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Chemical Process and Design Handbook. By James G. Speight. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Two Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121-2298. Web: books.mcgraw-hill.com. 2002. 630 pages. $125.
The myriad products of the chemical industry and their diverse manufacturing processes constitute a huge field. Engineers and researchers commonly have to reference a range of books, magazines and briefing works to perform evaluation and design tasks. A single volume detailing the important chemicals, processes and manufacturing schemes would be a valuable tool. It is a role this book seeks to fulfill.
The preface emphasizes the concise nature of the work and distinguishes between the two sections of the book, "Reaction Types" and "Manufacture of Chemicals."
Reaction Types, Part 1, covers a selection of reactions and sequences in organic chemistry. An understanding on the part of the reader of inorganic, electrochemical and...