Book reviews

Thermochemical Data of Elements andCompoundsB. Binnewies and E. MilkeWiley–VCH Weinheim, 1999928 pages. £170ISBN 3-527-29775-8

This work is a complication of thermochemical data,mainly for inorganic compounds. There are entries for anumber of organic compounds, but very limited coverageof organometallic compounds. There are approximately3600 entries, consisting ofDH° andS° values at a singletemperature, usually 298 K, along with, for the majorityof entries,Cp data either at the same temperature orexpressed as a temperature-dependent polynomial, sothatDH° andS° for elements and compounds, as well asheats of reaction and equilibrium constants, can becalculated for other temperatures. Many of the com-pounds have separate entries for the solid, liquid and gasphases.

The order is strictly alphabetical, starting with Ag(s);all compounds with one silver atom come before thosecontaining two silver atoms. A 30-page index maintainsthe alphabetical order, but alongside each entry, ifappropriate, is the molecular formula written in theconventional way.

The data have not been obtained directly from theprimary literature, but rely entirely on six secondarysources, including theJANAF Thermochemical Tables3rd Edn, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1986.(Note the 4th Edn of the JANAF Tables becameavailable in 1998.). The most recent of these has a1992 date. Estimates of errors are not given and there isno discussion of reliability of the data; in fact there areonly four pages of explanation, which include theequations needed to calculate thermodynamic values atdifferent temperatures. The rest of the book is devoted tothe data, which are presented in a compact, well-laid-outformat.

This book will provide a convenient source of data forlaboratories involved in synthesis of inorganic andorganometallic compounds although, for the latter, dataon the organometallic compounds as opposed to theirprecursors will mainly have to be drawn from othersources. The price will largely confine this volume tolibraries.

RICHARD A. JACKSON

University of Sussex, UK

Biocatalysts for Fine Chemicals SynthesisS. M. Roberts (ed.)John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Chichester, 1999civ� 728 pages. £250ISBN 0-471-97901-5

Biotransformation, an application of microbial biotech-nology in which enzymes are used to catalyse enantio-and regio-specific reactions, is well established inindustry for the production of a diverse range ofcompounds such as organic solvents, antibiotics andvitamins. Less well known is the application of thistechnology to the production of fine chemicals, butbiotransformation is ideally suited to this field because ofthe demand for safer, more environmentally friendly andlow-cost alternatives to conventional reagents andcatalysts, and for the need of experimentally simplermethods.

Biocatalysts for Fine Chemicals Synthesisis acompendium of the best protocols for enzyme-catalysedsyntheses, which were originally published from 1992 to1997 in loose-leaf format by the same publisher. It isdivided into four main chapters covering hydrolysis andesterification reactions, reduction reactions, oxidationreactions and carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions.Each chapter is further divided into modules (45 in total)describing a specific type of chemical conversion. Eachmodule includes an introduction to the reaction, areaction scheme, the materials and methods it requires,a comparative assessment of the procedure by the authorsof each module, and references and spectroscopic datawhere appropriate. One module covers the hydrolysisand esterification of organometallic substrates withspecific reference to tributyltin anda-hydroxystannates.The book is prefaced by a chapter by the editor on thestate of the art in 1996, which highlights the changeswhich have arisen in the application of biotransforma-tions since 1992. The final chapter presents case studieswith protocols which are intended to illustrate howbiotransformations can be used for the production ofspecific non-racemic chiral compounds for application aseither synthetic building blocks or target molecules.

The use of enzymes, whole cells or cell extracts in thecatalysis of a broad range of chemical conversions hasexpanded markedly over the past decade. All thereagents required are available from commercial sourcesand all the reactions presented in this compendium caneasily be carried out on a laboratory scale. Given thesimplicity, high enantiomer-specific yield and low costof biotransformations, this form of catalysis is certain tobe applied to an even greater range of reactions in thefuture, some of which will successfully be scaled up forindustrial use. This book presents detailed reaction

APPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRYAppl. Organometal. Chem.14, 281–285 (2000)

Copyright# 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

schemesin a hands-onstyle and,despitethe price andslightly dated introductory chapter, should appeal toresearcherswishing to learnmoreaboutbiotransforma-tionsandto thosewishing to explorethepossibilitiesofapplyingthis technologyto their own research.

