About eight years ago, the catalytic carbonylation of organic nitro compounds was a research field developed enough to justify a rather long review on this subject. Now, we feel that the scientific results and new achievements in this field, very important even from an industrial point of view, require a book in order to be adequately presented. The competition between the catalytic carbonylation of organic nitro compounds and other chemical routes for the synthesis of a variety of organic compounds has not yet come to an end, but many progresses have been done in the former field. We also like to emphasize that this type of research does not only involve relevant industrial problems to be solved, but it opens a research field where the academic interests (mechanism of the reactions, isolation of the intermediates in the catalytic cycles, synthesis of model compounds and so on) can find a lot of opportunities.

Based on Milos Hudlicky's meticulous notes and literature studies, this book is a compilation of the types of reductions undergone by the various classes of organic compounds. No survey of a topic as broad as reduction could ever be complete, but Hudlicky gives us a comprehensive cross section of the methods, reactants, and products. Reductions are discussed according to what bond or functional group is reduced by different reagents. Special attention is paid to selective reductions that are suitable for the reduction of one particular type of bond or function without affecting other bonds or functions present in the same molecule. Special emphasis is placed on enantioselective and diastereoselective reductions effected both by chiral reagents and by microorganisms. Reducing agents are correlated with both the starting compounds and the products of reduction. Discussions of methods, mechanisms, stereochemistry, and scopes of reducing agents are included. Selected laboratory procedures demonstrate the main reduction techniques. Correlation tables and thorough author and subject indexes make this book easy to use. This book is an essential reference for teachers and research scientists in organic chemistry and a help to graduate students.

A successful seientific career requires constant effort on the part of the seientist. If such a career is to be achieved by seientists in developing countries where the faeilities are not easily available, even more dedication is required. Dr. K. M. Sivanandaiah, having completed a successful career in the field of peptide chemistry, is such a seientist. Being weIl aware of the limited research facilities available in India, we are extraordinarily appreciative of Professor Sivanandaiah's dedication to the advancement of science. As a Professor of Chemistry and, until his retirement in 1992, the Head of the Department of Studies in Chemistry at Bangalore University, India, he not only devoted much of his time to his students, teaching basic organic chemistry, but was also able to contribute to the field of peptide chemistry. After completing 25 years of service at Central College, Bangalore, where he was admired as an outstanding teacher, Professor Sivanandaiah is still active in research. He is now Professor Emeritus and continues to contribute to the field of peptides. As former students of Professor Sivanandaiah, we felt that publishing a book containing articles related to the design, synthesis, conformation, and biological activity of peptides and written by eminent scientists in the field of peptide research would be a fitting tribute to his role in the field of bioorganic chemistry.

Discusses structural and physiochemical effects of irradiation and presents techniques to model and monitor radiation events. Describes the use of radiation as a sterilization method in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Examines current topics in the stability and stabilization of polymers exposed to ionizing radiation. Reviews advances in the use of radiation with photosensitive metathesis polymers, chemical amplification, and dry-develop resist technology.