References—continued volume information

It is regretted that the size of the volume has rendered the insertion of literature references impossible the Selected Bibliography (A,5) may partly compensate for this omission. Section numbers are now included in the headings of the pages—a feature introduced in response to requests by many readers. The volume comprises virtually at least three books under one cover, viz., experimental technique, preparations, and qualitative organic analysis. It should therefore continue to be of value as a one volume reference work in the laboratory. Students at all levels will find their requirements for laboratory work (excluding quantitative organic analysis) adequately provided for and, furthermore, the writer hopes that the book will be used as a source of information to supplement their theoretical studies. 

There have been remarkably few reviews of the chemistry of decompositions and interactions of solids. The present account is specifically concerned with the kinetic characteristics described in the literature for the reactions of many and diverse compounds. Coverage necessarily includes references to a variety of relevant and closely related topics, such as the background theory of the subject, proposed mechanistic interpretations of observations, experimental methods with their shortcomings and errors, etc. In a survey of acceptable length, however, it is clearly impossible to explore in depth all features of all reports concerned with the reactivity and reactions of all solids. We believe that there is a need for separate and more detailed reviews of topics referred to here briefly. The value of individual publications in the field, which continue to appear in a not inconsiderable flow, would undoubtedly be enhanced by their discussion in the widest context. Systematic presentation and constructive comparisons of observations and reports, which are at present widely dispersed, would be expected to produce significant correlations and conclusions. Useful advances in the subject are just as likely to emerge in the form of generalizations discerned in the wealth of published material as from further individual studies of specific systems. Perhaps potential reviewers have been deterred by the combination of the formidable volume and the extensive dispersal of the information now available. 

The chemical reactivity of these substances is a topic which continues to be the subject of extensive research thus there is often detailed, more recent information about the fate of chemical species which are of particular relevance to air or water quality. The reader is thus urged to consult the original and recent references because when considering the entire multimedia picture, it is impossible in a volume such as this to treat this subject in the detail it deserves. 

We are also glad to note that our publisher now makes our most recent volumes available in an online form through Wiley InterScience. Please consult the Web (http //www.interscience.wiley.com/onlinebooks) or contact reference wiley.com for the latest information. For readers who appreciate the permanence and convenience of bound books, these will, of course, continue. 

For more specialized and detailed biochemical information that is not offered by textbooks, reference books must be used. Reference works range from general surveys to specialized series. The best works are multivolume sets that continue publication of volumes on a periodic basis. Each volume usually covers a specialized area with articles written by recognized authorities in the field. It should be noted that reference articles of interest to biochemists are often found in publications that are not strictly biochemical. The best known and most widely used review publication is Annual Review of Biochemistry. Each volume in this series, which was introduced in 1932, contains several detailed and extensive articles written by experts in the field. For shorter reviews emphasizing current topics, Trends in the Biochemical Sciences (TIBS) is widely read. 

The number of programs for computational chemistry continues to evolve rapidly. In this compendium, we update and selectively expand the appendix that appeared in Volume 5 of Reviews in Computational Chemistry. The information is provided for the benefit of both developers and consumers of software. The contents are designed to provide a ready reference for researchers as well as newcomers to the field. The aim is to advance computer-aided chemistry by making the tools widely known. 

The early literature on quinoxaline chemistry can be conveniently located either via Beilstein s Handbuch der organischen Chemie or in Meyer-Jacobson s Lehrbuch der organischen Chemie. The period 1917-1948 is covered by the previous monograph in this series by Simpson, and it is the aim of the present volume to cover the quinoxaline literature in the period 1949-1975 and in addition to refer to major papers appearing in 1976. In an attempt to preserve continuity, quinoxaline chemistry is discussed as far as possible under the same chapter headings as used in Simpson s monograph. Much detailed information on quinoxalines has appeared in several review articles. ... 

As the title of this book indicates it is a continuation of Diazo Chemistry /, which was finished ten months ago and which contains the chemistry of aromatic and heteroaromatic diazo compounds. The general principles discussed in the Preface of that book are also the basis for this volume. Ilie most important principle is again generality, readability and many references for the reader who is interested in more detailed information. To convey knowledge, to become acquainted with new ideas a delicate equilibrium between selection and redundancy is necessary. Redundancy has its place, particularly for results that are unexpected for the reader or that are in contrast to his experience. 

---