Informal, effective undergraduate-level text introduces vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, presenting applications of group theory to the interpretation of UV, visible, and infrared spectra. 200 problems with solutions. Numerous illustrations.

0. Opening remarks 1. A chemist's view of group theory 1-1. Introduction 1-2. Symmetry Operations and Molecules 1-3. Groups 1-4. Point Groups 1.5. Classification of Molecules into Point Groups 1-6. Matrix Representation of Symmetry Operations 1-7. Characters and Character Tables 1-8. Decomposition of Reducible Representations and the Direct Product Additional Problems Related Reading 2. A skirmish with quantum mechanics 2-1. Introduction 2-2. Light 2-3. The Postulates of Quantum Mechanics 2-4. Some Simple Illustrations from Quantum Mechanics Related Reading 3. Vibrational spectroscopy 3-1. Introduction 3-2. Infrared and Raman Spectra 3-3. Diatomic Molecules 3-4. Transitions between Stationary States 3-5. The Normal Modes of Vibration of Polyatomic Molecules 3-6. Selection Rules and Polarization 3-7. Symmetry Coordinates and Normal Modes 3-8. Stretching Mode Analysis 3-9. Assignment of Real Spectra 3-10. The Resonance Raman Effect 3.-11 Functional Group Analysis Additional Problems Related Reading 4. Molecular orbital theory 4-1 Introduction 4-2 Atoms 4-3 Photoelctron Spectroscopy 4-4 The LCAO Molecular Orbital Method 4-5 Diatomic Molecules 4-6 Polyatomic Molecules 4-7 The Hückel Method 4-8 Transition Metal Complexes Additional Problems Related Reading 5. Electronic spectroscopy 5-1 Introduction 5-2 Another Look at Molecular Vibrations 5-3 Basic Notions 5-4 Selection Rules 5-5 The Electronic Spectra of Some Diatomic Molecules 5-6 The Fate of Absorbed Energy 5-7 "Single Bonds, Double Bonds, and Lone Pairs" 5-8 Vibronic Analysis 5-9 Transition Metal Complexes 5-10 Concluding Remarks Additional Problems Related Reading Appendices A. Character tables B. Direct products C. Overtones of degenerate vibrations D. The shapes of atomic orbitals E. Physical constants F. Energy conversions G. Answers to problems Index