoreticians. The latter half of the book is concerned with more general questions about the practice and applications of quantum chemistry. Many topics are covered including hybridization, the SCF method, and technical questions regarding computations, but the treatment of reactivity by quantum methods is the main focus of the material. One can again detect the personalized viewpoint, and
"NMR and Chemistry" is the second edition of a book published ten yeam ago. It gives in the first four chaoters a thoroueh review of the theory of spin-spin coupling kcessary to interpret 'H and I3C NMR spectra. This topic is of interest to organic chemistry student and this intmductory material is usually covered in undergraduate courses. The other chapters require more knowledge of instrumental techniques. The chapters on modern spectroscopy systems may be used in advanced courses, such as instrumental anal& where the students have a background in electronicstechniques. The laat two chapters are devoted to the brief description of new (1970 and later) developments in the field. There are simple problems at the end. NMR is a fast growing field and there are still new techniaues beine develooed todav.. e.g., for body im&ogandiolid sla'teanalyais (multiple quantum transitions). Therefore, this book may be used as a reference for undergradate courses together with others describing the more recent developments. Juana V. Acrivos San Jose State University San Jose, CA 95912
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Bousslngault: Chemist and Agriculturist F. W. J. McCosh. D. Reidel Publishing 280 Company, Boston, MA, 1984. xv pp. Figs. 16 X 23 cm. $53.50.
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How many of you have heard of Jean Baptiste Joseph DieudonnC Boussingault? Not many, I would guess. Yet the development of agriculture from an art and empirical bodv of facts to the status of a science in the nmeteenrh century can be artr~butedlargely tu the fundamental research of thls French agricultural chemist in the study of soil science and the study of plant nutrition. This
