Elements of Molecular and Biomolecular Electrochemistry. An Electrochemical Approach to Electron...
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Elements of Molecular and Biomolecular Electrochemistry An Electrochemical Approach to Elec- tron Transfer Chemistry. By Jean- Michel SavØant. Wiley-VCH, Wein- heim 2006. 508 pp., hardcover E 125.00.—ISBN 0-471-44573-9 SavȖant is a giant of modern electro- chemistry. Insightful, elegant, and groundbreaking experiments have poured from his Paris laboratory for more than three decades. Those of us working in the field have long wondered at the combination of rigorous and insightful theory with meticulous volt- ammetric experimentation that have resulted in kinetic and mechanistic con- clusions that are often of an unrivalled precision and clarity. The more so, since electron transfer is at the heart of chemistry—synthetic as well as mecha- nistic—and the use of the conceptually relatively straightforward cyclic voltam- metry experiment offers profound scope for the understanding, in thermody- namic and kinetics terms, of a plethora of chemical reactions and processes. The scope of voltammetric insight can be appreciated from the following, much abbreviated, list of a few headings and subheadings from SavȖant)s book: “Redox catalysis”, “Product distribution resulting from competition between follow-up reactions”, “Coupling of elec- tron transfer with acid-base reactions”, “Reduction of carbon dioxide”, “H- atom transfer versus electron + proton transfer”, “The S RN 1 substitu- tion”, “Conformational changes, iso- merisation and electron transfer”, “Stepwise versus concerted mecha- nisms”, “Reaction of radicals with nucleophiles”, “Role of solvent …”, “Enzymatic catalysis”—in short, the chemical conclusions and interpreta- tions are at the cutting edge of the understanding of chemical reactivity, and are therefore of profound signifi- cance to all chemists, and especially those working in organic and biological chemistry. In his book A Brief History of Time (1968), Stephen Hawking relates that “someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales”. I fear that SavȖant)s book writing project may likely bankrupt him. In reality there are two books—probably with quite different readerships—inter- mingled in this tome, which results from the Baker Lectures given by SavȖant at Cornell University in 2002. The first is a characteristically rigorous, insightful, and (to the non-electrochemist) mathe- matically demanding account of voltam- metry. This is what we electrochemists expect of SavȖant, and we delight in it. We love the stories, even though surely apocryphal, of draft papers submitted to him by his naȹvely communicative stu- dents being cruelly edited, so as to eliminate the paragraphs of explanation and the algebraically essential links between the equations that were intended to illuminate the theory for lower-caste electrochemists! One can only speculate about the state of modern voltammetry had SavȖant grown up with an English nanny advo- cating, like Mary Poppins in the musical of the same name, that “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down … in a most delightful way” (my italics)! However, the second “half-book” in the work consists of the descriptions of chemical results that emerge beautifully, clearly, and quantitatively from the voltammetry. These are extremely sig- nificant and insightful, especially and above all, for organic chemists. For example, it is shown how algebraically simple models of electron transfer can rationalize the chemically diverse kinds of behavior that follow when an electron is added to or removed from a substrate. Such models can explain, for example, whether electron transfer triggers a radical chemistry or an acid–base chemistry. They might also contribute to an understanding of enzymatic catal- ysis mechanisms, thereby leading to optimized biosensors. These and related issues are of central chemical impor- tance, and I strongly urge the chemical community as a whole to pick up and read SavȖant)s messages—skim the vol- tammetry on a first read, but recognize the unique insights into molecular reac- tivity that it can provide. You may then be so impressed by what electrochem- ical methods can reveal that you will need to re-read and get know the entirety of this book of two halves. Richard Compton Physical and Theoretical Chemistry University of Oxford (UK) DOI: 10.1002/anie.200685453 Organic Electronics Materials, Manu- facturing and Applications. Edited by Hagen Klauk. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim 2006. 428 pp., hardcover E 129.00.—ISBN 3-537-31264-1 Electronic circuits are fundamental to a myriad of photonic/electronic products, such as displays, computers, cell-phones, household appliances, and sensors. This technology is mainly based on silicon and Groups III–V semiconductors (and other inorganic materials) processed at high temperatures for the production of field-effect transistors. Despite concerns related to physical, technological, and economic limitations, transistor/circuit performance and integration will likely continue to increase according to Moore)s law, leading to smaller, faster, and more powerful electronics. The aims of this book, Organic Electronics , are to focus attention and shed light on a new technology for producing electronic cir- Angewandte Chemie Books 1367 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 1367 – 1368 # 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
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Transcript of Elements of Molecular and Biomolecular Electrochemistry. An Electrochemical Approach to Electron...
