WILLIAM0. BROORS A. T. BURTSELL R. K. CARLETON TENNEY L. DAVIS C. K. DEISCHER J. HOWARD GRAHAM
ABSTRACTS J.W.
HOWARD
D. C. LXCHTENWALNER
B. C L ~ F M RHENDR~CKS D
GRETAOPPE
C. M. PRUITT
LEOPOLD SCHEFLAN A. A. VERNON E. D. WALTER MARYELVIMWEEKS SIDNEYWEINHOUSE G . H. WOOLLETT
KEEPING UP WITH CHEMISTRY
Coiirdination compounds. E. G. Cox AND W. WARDLAW. Science Progress, 32, 463-77 (Jan., 1938).-Werner's theory of co6rddination. which was first out forward in 1891. aimed a t explaining the structure of that-puzzling range of ch&ical compo"ncls which chemisrs a t that time conveni;ntly shelved under the narnc of molerular compounds. They were formed by the combtnntion of aDDilrentlv sturatcd mo1c"ules and their srrurture appeared ta'6e quit; independent of the ardinarv valencv rulcs. W:rner pn,po&d for r h h a thcory of molcc&r strucow l [ha[ turr foundrd on imrurlg new prinriplrs. Hc p o m t ~ ~ the srrueturr was uwallv dercrrnmed hv the rendenrr of ~- 3 central atom to attach t o itselfsfour or six or kght atoms or groups and that, for example, the molecular Compounds PtCIr2KC1 and PtClr2KCl were actually the cadrdination compounds Kz(PtCL) and Ka(PtCls) when the square brackets enclose the coordination complex. Examples of atoms showing covalencies of 4, 6, or 8 are seen in the following compounds:
I t will be apparent that investigations on the lines indicated in this article are capable of wide extension t o elements of other codencies, such as odd covalencies af three, five, or seven. The results already recorded are of fundamental imnortance t o modern stereochemisGy, both in themselves and as-a stimulus to advnnrcs irom othsr dirrcrions. P 2 , in the application of quantum mechanical considerations to valmcy prohletns. The nrtention o f tl8osr who wish ru learn more of other swrrcs of- codrdination compounds is directed to the account of a symposium on complex compounds held by the American Chemical Society in 1936 when L. P. Audrieth emphasized that from a purely practical point of view there is also every reason for a more detailed study of complex inorganic compounds. Sir Gilbert Morgan, too, has stressed that a t least one important metallurgical industry-the production of pure nickel-may be regarded as being dependent on the singular properties of a coordination complex, R. K. C. nickel carbonvl. Black magic. ANON. Ind. Bull. of Arthur D . Little.Inc., 133, 4 (Feb., 1938).-There are several types of industrial "blacks"~3 blacks, lamp blacks, bone blacks, charcoal blacks, and iron oxide blacks. Most of these serve as pigments, but some are used Our prrsenr krlowlrd~eofthe stercochemisrryuf q~mdricovalent- in compounding rubber, deodorizing and decolorizing liquids, metals is summariA in the following tablc, in which 3 rcprc- adsorption of sases, and in drv batteries. Carbon black. made srnts a ulannr dmrilmtion of lwmd.; m d A 3 retrahrrlral. Thc from natural gas, is the most important, perhaps. A less extent df recent advances in this field is well shown by a com- familiar gas hlack is acetylene hlack used in dry batteries and parison of this table with a correspondmg one given by Sidgwick.' racing tires. Its high absorptive capacity has occasioned its use as a filler for liquid oxseen exolosives. I n tintine values for paints and lacquers i t &s a bluer undertone a i d a duller f i ~ s hthan natural gas blacks. Acetylene black is still an "industria! youngster," but i t has several uses for which its special G. 0. properhes neculiarlv adant it. ~1astere;splease-nate.' ANON. Ind. Bull, of Arthur D. Little, Inc., 133,34(Feb., 19381.-This note for plasterers tells of a new Mention is made in the introduction to this article of a possible hydraulic gypsum cement with characteristics far superior t o cdrdination number of eight. The number of elements which other gypsum cements; namely, tensile strength especially in exhibit this covalency is very restricted, and the conditions for sanded mixtures, resistance to weather expansion and contraction, its realization are still obscure, despite attempts to formulate a and resistance to mechanical wear. Tests have shown that it satisfactory theory. Most of the elements showing a covalency can be made from virtually any commercial grade of rock gypsum of eieht are h e a w elements. althouah both zirconium and molvb- or synthetic gypsum a t practically the same cost of Portland dencm with atomic numbers of -40 and 42, respectively, are cement. Steps in the manufacture are: mixing ground gypsum definitely %covalent. W. G. Penney and J. S. Anderson conclude with phosphoric acid and sodium phosphate, adding silica if from their studies that eight elements, Zr. Mo. Ru, Ce, Hf, W, necessary; forming pellets in a tumbling drum; calcining a t 1800' As, Th are known to form coiirdinated complexes with a covalency to2300" in a tunnel kiln. The final step is to grind the "clinker" of eight. I n the cases of certain compounds which appear to usually with a catalyzer as an accelerator, the catalyzer being show this 8-covalency the possibility cannot he overlooked that potassium sulfate and zinc sulfate. The coating of alkaline they may have an alternation constitution. For example, certain phosphates exert a marked effect on the properties of this gypsalts contain eight molecules of water of crystallization and these sum. I t has much to recommend it in the building industry. G. 0. are sometimes represented as being associated with the metal To history--add nineteen thirty-seven. Ind. Eng. Chem., 30, atom and conferring on it a covalency of eight, c. g., [Be, 8HsOJ 1, 3-14 (Jan., 19381.