Crystal Structure Analysis for Chemists and Biologists

The fields of structural chemistry and biochemistry have blossomed in the last seventy years since X-ray diffraction was discovered in 1912. Dorothy Hodgkin, who obtained a Nobel Prize in 1965 for her X-ray diffraction work wrote 'a great advantage of X-ray analysis as a method of chemical structure analysis is its power to show some totally unexpected and surprising structure with, at the same time, complete certainty.' The results of all X-ray diffraction studies are used by chemists and buiochemists but these scientists need to be able to appreciate the significance and extent to which these results may be used. A number of books written for practicing crystallographers cover the theory and applications of X-ray diffraction, but few are of real practical use to non-specialists. In 'Crystal Structure Analysis for Biologists and Chemists', the general principles of crystal structure are presented in a highly readable way. The book of Glusker, who is internationally renowned, provides good coverage of theory, including data and understanding their significance.

Preface/ Introduction to Crystal Structure Analysis/ Crystals/ Diffraction by Crystals/ Symmetry in Crystals and Their Diffraction Patterns/ Physical Properties of Crystals/ Combining Waves to Obtain an Image/ Measurement of Structure Amplitudes/ Estimation of the Phase Angles/ The Electron Density Map/ Least-Squares Refinement of the Structure/ Interpreting x, y, z (Atomic Coordinates)/ Conformation/ Atomic and Molecular Displacements/ Chirality and Absolute Structure/ Packing in Crystals/ Comparisons of Structures/ Recognition and Receptors/ Structure-Activity Results/ Index