Unified theory basic concepts

ASTM Saul Patai s book "The Chemistry of Peroxides" (41) was reviewed with some hope of finding either a systematic evaluation of reactivity as it relates to the potential hazard of peroxides or some basic concepts that would allow formulation of a unifying theory that would permit an algorithmic solution to the classification problem. Unfortunately, when Saul got to the chapter on safety he acknowledges that he gave up. Bretherick s "Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards" (42) presents some useful information and incident histories, but provides little in the way of coordinated insight based on molecular composition and structure to allow for systematic extrapolation to new materials. 

One of the unifying factors in the determination or chemical structures has been the use or symmetry and group theory. One has only to look at the structure of boggsite to see that it is highly symmetrical, but symmetry is even more basic to chemistry than that. Symmetry aids the inorganic chemist in applying a variety or methods for the determination of structures. Symmetry is even more fundamental The very universe seems to hinge upon concepts or symmetry. 

Counting the isomers arising by addition to, or substitution in, a basic framework is a mathematical problem with many practical applications in chemistry. In classical organic chemistry, for example, the number of derivatives of a compound was often cited as proof or disproof of structure. Point group theory that uses concepts familiar to most chemists and is easy to apply when the number of addends/substituents is small provides a unified method for deciding, for example, the number of dihydrides C70H2 of fullerene C70, or the number of trihalo-derivatives C2oHi7FClBr of dodecahedrane. All that is needed to determine such matters is the availability of the permutation character. Ter, of the atoms in the parent molecule. 

Einstein s theory of special relativity relying on a modified principle cf relativity is presented and the Lorentz transformations are identified as the natural coordinate transformations of physics. This necessarily leads to a modification cf our perception of space and time and to the concept of a four-dimensional unified space-time. Its basic Mnematic and dynamical implications on classical mechanics are discussed. Maxwell s gauge theory of electrodynamics is presented in its natural covariant 4-vector form. 

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