This volume contains a selection of scientific papers related to the
structure and dynamics of non-rigid molecules. This frontline topic was
born a few decades ago, when Longuet-Higgins proposed his famous theory
of Molecular Symmetry Groups (Mol. Phys. 6, (1962) 457). Unfortunately,
since this early paper, very few publications have been devoted to the
study of non-rigid molecules. Let us mention some books which dedicate
some chapters to them: Induced Representations in Crystals and
Molecules, by S. L. Altmann, Academic Publishers, 1977; Molecular
Symmetry and Spectroscopy, by P. R. Bunker, Academic Publishers, 1979;
and finally Large Amplitude Motion in Molecules, Vols. I and II, by
several authors, Springer Verlag, 1979. More recently an International
Symposium on Non-Rigid Molecules was held in Paris, France, from 1-7
July 1982, the proceedings of which were published in the volume
entitled Symmetries and Properties of Non-Rigid Molecules. A
Comprehensive Survey, edited by J. Maruani et al., Elsevier, 1983.
Finally, we should mention the very specialized work The Permutational
Approach to Dynamic Stereochemistry, by J. Brocas et al., McGraw-Hill,
1983. The purpose of this book is to fill in this information on the
structure and dynamics of non-rigid systems. To this aim, we have
gathered a collection of recent papers written by the most qualified
specialists in the world, covering a large field from van der Waals
molecules to inorganic complexes and organic polyrotor molecules, as
well as considering statistical and dynamic aspects.