TREVORWRIGHT

CurrentDrugsLtd, London,UK

Uses of Inorganic Chemistry in MedicineN. P. Farrell (ed.)RoyalSocietyof Chemistry,Cambridge,1999xii � 160pages.£59.50ISBN 0-85404-444-2

Traditionally, medicinal chemistry researchershaveexperiencedsomedifficulty in adaptingtheir thinkingto embracingthe role of metal ions in pharmaceuticals.This is partly becausesyntheticchemistryof old wasbased upon organic bonds, and partly becausetheconceptof lability of metal–ligandbondingwasdifficultto grasp.Over the last two decadestherehasbeenmuchprogressin this area:severalbookshaveappeared,andpharmaceutical research companies have recruitedspecialistsin theareaof metallocomplexes.

This book,editedby N. P.Farrell, is a contributiontothisprogress,andcontainsninechaptersaddressingsuchtopicsasthebiomedicalusesof lithium, gold complexesfor treatingcancerandHIV, nitric oxide in physiologyandmedicine,therapeuticusesof manganese,vanadiumin its role of a possibleinsulin modifier,platinum-basedanticancerdrugs, and the role of iron and copper incontrolling oxidation damage.The authorsare all wellexperiencedin the field and give balancedoverviewswhich makeusefulreading.

Progress in these areas is best made using aninterdisciplinary approach,blending the most modernresearchtechniquesin chemistrywith thoseof biologyand pharmacology.This book contains selectedcasestudiesaddressingtopicssuchasthoselisted.The mostimportant chemical factors are researchedin order toenlightenour knowledgeof the mechanistics,pharma-cokinetics and tissue distribution features.Traditionalfactorswhich needto bebuilt into anystructure–activityrelationshipincludecoordinationnumber,the geometryof thecomplex,thetypeof ligandinvolved,andwhetherthespeciesarekinetically inert or labile.

To someonewho has been in the field for severalyears,thisbookwill bringthereadersup-to-datein termsof progressin thesevarioustopics.Particularlyvaluablecontributionsarethoseconcerningplatinum-basedantic-anceragents,and it is fascinatingand intriguing to seethatmoreandmoredetailshaveemergedoverthelast30

yearsconcerningthetargetsitesfor cisplatinafter it haslost its two chloride ligands. Diagramsare producedwhichcanbeusefulin instructingnewresearchersin thefield concerningthe exact sites of nucleophilic attackupon DNA, RNA and proteins. The more recentreplacementof the two chloride leaving groups bycyclobutanedicarboxylicacid (CBDCA) is describedindetail,andhow it enhances,by two ordersof magnitude,resistanceto aquationreplacingthe leavinggroup.Thisis oneof the rareinstancesin this bookwherechemicalspeciation is implicated although not mentioned byname.

Thisexcitingareaof researchhascontinuedto involvenovel trinuclearplatinum compounds,which havenowenteredthefirst phaseof clinical trials andaredesignedto havea spectrumof clinical activity that is comple-mentaryto theparentcisplatindrugs.

This is an excellent volume for inspiring researchstudentswith enthusiasmfor relatingdifferentaspectsofinorganicchemistryto medicine.I cannotseeit beingprescribedas a first-choicetextbook in the area,but itwill becitedasusefulsupportreadingandcopiesshouldbe availablein libraries and in researchlaboratories.Iimagine that pharmaceuticalresearchersfrom industrywill useit to becomefamiliar with thenewterminologymore closely associatedwith metals in medicine.Theauthors have put much effort into simplifying theiraccountsandrenderingthemreader-friendly,andaretobecongratulated.

DAVID R. WILLIAMS

Universityof Wales,Cardiff, UK

Colloid±Polymer Interactions (FromFundamentals to Practice)Paul L. Dubin and Raymond S. Farinato (eds)JohnWiley andSons,Chichester,1999x� 417pages.£74.50ISBN 0-471-24316-7

This book is a comprehensivestudyof colloid–polymerinteractions involving the ways polymer chains maybehaveat the interface.It takesthe form of a seriesofchapters,well written by invited authors,although itmustbe emphasizedthat this is not just a collection ofresearcharticles since there is a good integration ofcross-referencingthroughout the volume. The editorsprovide an excellent prefaceand set the goals to beachieved by the book: firstly, to present in a non-specialistmannerpracticaltechnologiesthatarebasedoncolloid–polymer interactions; secondly, to put intoclearerfocusthemodelsusedto organizeandrationalizeobservations; thirdly, to provide technologists and

Copyright# 2000JohnWiley & Sons,Ltd. Appl. Organometal.Chem.14, 281–285(2000)

282 BOOK REVIEWS