Dendrimers are repeatedly branched macromolecules with a perfectly defined structure—a key feature, which has allowed dendrimers to find important applications in biotechnology and materials science.

Scientists from Université de Toulouse, France, headed by Anne-Marie Caminade, have taken on an impressive challenge to write a reference book about dendrimers and their applications. Dendrimers—Towards Catalytic, Material and Biomedical Uses is organized into four parts that orchestrate a train of 21 individual chapters written mostly in a review style.

Mauri Kostiainen, Aalto University, Finland, reviews the book.

Mauri Kostiainen thinks that throughout the chapters the large amount of information is clearly organized, different applications listed and importance well pointed out. However, the style of the book is to present the literature data, not to analyze and explain it. Therefore its didactic impact remains low. For example, complementing the text with illustrative figures and adding exercises or questions to the chapters might have eased the undergraduate students and lecturers to approach the book and widen its impact.

The figures in the book are clear and have a uniform look, but the black-and-white graphical presentation is not eye-catching and makes it less attractive. Cited literature is up to date and includes well over two thousand references, which come up to 2010 or even 2011.

Mauri Kostiainen summarizes that Dendrimers—Towards Catalytic, Material and Biomedical Uses needs time and thought to read through, but also rewards the reader with an up-to-date overview of recent literature. The book is of high quality and recommended reading for anyone working with dendrimers or wanting to have a good reference book; rich in information, clearly organized and thoroughly referenced with topical primary publications.

Read the full review at:

• Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51(25), 6045.
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201201578
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  Dendrimers: Towards Catalytic, Material and Biomedical Uses,
  Anne-Marie Caminade, Cedric-Olivier Turrin, Regis Laurent, Armelle Ouali, Beatrice Delavaux-Nicot (Editors),
  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, USA, 2011.
  ISBN: 978-0-470-74881-7