Biocatalysis in Polymer Science. Edited by Richard A. Gross (Polytechnic University) and H. N. Cheng (Hercules Incorporated Research Center). American Chemical Society (Distributed by Oxford University Press): Washington, DC. 2003. xvi + 336 pp. $145.00. ISBN 0-8412-3781-6. This book was developed from a symposium on the titled subject held at the 220th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC in August 2000. Apart from the initial chapter by the editors, which gives an overview of biocatalysis in polymer science, the remaining 23 chapters are grouped into the following five categories: Development of Novel Methodologies; Synthesis of Monomers and Macromers; Polyesters and Polycarbonates; Polysaccharides; and Other Examples of Polymer Biocatalysis. Author and subject indices complete the book. JA0335263 10.1021/ja0335263
Self-Assembled Nanostructures. By Jin Z. Zhang (University of California, Santa Cruz), Zhong-Lin Wang (Georgia Institute of Technology), Jun Liu (Sandia National Labs), Shaowei Chen (Southern Illinois University), and Gang-Yu Liu (University of California, Davis). Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publisher: New York. 2003. xviii + 316 pp. $135.00. ISBN 0-306-47299-6. The emergence of nanoscience and nanotechnology as a driving force in chemistry, physics, and materials science research has led to a recent explosion in the number of books dealing with various aspects of this broad field. This book seeks to address the area of self-assembly of nanostructures. The authors have set a lofty goal for themselves of creating a comprehensive reference for both the novice and the expert reader; consequently, the book has a few rough spots. My only criticisms of the book are that (1) at times it is not as well integrated as it could be, and (2) the focus of the book is almost exclusively on self-assembled nanostructures that involve nanoparticles. The lack of continuity is most likely the result of the text being written by five authors. The emphasis on nanoparticles is clearly the result of the authors rightly focusing on their own areas of expertise. For the sake of continuity, it would have been useful to have an example that carried through the entire book. Instead, the book addresses each new topic with new and often unrelated examples: fundamentals with block copolymers, a practical example of nanocrystal assemblies, characterization of individual nanoparticles, fabrication of structures using thiol on gold SAMs, and applications using electrochemistry of metal nanoparticles. Although the stated examples are far from the only systems discussed in each of these chapters, there is no connection between them from chapter to chapter. Unsigned book reviews are by the Book Review Editor. 10.1021/ja0335263 CCC: $25.00 © 2003 American Chemical Society
In addition to the lack of continuity, a great deal of the book focuses on nanoparticles rather than on self-assembly. Selfassembled nanostructures that derive functionality from nanoparticles are an important area of research, but they are far from the only self-assembled nanostructures. Had “nanoparticles” appeared somewhere in the title, I would have been less surprised to see such a large portion of the text devoted to their properties. The book is organized in such a way to develop the principles of self-assembly from the basic concept through fabrication, functionalization, characterization, and specific applications. The introduction to each chapter attempts to place the concept of self-assembly in the larger scope of the text, but each chapter is more or less independent. This can be a strength for readers looking for information on a particular topic, but it is a weakness for those seeking a more cohesive work. Some chapters are more comprehensive (such as the chapter on nanoparticle assembly), whereas others are less complete. This is particularly true of the chapters on the fabrication, characterization, and reactivities of nanoarchitectures, respectively. On the whole, the book suffers from the shear breadth of topics covered, and some of them are not well explained as a consequence, the description of the hydrophobic effect being one example. Because there are entire books written on some of the topics covered in many of the chapters, these are sure to be more complete than the reviews presented. On the whole, however, the authors do a good job and manage to bring all of their topics together in one place as a starting point for further research. David A. Vanden Bout, UniVersity of Texas at Austin JA0253585 10.1021/ja0253585
Chemistry and Applications of Polyphosphazenes. By Harry R. Allcock (The Pennsylvania State University). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: Hoboken. 2003. xii + 726 pp. $325.00. ISBN 0-471-44371-9. This new book, written by the preeminent scientist in the field of phosphazene polymer research, is unquestionably the complete, definitive, and up-to-date treatise on the subject. Moreover, the concise and consistent style of the prose and the superb organization of the work make it extremely readable. It will be very useful not only to synthetic chemists in the field but also to scientists and engineers interested in almost any type of application of polymeric materials. The totality of the information and the integrated manner in which it is presented leaves no doubt that polyphosphazenes are, synthetically and structurally, the most diverse class of polymers known. The book is divided into three main parts that can be read either independently or jointly, depending on the reader’s level of interest and/or expertise in the subject. First, the three chapters of Part I serve as an introduction to the field, covering its historical development, general synthetic methodology, relevant J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 2003, 125, 9539-9540
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structure and bonding concepts, and, perhaps most interestingly, the use of model compounds that has been an essential approach in this branch of polymer chemistry. Second, a series of eight chapters in Part II provides a survey of the vast synthetic chemistry of polyphosphazenes and their precursors. Preparation of the P-N backbone via the classical ring-opening polymerization method and the newer condensation approaches is covered in the form of both summaries and detailed accounts of specific classes of phosphazenes. Functionalization of the polymers, which is responsible for the diversity of their properties and applications by both primary and secondary substitution methods, is also presented in detail. Other chapters in Part II deal with cross-linking methods and the preparation of related phosphazene-containing hybrid materials. Third, the eight chapters in Part III, beginning with key structure-property relationships, cover the broad array of actual and potential applications of phosphazene materials. Everything from their more historical uses as elastomers and flame retardants to current and future applications in many emerging technologies, including biomedical materials, membranes, polymer electrolytes, electrooptical polymers, etc., is thoroughly reviewed and referenced. In addition to its value as a reference text on phosphazenes, with its great wealth of detailed information and literature references, this work has merit in the much broader context of materials design, properties, and engineering. The central place of inorganic-organic hybrid polymers, including phosphazenes,
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within the big picture of materials science is clearly presented in the first chapter and remains a unifying theme throughout the book. Robert H. Neilson, Texas Christian UniVersity JA0253639 10.1021/ja0253639
Handbook of Molecular Physics and Quantum Chemistry, Volumes 1-3. Edited by Stephen Wilson (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, U.K.), Peter F. Bernath (University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), and Roy McWeeny (Universita` di Pisa, Italy). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester. 2003. 2200 pp. $895.00. ISBN 0-471-62374-1. This handbook covers not only fundamental and current theoretical concepts of molecular physics and quantum chemistry, but also the relation of these concepts to experiment. It contains over 100 articles, written by an international team of more than 50 experts in the field. The three volumes cover the following general areas: (1) Fundamentals, (2) Molecular Electronic Structure, and (3) Molecules in the Physico-Chemical Environment: Spectroscopy, Dynamics, and Bulk Properties. JA033538O 10.1021/ja033538o
