This practical manual is devised for organic chemists and biochemists who, in the course of their researches and without previous experience, need to determine an ionization constant. We are gratified that earlier editions were much used for this purpose and that they also proved adequate for the in service training of technicians and technical officers to provide a Department with a pK service. The features of previous editions that gave this wide appeal have been retained, but the subject matter has been revised, extended, and brought up to date. We present two new chapters, one of which describes the determination of the stability constants of the complexes which organic ligands form with metal cations. The other describes the use of more recently introduced techniques for the determination of ionization constants, such as Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermometric titrations, and paper electro phoresis. Chapter 1 gives enhanced help in choosing between alternative methods for determining ionization constants. The two chapters on potentiometric methods have been extensively revised in the light of newer understanding of electrode processes and of the present state of the art in instrumen tation.

The Determination of Epoxide Groups describes the advantages and limitations of the methods for determination of 1,2-epoxide groups of various kinds. Chapter 1 examines the chemical reactivities of different epoxides under various conditions, which is of fundamental importance in the choice of the analytical method to be used. Chapter 2 explores most of the analytical work on epoxides involving ring-opening with HCl or HBr. Chapter 3 deals with the alternative techniques involving quantitative rearrangement of epoxides, or ring-opening under non-acidic conditions. This chapter also contains descriptions of various miscellaneous analytical techniques, including very sensitive methods, as well as the use of infrared spectroscopic techniques for analysis of epoxides and the study of their reactions, particularly the cure of epoxy resins. Chapter 4 summarizes the advantages and limitations of the various methods, along with the main factors affecting choice of experimental. This book is of great value to analytical and organic chemists, researchers, and students.