Group Theory and Chemistry (Dover Books on Chemistry)

Learning quantum chemistry can be intimidating when seeing so many obscure symbols and classifications. This classic book explains the group theory clearly and walks the reader through the basic concepts of point groups before presenting various applications in molecular physics.

After having struggled all semester trying to learn something from "Chemical Applications of Group Theory" by Cotton, I finally returned that book to my university library and bought this one instead (it happens to be quite important for me to really understand this topic). Being a chemist and not a mathematician, I can learn from this one much, much more easily. It's not that I have an aversion to math (hopefully no one does who is seriously interested in quantum chemistry), I simply didn't have the abstract algebra background and "vocabulary" yet--but this book explains everything in "plain English"! In fact, I would recommend it as a math textbook for "ordinary" (non-math majors) people to learn about group theory, even if you're not doing chemistry.

I got addicted to this, actually, when I had the time to read it. A mathematical background is highly recommended when reading this, particularly in linear algebra and differential equations, but Bishop does a pretty good job of getting you up to speed and providing proper proofs in the appendices when it comes to the math. The group theory itself is presented in a reasonable manner, but it is very general and physics-centric. I would recommend that you have a supplementary text to augment your understanding. "Inorganic Chemistry" by Miessler, Fischer, and Tarr is a great text that anyone should also have, which covers group theory on the side, in a modern and understandable way. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but maybe someday in my free time I would.

Great overview of some of the more important topics of group theory with application to spectroscopy. The book goes into some matrices math that is helpful for the conversion of character tables to irreducible representations. Great book for the person who has had some group theory before.

This book presents the theory in a straightforward way. Nevertheless, it is far from being superficial. It covers the basics about symmetry operations, point groups, matrices, matrix representations, equivalent and reducible representations, irreducible representations and character tables. Then, it connects the theory with quantum mechanics and molecular vibrations. For me, the ratio satisfaction/price of this book is very high.

Teoría de Campo Cristalino

Graduate level physical organic chemistry required a knowledge of group theory that I didn't have until I got this book. Within the first 20 pages, you'll understand symmetry elements and symmetry operations and their notations.

I'm studiyng this book (finishing chapter 5- matrix representations of point groups) and like the informal, clear and simple style and presentation, of symmetries, groups (point), matrix and matrix representations of point groups). Bishop desmytifies and simplifies a lot the matter. This gives a clear view of what and how you proceed with points groups and their symmetries. He uses the minimum of groups - only the concept and definition, classes, isomorphism, homomorphism and matrix representations (nothing about cosets, subgroups, fator groups, propers, normal, subgroups, etc). It is admirable that you can do a lot of things with so little! The chapters are crash courses about the points in question. There are very little typos and erros (I found only one until now- the answer to problem 5.2 is D(C 3 power 4 (instead of power 1)). And all this are the strenght of the book. In the incompleteness, there are few problems (same with answers), they are representative but not enough to a good learning; same symbols deleted or weakened in impression. I used in paralel to clarify same points, figures, tables, examples, the Sand's book "Introduction to Chrystallography" and Tsukerblat's "Group Theory in Chemistry and Spectroscopy" (this book is about the same theme (more complete and detailed) of Bishop's but I prefer the latter).