CHEMISTRY 158a

FALL, 2008

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

In preparation for my move to Ashville, NC, I have already culled many volumes from my personal library.  I have retained all the items on this list.  I regard them as the jewels of my collection.

 

I) General Discussion of Quantum Mechanics

A) R. P. Feynman, R. B. Leighton, and M. Sands, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume III, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1965).  Volume III in this celebrated series of  lectures provides a novel, insightful approach to quantum mechanics.

 

B) L. Pauling and E. B. Wilson, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, McGraw-Hill, NY (1935).  This classic, written by Pauling and his first graduate student, is still a useful resource because of its clear treatment of the hydrogen atom.

 

C) M. Karplus and R. N Porter, Atoms & Molecules, W. A. Benjamin, Menlo Park, CA (1971).  Martin Karplus, Pauling’s last graduate student, and Richard Porter, one of Karplus’ students, originally planned to revise Pauling & Wilson.  They discovered that one does not revise a classic and produced instead a classic text that updates and complements Pauling & Wilson.

 

D) S. Flügge, Practical Quantum Mechanics, Springer-Verlag, New York 1970).  This book is a gold mine; it is filled with lucid solutions of problems.  Get a copy if you ever take an advanced course in quantum mechanics.

 

II) Spectroscopy

A) You will find an extensive annotated bibliography on spectroscopic methods of structure determination and molecular modeling on the course page for Chemistry 164.

 

B) E. U. Condon & G. H. Shortley, The Theory of Atomic Spectra, Cambridge Univ. Press, London (1967).  This is the best treatment of the theory underlying atomic spectroscopy.  It also gives an excellent treatment of angular momentum.

 

C) G. Herzberg, Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure, van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ.  This series of monographs by G. Herzberg is the Bible of molecular spectroscopy.

1) Volume I. Spectra of Diatomic Molecules (1950)

2) Volume II. Infrared and Raman Spectra of Polyatomic Molecules (1945)

3) Volume III. Electronic Spectra and Electronic Structure of Polyatomic Molecules (1966)

 

D) W. H. Flygare, Molecular Structure and Dynamics, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1978).  Flygare produced a brilliant, novel approach to molecular spectroscopy.  This volume is an essential component of my personal library.

 

E) E. B. Wilson, J. C. Decius, & P. C. Cross, Molecular Vibrations, McGraw-Hill, NY (1955).  This is the authoritative classic on the subject.  Start here if you have to calculate vibrational frequencies from a molecular structure and a set of force constants.

 

F) Three complementary classic monographs published by Oxford University Press provide the theoretical background underlying NMR spectroscopy

1) A. Abragam, Principles of Magnetic Resonance  (1961)

2) R. R. Ernst, G. Bodenhausen, & A. Wokaun, Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in One and Two Dimensions (1987)

3) P. T. Callaghan, Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy (1991)

 

G) C. P. Slichter, Principles of Magnetic Resonance, 3rd. ed., Harper & Row, NY.  Read this book before you attempt Abragam or Ernst.  It is not light reading but is very well written.  It is full of insights.

 

H) A. G. Marshall, Biophysical Chemistry, J. Wiley, NY (1978).  Biophysicists make heavy use of spectroscopy.  Marshall have produced a novel, insightful approach.

 

III) Mathematics.  I make no claim for completeness here.  I provide a list of some of my best friends.

A) W. H. Press, B. P. Flannery, S. A. Teukolsky, & W. T. Vetterling, Numerical Recipes, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge (1986).  This is the authoritative treatment of numerical methods.

 

B) H. Margenau & G. M. Murphy, The Mathematics of Physics and Chemistry, van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ (1956).  This venerable classic covers well advanced mathematical methods.  It is not a primer for the uninitiated.

 

C) I. S. Gradshteyn & I. M. Ryuzhik, Table of Integrals, Series, and Products, 4th. ed., Academic Press, NY (1965).  The compilation is massive.  Programs such as Maple may have replaced this book.  However, the compilation is remarkably complete.  If you can’t reduce the function to a form in the book, you will probably have to integrate it numerically.

 

D) M. Abramowitz & I. A. Stegun, Handbook of Mathematical Functions, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC (1964).  This is an authoritative, impressive collection of mathematical formulae and tables.  It is available as a Dover paperback.

 

E) F. A. Cotton, Chemical Applications of Group Theory, 3rd. ed., J. Wiley, NY (1990).  All serious chemists must be familiar with group theory.  Cotton has written a very lucid and useful introduction.  Purchase your own copy and master it!

 

IV) The WWW is a source of useful information.  MolData  which is maintained by the instructor is an annotated bibliography of trustworthy information on the WWW.

 

last revised, 30 May 2008