IMPORTANT COMPILATIONS OF DATA AND FORMULAE
The practicing chemist routinely requires numerical data in the
planning of experiments and the analysis of the results of these
experiments. This document provides a list of the most useful
compilations of numerical data. The list is not comprehensive
but the most important sources have been listed. Particular
attention is drawn to the collections in which the data have
been critically assembled. That is, a literature value is
evaluated before it is included in a table. Not all collections
have been assembled in this fashion and results found in these
sources have to be treated with caution.
M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, "Handbook of Mathematical
Functions," NBS Apllied Mathematics Series-55 (1955). This
is the best set of mathematical tables and formulae in
print and was written as a replacement for the classic but dated
tables of Jahnke-Emde. This volume belongs in the library of
any serious student who makes frequent use of applied mathematics.
P. L. Altman and D. S. Dittmer, "Biology Data Book", Federation
of American Societies for Experimental Biology. This volume
is a gold mine of hard-to-find quantitative and semi-quantitative
data on organisms.
"American Men and Women of Science". This is the "Who's Who"
of American science. Biographical information is provided for
all practicing scientists who have earned the doctorate.
It is a valuable source of esoterica such as what is R. Nelson
Smith's first name.
H. L. Anderson, "Physics Vade Mecum", American Institute of
Physics (1981). This useful, concise handbook which presents
representative numerical data and the essence of concepts from
all areas of physics was published on the fiftieth anniversary
of the AIP. If you are looking for an estimate for a quantity
or a hard-to-find formula, find it fast in these pages.
Beilstein, "Handbuch der organischen Chemie", Springer Verlag.
The comprehensive nature and the superb organization of this work
makes it the most important reference work in organic chemistry.
The results are critically assembled so obvious literature errors
and worthless articles are not cited. A student who is not
familiar with Beilstein has not completed his/her education
in the basics. Germanophobes can be encouraged by the
decision of the Beilstein Institut to publish all future
volumes in English (sic transit gloria mundi Germanici).
H. J. Bowen and L. E. Sutton, "Tables of Interatomic Distances
and Configurations in Molecules", Special Publications 11 and 18
of The Chemical Society of London. This is the best collection of
the structures of small molecules. Refer to this collection if
you are looking for a representative bond length or angle.
"CRC Handbook of XXX", CRC Press. The CRC Press now publishes
a large number of useful handbooks which provide the best source
in English of diverse data. The "Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics" is the best known publication in this series. Beware;
the data tabulated are not always critically assembled.
M. Dayhoff, "Atlas of Protein Sequences", National Biomedical
Research Foundation. Dayhoff has assembled a complete collection
of all published amino acid sequences. Supplements to the Atlas are
published periodically.
"Dictionary of Scientific Biography". This is the standard
reference work for biographical information on famous and
not-so-famous scientists. The work was produced by an
international team of distinguished scholars and has been
acclaimed as the definitive work. Entries for important scientists
are usually several pages in length.
Gmelin, "Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie", Verlag Chemie.
Gmelin is the companion of Beilstein for inorganic compounds and
is an invaluable reference work. If you have difficulty locating
some fact on an inorganic compound, turn to Gmelin.
I. S. Gradshteyn and I. M. Ryzhik, "Table of Integrals,
Series, and Products", Fifth Edition, Academic Press. This
is the best collection of integrals in print. If your integral
is not in the table or can not be reduced to an integral in
the table, you should consider numerical integration.
C. H. Hansch and A. Leo, "Substituent Constants for
Correlation Analysis in Chemistry and Biology", Wiley.
This work provides tables of parameters used
in the QSAR method developed by Professor Hansch.
Heilbron, "Dictionary of Organic Compounds", Fifth Edition,
Methuen. This collection summarizes in very concise entries
useful information on thousands of organic compounds and
provides a useful entry to the literature. Each entry includes
the Chemical Abstracts registry number.
K. P. Huber and G. Herzberg, "Constants of Diatomic Molecules",
van Nostrand-Reinhold (1979). This is the most complete collection
of the spectroscopic constants of gas phase diatomic molecules.
It is a revision of the collection published as an appendix in
Herzberg's classic treatise on diatomic molecules.
J. H. Keenan, F. G. Keyes, P. G. Hill, and J. G. Moore, "Steam Tables",
Wiley (1969). This volume has thermodynamic data for gaseous and
liquid water as a function of temperature and pressure. These
data are particularly important to power generation engineers.
Landolt-Boernstein, "Zahlenwerte und Funktionen aus Physik, Chemie,
Astronomie, Geophysik, und Technik", Sechste Auflage, Springer-Verlag
and "Zahlenwerte und Funktionen aus Naturwissenschaften und
Technik", Springer-Verlag. The Landolt-Boernstein collection
is the most comprehensive general data collection is print.
New volumes are constantly being published. This is a gold mine
of information.
National Standard Reference Data System of the U. S. National
Bureau of Standards (NSRDS-NBS). The NBS has the charge from
Congress to provide critical compilations of important data.
A wealth of information has been published although the Bureau
has concentrated on molecular and atomic spectroscopy and
chemical thermodynamics and kinetics. The results of the project
were formerly published by the Government Printing Office in the
old Circular and NSRDS-NBS series. Since 1973 this
important work is published in the "Journal of Physical
and Chemical Reference Data", a joint effort of the American
Chemical Society and the American Institute of Physics.
It is not possible to cite all the work in this series but
especially important collections will be given special
mention in this document. A bibliography of the monographs
in the NSRDS-NBS series can be found in the CRC "Handbook
of Chemistry and Physics".
W. M. Latimer, "The Oxidation States of the Elements and Their
Potentials in Aqueous Solution", Prentice-Hall, Second Ed. (1952).