-A summary of the major events and de[PtCbI. I t is generally presumed that the distribution of the velopments in Chemistry and chemical industries. I n 1912 the valencies of an 8covalent atom is cubic, but i t is very remarkable that in the cases of the tetraacetylacetonates of metals such as total investment in chemical industries was $3,000,000,000. while in 1937 the fluctuation in value of the ten companies listed on Zirconium no isomers have been detected. the New York Stock Exchange amounted to about $;l,OM),000,000. Recovery of bromine from sea water has been doubled. Increased production of radium in Canada has reduced the price below $30 per mg. About fifty grams will be produced there in 1938. A plant producing hexahydric alcohols by electrolytic reduction from glucose has begun operations near Wilmington. A new electrothermal process has resulted in the production of * S-WICK. N. V., 'Some physical proputiu of the covalent link in Mg a t costs below that of Al. Fluorides can be removed from drinking water by filtration through granulated animal bones. chemirtry:' Cornell U6iversity Ress, Ithaca, New York, 1933, p. 213. ~
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Ethylcellulose has been added to the family of transparent wrapping - - materials. The "Children of Prosperity" a t the Exposition presented many of the advances in chemistry. New detergents and penetrants, new resms, plasticizers, pigments, insecticides, hormones for stimulation of plant growth, new esters for flavoring, materials for waterproofing fabrics, fertilizers, inhibitors in pickling ferrous metals. rue root to orevent sliooine .. - of rues on floors. silicate adhesives k i t h speciL1 properties, sweet p&to starch; dehydrated turpentine. and othrrs are described. E~ghty-rive as n o internal i t r r n ~are 11str.d. Thc use of tetr~hydroxyquinor~e indicatur in dirrct titration of sulf%tcsis of interest to the annlvsr. Element 87, named Virginlum, was reported rediscovered and christened Mavadium. Vitamin A was isolated as a pure wystal, as was also catalose. A list of the Chemical Awards D. C. L. for the year is given. Chin, perilla, tun& and soy. ANON. Ind. Bun. of Arthur D. Little, Inc., 134, 2 (Mar., 1938).-These four oil-producing plants are being stressed as profitable crops for the South to improve the soil and t o furnish oil and press-cake, as well as plastics. Much of the large mill capacity for crushing cotton seed for oil should also be available for crushing other seeds. The United States now raises but a small proportion of most of the oils required in this country for the manufacture of paints, varnishes, linoleum, and printing inks. The present international situation makes it obvious that steps should be taken toward providing for our national self-sufficiency. Tung or Chinawood trees have been planted in the region close to the Gulf of Mexico, but the yield irorn thrre young trees is small. l'l:ixsre~l, long grown in thc northwestern states, has vartetws suwd for rhr south as s l m m hv the olmtine of about onc thousand acres in sut~thca-ast Texas. ~ e r i l l aoil th&s in sandy loam and in sections where there is ample rain. It thrives in Virginia. A newcomer from Mexico is chia, pronounced chee-ah. This plant helongs to the salvia division of the mint family. I t needs a long growing season and well-watered sail. Even the sunflower is a good oil producer. G. 0. Vaporous metal discourse. ANON. Ind. Bull. of Arthur D. Little, Inc., 133, 2-3 (Feb., 1938).-Magnesium and zinc are the metals of this "vaporous discourse," and the discourse centers about the continuous reduction of metallic oxides t o mixtures of metallic vapors and other gases from which the metals may be condensed. Heretofore, the only commercial method of producing magnesium has been the electrolysis of magnesium chloride. Quite recently completely anhydrous magnesium chloride, obtained by heating purified magnesite with coke and chlorine, has won extended use. Now production of magnesium from its oxide, burned magnesite, by electrothermic distillation has been developed. This is done a t such sites as Grand Coulee Dam where magnesite and cheap power are both a t hand. Coke is the reducing agent usually employed. Were the gaseous mixture t o cool normallv. the reaction would reverse itself. hut if the gases are suddeniicooled, the magnesium condenses before it has iimr to reoxidire. For this quick cooling icvrrd method, are uvnl. Afrcr coding, the magncsiurn rs redistilled in the absence of oxrrcn uncl rondensed a i a liouid of hich uuritv. readv Easily volatili&l zinc &sfor &turi& for alloying &sting. been prepared by reduction-distillation of its oxides by carbon.
The American Smelting and Refining Company has recently developed a new ~ r t i c a retort l process which dispenses with hriqurrting. The oxide is reduced to merallic zinc vapor by ooms of ~ess;. Josiah Wedgwood and Sons." While the firm was preparing t o make a replica, the original panel, in excellent preservation, was found and restored to the mantelpiece in the Royal Institution. M. E. W. Memories of Rutherford in Manchester. H. GEIGER. Nature, 141, 244 (Feb. 5. 1938).-"When I look back on the five years which I spent with Rutherford as a young physicist in Manchester, . . . I see his quiet research room a t the top of the
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