Elements of Molecular andBiomolecular Electrochemistry
An ElectrochemicalApproach to Elec-tron TransferChemistry. By Jean-Michel Sav ant.Wiley-VCH, Wein-heim 2006.508 pp., hardcoverE 125.00.—ISBN0-471-44573-9
Sav�ant is a giant of modern electro-chemistry. Insightful, elegant, andgroundbreaking experiments havepoured from his Paris laboratory formore than three decades. Those of usworking in the field have long wonderedat the combination of rigorous andinsightful theory with meticulous volt-ammetric experimentation that haveresulted in kinetic and mechanistic con-clusions that are often of an unrivalledprecision and clarity. The more so, sinceelectron transfer is at the heart ofchemistry—synthetic as well as mecha-nistic—and the use of the conceptuallyrelatively straightforward cyclic voltam-metry experiment offers profound scopefor the understanding, in thermody-namic and kinetics terms, of a plethoraof chemical reactions and processes.The scope of voltammetric insight
can be appreciated from the following,much abbreviated, list of a few headingsand subheadings from Sav�ant!s book:“Redox catalysis”, “Product distributionresulting from competition betweenfollow-up reactions”, “Coupling of elec-tron transfer with acid-base reactions”,“Reduction of carbon dioxide”, “H-atom transfer versus electron +
proton transfer”, “The SRN1 substitu-tion”, “Conformational changes, iso-merisation and electron transfer”,“Stepwise versus concerted mecha-nisms”, “Reaction of radicals withnucleophiles”, “Role of solvent …”,“Enzymatic catalysis”—in short, thechemical conclusions and interpreta-tions are at the cutting edge of theunderstanding of chemical reactivity,and are therefore of profound signifi-cance to all chemists, and especiallythose working in organic and biologicalchemistry.In his book A Brief History of Time
(1968), Stephen Hawking relates that“someone told me that each equation Iincluded in the book would halve thesales”. I fear that Sav�ant!s book writingproject may likely bankrupt him. Inreality there are two books—probablywith quite different readerships—inter-mingled in this tome, which results fromthe Baker Lectures given by Sav�ant atCornell University in 2002. The first is acharacteristically rigorous, insightful,and (to the non-electrochemist) mathe-matically demanding account of voltam-metry. This is what we electrochemistsexpect of Sav�ant, and we delight in it.We love the stories, even though surelyapocryphal, of draft papers submitted tohim by his na:vely communicative stu-dents being cruelly edited, so as toeliminate the paragraphs of explanationand the algebraically essential linksbetween the equations that wereintended to illuminate the theory forlower-caste electrochemists! One canonly speculate about the state ofmodern voltammetry had Sav�antgrown up with an English nanny advo-cating, like Mary Poppins in the musicalof the same name, that “Just a spoonfulof sugar helps the medicine go down …in a most delightful way” (my italics)!However, the second “half-book” in
the work consists of the descriptions ofchemical results that emerge beautifully,clearly, and quantitatively from thevoltammetry. These are extremely sig-nificant and insightful, especially andabove all, for organic chemists. Forexample, it is shown how algebraicallysimple models of electron transfer canrationalize the chemically diverse kindsof behavior that follow when an electronis added to or removed from a substrate.Such models can explain, for example,
whether electron transfer triggers aradical chemistry or an acid–basechemistry. They might also contributeto an understanding of enzymatic catal-ysis mechanisms, thereby leading tooptimized biosensors. These and relatedissues are of central chemical impor-tance, and I strongly urge the chemicalcommunity as a whole to pick up andread Sav�ant!s messages—skim the vol-tammetry on a first read, but recognizethe unique insights into molecular reac-tivity that it can provide. You may thenbe so impressed by what electrochem-ical methods can reveal that you willneed to re-read and get know theentirety of this book of two halves.
Richard ComptonPhysical and Theoretical ChemistryUniversity of Oxford (UK)
DOI: 10.1002/anie.200685453
Organic Electronics
Materials, Manu-facturing andApplications.Edited by HagenKlauk. Wiley-VCH,Weinheim 2006.428 pp., hardcoverE 129.00.—ISBN3-537-31264-1
Electronic circuits are fundamental to amyriad of photonic/electronic products,such as displays, computers, cell-phones,household appliances, and sensors. Thistechnology is mainly based on siliconand Groups III–V semiconductors (andother inorganic materials) processed athigh temperatures for the production offield-effect transistors. Despite concernsrelated to physical, technological, andeconomic limitations, transistor/circuitperformance and integration will likelycontinue to increase according toMoore!s law, leading to smaller, faster,and more powerful electronics. The aimsof this book, Organic Electronics, are tofocus attention and shed light on a newtechnology for producing electronic cir-
AngewandteChemieBooks
1367Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 1367 – 1368 7 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
