Topology is becoming increasingly important in chemistry because of its rapidly growing number of applications. Here, its many uses are reviewed and the authors anticipate what future developments might bring. This work shows how significant new insights can be gained by representing molecular species as topological structures known as topographs. The text explores carbon structures, establishing how the stability of fullerene species can be accounted for and also predicting which fullerenes will be most stable. It is pointed out that molecular topology, rather than molecular geometry, characterizes molecular shape and various tools for shape characterization are described. Several of the fascinating ideas that arise from regarding topology as a unifying principle in chemical bonding theory are discussed, and in particular, the novel concept of the molecular topoid is shown to have numerous uses. The topological description of polymers is examined and the reader is gently guided through the realms of branched and tangled polymers. Overall, this work outlines the fact that topology is not only a theoretical discipline but also one that has practical applications and high relevance to the whole domain of chemistry.

Bruce E. Massis, MLS, MA, is Director of the Educational Resources Center at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio. He has served as a library administrator in multitype library consortia (SEFLIN, SCLS), public (Brooklyn and Hoboken Public Libraries), special (JGB Cassette Library International), and academic libraries (Adelphi University and CSCC) for more than three decades. Mr. Massis has worked in an official capacity within the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and spent more than 20 years cooperatively developing programs, projects, and policies with international library colleagues. Active in numerous library associations and widely published, his books include Interlibrary Loan of Alternative Format Materials; The Practical Library Manager; The Practical Library Trainer; Serving Print Disabled Library Patrons; Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: An International Approach; and Models of Cooperation in the US, Latin America, and Caribbean Libraries.