Molecular Symmetry in Chemistry Via Group Theory

This book is an attempt to present an introduction of the basic ideas of Symmetry and to apply them in understanding the structure and bonding in chemical compounds. There are several books written by the foreign authors who assume sufficient mathematical background on part of the students that leaves them and specially that of the Biology-stream in Indian universities, bewildered. The text is very comprehensive and includes the basic mathematical concepts that help students to understand and appreciate the application of symmetry to the theories of chemical bonding and structures. The first six chapters use a semi-mathematical approach and provide a reasonably good foundation for the students to understand logic. The next six chapters deal with symmetry aspects of Molecular Orbital Theory, Ligand-Field Theory, Quantum Chemistry and Hybridisation, Structure and Reactivity and also application of symmetry properties to Molecular Vibration Analysis. (jacket)