The possibility of stimulated light emission was discussed by Einstein in 1917, eight years before the quantum-mechanical description of energy levels of many-electron systems. Though it is imperative to use samples having optical properties greatly different from the stan dard continuous spectrum of opaque objects ("black body" radia tion) it is not always necessary to restrict the study to monatomic entities. Thus, spectral lines can be obtained (in absorption and in emission) from lanthanide compounds, containing from one to thir teen 4f electrons going from trivalent cerium to ytterbium,...

As early as 1874 van't Hoff and Le Bel introduced the concept of antipodes for molecules containing an asymmetric carbon atom. This was the first insight into the spacial arrangement of atoms in a mole- cule. These antipodes exhibit opposite optical rotatory power, but it was not possible to determine specific configuration and direction of the rotatory power. The convention of Fischer, however, gained general acceptance. Eighty years later Bijvoet and his co-workers showed that the Fischer convention happens to be in agreement with reality (I 951). Organic stereochemistry is that of...

Hot-atom chemistry is a unique field of chemistry dealing with highly excited chemical species resulting from nuclear reactions or radioactive decay processes. Modern hot-atom chemistry includes a broad range of disciplines such as fundamental studies from physical chemistry of gas-phase energetic reactions to inorganic solid-state chemistry, as well as recent practical applications in life sciences and energy-related research. In spite of the importance of hot-atom chemistry and its appli cations, its relevance to the other fields of chemistry and related disciplines has attracted little...

Molecular stereochemistry is a fundamental aspect of all areas of chemistry. It is especially important in inorganic chemistry where the coordination numbers are variable and occasionally quite high. The present book evolved naturally from a series of articles written by Professor Kepert for Progre88 in Inorganic Ohemi8try, elucida ting aspects of the stereochemistry of inorganic compounds of co ordination numbers 4-12. In the present volume, Professor Kepert has added new sections and synthesized these individual chapters into a unified treatment, updating his references when necessary to...

This book is the completely revised and extended version of the German edition "Einfiihrung in die Elektrochemie fester Stoffe" which appeared in 1973. Since then, the subject of the electro chemistry of solids has developed further and a large number of new solid electrolytes have been discovered. With the help of solid electrolytes, i. e. solid ionic conductors, galvanic cells are constantly being built for thermodynamic or kinetic investigations and for technical applications. Though the book takes these new develop ments into consideration, its main aim is to provide an introduction to...

This is a textbook of what is often called magnetochemistry. We take the point of view that magnetic phenomena are interesting because of what they tell us about chemical systems. Yet, we believe it is no longer tenable to write only about such subjects as distinguishing stereochemistry from the measurement of a magnetic susceptibility over a restricted temper ature region; that is, paramagnetism is so well-understood that little remains to explore which is of fundamental interest. The major purpose of this book is to direct chemists to some of the recent work of physicists, and in particular...

This book introduces the concept of crystallographic non- rigidity and asymmetry of the transition elements as central atoms organometallic compounds. This intrinsic behavior of central atoms in condensed matter is quantified by applying statistical approach. Averaging of extrinsic factors in crystal structures is tested by using variance analysis. Introductionof the above mentioned concept and applications of variance analysis as an approximation for considering factors influencing properties of central atomin the crystal is original and new.

Combined oxygen, in the form of water, metal oxides, silicates and other oxyions, accounts for about 50% by weight of the earth's crust. The chemistry of this most abundant element has two major aspects: that of water and aqueous solutions of electrolytes, and that of the solid state. The methodology and techniques appropriate for the study of these fields are sufficiently different that there have been very few points of contact between solution- and solid state chemists. One such contact, of great potential value, is provided by the extensive class of polyoxoanions formed by the transition...

Two decades have passed since the original discovery of recoilless nuclear gamma resonance by Rudolf Mossbauer; the spectroscopic method based on this resonance effect - referred to as Mossbauer spectroscopy - has developed into a powerful tool in solid-state research. The users are chemists, physicists, biologists, geologists, and scientists from other disciplines, and the spectrum of problems amenable to this method has become extraordinarily broad. In the present volume we have confined ourselves to applications of Mossbauer spectroscopy to the area of transition elements. We hope that the...

There are both a remote and a proximate history in the development of this book. We would like to acknowledge first the perceptiveness of the technical administrators at RCA Laboratories, Inc. during the 1970s, and in particular Dr. P. N. Yocom. Buoyed up by the financial importance of yttrium oxysulfide: europium as the red phosphor of color television tubes, they allowed us almost a decade of close cooperation aimed at understanding the performance of this phosphor. It is significant that we shared an approach to research in an industrial laboratory which allowed us to avoid the lure of...