Although it is somewhat dated, this is the classic reference on
standard half-cell potentials. If you require more recent data,
calculate the results from the thermodynamic data in Wagman et al.
C. M. Lederer and V. S. Shirley, "Tables of Isotopes", Wiley (1978).
This is the most complete collection of data relating to isotopes
(half lives, decay schemes, energy levels, etc.).
E. M. Levin, "Phase Diagrams for Ceramicists", American Ceramic
Society. This is a useful compilation of phase diagrams
of interest to solid state chemists and geologists.
F. Linke, "Solubilities: Inorganic and Metal-organic Compounds",
Fourth Ed., van Nostrand (1958). This is a useful source of
solubility data.
K. Lonsdale, ed., "International Tables for X-ray Crystallography",
International Union of Crystallography. This is the best collection
of the numerical data and formulae used in the analysis of X-ray
diffraction data.
A. E. Martell and R. M. Smith, "Amines: Critical Stability
Constants", The Chemical Society of London. This is a useful
collection of equilibrium constants for the formation of complexes
of metal ions with amines.
Matheson Gas Data Book. The Matheson Company has collected in
this volume which is frequently updated useful information,
much of it is difficult to find elsewhere, on the gases that
it markets. If you are seeking information on a gas that
Matheson markets, turn here first for information.
A. L. McClellan, "Tables of Experimental Dipole Moments",
Freeman (1963). This is a useful although dated collection of
electric dipole moments in several phases. The most
up-to-date collection of gas phase dipole moments can be
found in Landolt-Boernstein (cf. the volumes edited by
B. Starck).
G. Milazo, S. Caroli, and V. K. Sharma, "Tables of Standard
Electrode Potentials", Wileyt (1977). This is a very large
collection of half cell potentials. The collection is more recent
and more complete than Latimer but beware, the data were not
critically evaluated by the authors. The CRC Press has also
published some useful handbooks of electrochemical data.
C. E. Moore, "Atomic Energy Levels" ,NBS Circular 467 (1949, 1958).
This is the best source of the energies and assignments of
the states of gaseous atomic species. Most tables of thermodynamic
data for atomic species are based on the numerical data in
this important collection.
A. M. Patterson, L. T. Capell, and D. F. Walker, "The Ring Index",
American Chemical Society. This work is the best key to the
maze of nomenclature of cyclic compounds.
C. J. Pouchert, "The Aldrich Library of Infrared Spectra" and
"The Aldrich Library of NMR Spectra". IR and proton NMR spectra
of every compound listed in the Aldrich catalog are provided
in these 2 collections. The comprehensive nature of the
Aldrich catalog makes these volumes the best moderately priced
collection of spectral data.
"Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances", Government
Printing Office. If the toxicity of a substance has been measured,
you will probably find the results here. This compilation,
produced by OSHA, is the most complete source in print.
Sadtler Spectra Collections, The Sadtler Research Labs. Sadtler
sells massive but expensive collections of spectra which are heavily
used in industry.
L. G. Sillen, "Stability Constants", Special Publication 17 of The
Chemical Society of London. This is a very useful collection of
equilibrium constants for the formation of complexes from
metal ions and ligands.
D. R. Stumm and H. Prophet, "JANAF Thermochemical Tables", Second Ed.
This project was initiated by the U. S. armed forces to provide
data for substances involved in rocket propulsion. Thermodynamic
data are provided as a function of temperature for a wide
variety of gaseous and crystalline small molecules. The data
are based on statistical mechanical calculations and the
spectroscopic data base is summarized as well. Supplements
to this work are published periodically in the Journal of
Physical Chemical Reference Data.
Y. S. Touloukian, R. W. Powell, C. Y. Ho, and P. G. Klemens,
"Thermophysical Properties of Matter", The Thermophysical
Properties Research Center (TPRC), Plenum. The Thermophysical
Properties Research Center is located at Purdue University
and has the responsibility of assembling critically evaluated
data for physical properties and materials of interest to
the engineer. This is a good place to turn for data on metals,
alloys, coatings, and gases. The properties tabulated include
thermal conductivity, specific heat, thermal radiativity,
viscosity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal expansion.
D. D. Wagman, ed., "The NBS Tables of Chemical Thermodynamic
Properties" (1982). This was originally published as Supplement
2 of J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data., 11 (1982). This volume is THE
authoritative source of thermodynamic data at 25 C of inorganic
and small organic molecules in all phases. This important
work is the sequel to the previous standard, NBS Circular 500
edited by Rossini. It is the result of 18 years of labor.
All data are given in S.I. units and have been critically
evaluated and weighted for internal self consistency.
W. E. Washburn, "International Critical Tables of Numerical Data
in Physics, Chemistry, and Technology", U. S. National Research
Council", McGraw-Hill (1930). This venerable reference work has
been replaced in many areas by more recent compilations. It
is still a useful source of esoterica in some areas.
R. C. W. Wyckoff, "Crystal Structures", Wiley. This is a
valuable collection of the atomic structures of crystalline
materials as determined by X-ray diffraction.
B. J. Zwolinski, ed., "Thermodynamics Research Center Hydrocarbon
Propject" and "Thermodynamics Research Center Data Project".
These two massive data bases are published by the Thermodynamics
Research Center of Texas A. & M. University. The collection
includes spectra (IR, Raman, UV, NMR, MS) and physical properties
(vapor pressure, boiling points, melting points, compressibility,
refractive index, surface tension, thermodynamic data, etc.).
The Center works closely with the NBS and has the major responsibility
in the U. S. for the compilation of critically analyzed data of
organic compounds. The data base for hydrocarbons is unmatched.
Every chemist should be familiar with this important reference
work.
Dataref.doc, WES