Ronald G. Harvey. Wiley, VCH: New York, 1997. 667 pp. ISBN 0-471-18608-2. $125.

This text is a timely and welcome addition to the ever-growing literature on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) chemistry and an essential addition to the chemist's library. It is the most comprehensive and complete account of the synthesis and chemical properties of polyarenes to date. The author has brought together, in one volume, detailed information on the physical and spectral properties, synthetic methods, chemical reactions, and molecular structures of a broad range of polyarenes, both alternant and nonalternant, and their substituted derivatives. (A total of 358 ring structures are covered, 233 of which are nonalternant PAH compounds.) The author does not deal with the environmental, medical, and biological aspects of polyarenes; thus, it may prove a disappointment to the environmental chemist.

The text is targeted at graduate-level courses in polyarene chemistry and environmental chemistry. From my own experiences as an undergraduate and postgraduate student, this is a neglected area of chemistry. This book may help to remedy this deficiency. It is a good primary text for a more advanced course in the organic chemistry of polyarenes. A good working knowledge and understanding of basic organic chemistry is essential (the text is not for the faint-hearted).

The book is divided into a preface, 11 chapters, and an index. An introductory chapter of 20 pages deals with the environmental occurrence and biological importance, nomenclature, and classification of polyarenes. Chapter 2 (20 pages), entitled "Structures and Aromaticity", summarizes aromaticity, bond order and bond length, molecular structures and bond localization, planarity and X-ray analysis, and diamagnetic susceptibility. The best chapters are Chapters 3 and 4. Chapter 3 (42 pages) deals with "General Synthetic Methods". Chapter 4, entitled "Reactions", surveys the most important types of chemical reactions undergone by polyarenes of all types. These two chapters are excellent and well referenced and treat their respective topics exhaustively. Chapters 5 through 7 survey the chemistry of alternant polyarenes having 5, 6, and 7 fused aromatic rings. In Chapter 6 we are told that there are 37 possible isomers of alternant PAHs with molecular formula C₂₆H₁₆, consisting of six fused benzenoid rings. Chapters 8 through 11 deal with the chemistry of nonalternant polyarenes having 4, 5, 6, and 7 fused aromatic rings.

In all cases, the criteria for inclusion of polyarenes are the availability of synthetic information and data on spectral and chemical properties. Each chapter is lavishly referenced (for example there are 41 references in Chapter 1 and 314 in Chapter 5), but citations are restricted to essential original references and to articles that review the pertinent literature.

This is a well-written, concise, and well-presented book, consistent with the high standards I have grown to expect from this publishing house. It is well researched and referenced and contains many excellent diagrams and tables. The contents section is very detailed and easily accessed. However, I am perplexed that the author insists on using the angstrom as the unit of bond length instead of nanometers or picometers and uses kcal/mole as the unit of bond energy in place of kJ/mole. In Table 2.3 the unit of bond length is omitted; it is assumed to be the angstrom.

There is no reference to the Internet or to software in this text. A glossary should have been included.