BOOK REVIEWS Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: A Comprehensive T e d
F. Albe~t Cotton, Massachu~etts Institute of Technology, and G. Wilkinsrm, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. Interscience Puhlishers i n division of John Wilev and Sons. 1nc.j New ~ o r k 1962. , xv'+ 959 pp. Figs. and tables. $14.50. With this latest addition to the growing literature of inorganic texts, a joint AngloAmeriun venture, two active contributors to t,he field hope to fill the need for a "comprehensive textbook.. . a t an advanced level incorporating the many new chemical developments, particularly the more recent theoretical advances in the interpretation of bonding and reactivity in inorganic compounds." The authors have succeeded admirably in their goal. Particularly striking is their achievement, simultaneously, of halance, comprehensiveness, and up-to-datenees. The text is intended for st.udents a t the B.Sc. honors level in British universities or a t the senior or first y e a ggrduate level in American universities and for an s r ~ d e m i eyear of three l-hour lectures per week. I t s only real competitor, Durrant and Durmnt'a "Introduction to Advanced Inorganic Chemistry," is not as suitable for classroom use. The book "encompasses the chemistry of all the chemical elements and their compounds, including interpretative discussion in the light of the latest advances in stwrtural chemistry, general valence theory, and, particularly, ligand field t.heary." I t is divided into three parts: (1) General Theory (104 pp.); (2) Chemistry of the Non-Trrtnsitional Ele-
ments (379 pp.); and (3) Chen~istlyof the Transition Elements (432 pp.). The last section, almost half the book, considers a class of elements which, although numerically constituting over halfthe periodic table, is often slighted in other texts. The coverage of theory is actually much greater than apparently indicated ahove, since many theoretical concepts are treated in the "descriptive" portions of the book, e.g., hydrogen bonding and acids under Hydrogen, and Fajans' rules and the diagonal relationship under The Elements of the First Short Period. I n the middle section, separate chapters are devoted to the introductory elements of each group, thus effectively emphasizing their divergences from t,heir heavier congeners. The 50-page chapter on The Theory of Metal-Ligand Bonding, with its detailed comparison of the valence bond, electrostatic crystal, ligand field, and molecular orbital theories, is easily the most unique feature of the hook and is typical of the extensive treatment given to coordination compounds. The volume is replete with discussions of boranes, =-bonded eompounds, organometallics, and other topics of intense current research activity. Although nomenclature, nuclear ahemistry, oxidation potentials, scid-hwse theory, and nonaqueous solvents are usually considered in detail in more elementary texts, hrief treatment,^ of these topics would not have been out of place. The detailed tahle of rontents lists every section of t,he book, but the index seems inadequnte. The book is liberally provided with equations, tables, figures, and structural diagrams; a dozen or 80 schematic reaction diagrams compactly summarize a. great deal of diverse informa-
R e v i e w e d in this Issue P. Alhed Cotton and G. Wilkimon, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: A Comprehensive Text
R. Arendt and L. Ddner, Technik der Experimentalehemie Wollnee R.Brode, editor, Science in P m g m , Twelfth Series F ~ i e d ~ i Helffwieh, eh Ion Exchange Chr. Klizvzill J#rgmsen, Orbitals in Atoms and Molecules Michael J . 8. Deumr, Hypereonjugation William T. Simpson, Theories of Electrons in Molecules Paul Pascal, general editor, Nouveau Trait4 de Chimie Min6rde. Volume 15, Part 3, Transuranieus Paul Paseol, general editor, Nouveau Trait6 de Chimie Min6rde. Volume 20, Alliages MPtalliques. Part I Marcel Flmkin and Howard S . M a s a , editors, Comparative Biochemistry, A Comprehensive Treatise. Volume 4, Constituents of Life, Part B, The Molecular Basis of Neoplasia. E. A . Oslroumov, translated by D.A . Pateraon, The Application of Organic Bsses in Analytical Chemistry John J. McKetta, 57.) editor, Advances in Petroleum Chemistry and Refining. Volume 5 Dnm'd M . Hirnme2blau, Baaic Principles and Calculations in Chemical Engineering Dudley WiViernfi, editor, Methods of Experimental Physics. Volume 3, Molecular Physics
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tion. An appendix includes derivations, solutions, study problems, misrellaneourr data, special references, and a supplementary reading list. The CLP&ton~ir weight scale is used, and some of the referenres a t the ends of chapters are as recent as 196'2. An unusual and useful feature of this wellorganized text book is the inclusion after each reference of hrief evaluations and critical comments which should he helpful in orienting the student.
GEORGE B. K.A~FFMAN Fresno State College Fresno, ('al(fornia
Technik det Exparimenfalchemie
R. Arendt and L. Dormer. i t h ed. Newly revised by Karl-Edmmd Dormer and Waljned Seeger. Quelleand Meyer, Heidelberg, 1962. 442 pp. Figs. and tablea. 16.5 X 24cm. 44DhI. I t is difficult for the American chemistry teacher, a t any level of instruction, to evaluate this volume properly, since in a textual sense, there is virtually no place in our scheme of education where the material fits. Although the reviewer is calling only on limited first-hand euperience. i t is his irnoression that it is atso not mr,v 10 lit llw vdurnc iti1.1 I( 11rt~ud ~PI'PPIIId : , ~(;rrrnnn vhrmi*try wurrr. I,, r ~ ~ t rl u ~ I I P H V W ~ W ( : ~ ~ L L S ~ U 1101 I I II I ~ l h c 1(wl,~vl1ule (assuming a. technical stress) are the students exposed to a real laboratory experience. The hundreds upon hundreds of experiment8 all bordering on the trivial described in "Teehnik der Experimentalehemie," then, are almost exclusively demonstrations to he performed by theinstructionalstaff. The first 70 pages of the book are devoted to general deseript,ions af authors' concepts of a. lshoratory "lny-out,," apparatus for specific preparative purposes, descriptions of bechniques of preparation and analysis. A section i ~ f 1.50 pages is devoted to non-metal chemistry. Preparation and properties of the nonmetals and their compounds are exhaustively covered. A second section covers in about 35 pages srme 23 metals with both members of the representative and transition classes. The coverage given the alkali metals is typical though somewhat mare extensive than that given the others. Air oxidation is demonstrated along with enrnhustion and peroxide formation. Hydroxides are studied from the suhfreshman standpoint. Cnrhnnates are prepared by the Lehlanc and Solvay process. Some quantitative experience is gained through the conversion of hydrogencarbonates to carbonates in measuring the COX evolved. Little or no complex chemistry is found for the transition metals. Each section is terminated with a glimpse of classical anal~bicalreactions. Material is documenbed with references only to the German literature, with one notableexception-that of THIS J O ~ R N A L . Following the inorganic sections there are four sections on aliphatic and aromatio organic chemistry, biological clrernistry, and finally physical chemistry. This last section is little more than a survey of a few physieo-chemical procedures for study-
