?It provides a nice overview of the subject and some in-depthdiscussions of selected topics in the field. Everyone from studentsto seasoned experts will find interesting new molecules to ponderin this book, including some that have yet to be synthesized.? (
Angewandte Chemistry, September 2009)
?This comprehensive review of current literature is intended forPhD students, readers interested in learning about the field, andspecialists. The book is clearly illustrated and well-written.? (Book News, September 2009)
?I would emphasize that any organic chemist who picks up thisvolume and leafs through it will have difficulty putting it downagain. Almost every section stimulates fresh thoughts and researchideas.? (The Journal of the American Chemical Society, July2009)
Presenting comprehensive and up-to-date state of the domain of highly strained hydrocarbons with unusual spatial structure, an experienced editor and top authors cover the whole range of these important molecules from [1.1.1]propellane to fullerenes and nanotubes. The necessity of studies in this area encompassing sometimes exotic molecules is discussed in detail showing their importance for basic science and practical applications. The fact that the latter cannot mostly be foreseen is amply documented.
Even not long ago, studying such molecules was an elitist activity, few synthetic chemists succeeded in their syntheses. Today, the field has broadened in view of emerging practical application and fullerenes and nanotubes are one of the most vividly developing domains.
Chapters include both experimental and theoretical studies. The former cover syntheses and unusual physicochemical properties related to the strain and untypical geometry of the molecules under scrutiny. The latter show importance of model calculations which help precise basic ideas of chemistry, such as the chemical bond, on the one hand, and are used to propose novel plausible synthetic targets, on the other.
The monograph aims not only at PhD students and newcomers in the field who seek for an introduction to this area but also at the specialists who want to obtain a broader perspective of this domain and make use of a comprehensive review of literature.