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T h e editor’s preface admits the existence of problems of overlap and repetition in cooperative treatises of the nature of this volume. However, t h e overlap in many chapters of t h e present volume is so extensive as t o hardly appear justifiable under any conditions: -In author who would undertake t o rewrite the entire volume could probably achieve this in no more than half the space used. IVhile it is completely unrealistic t o suggest t h a t the editor should have done this, one must wonder if he should not have used his “good offices” and his scientific stature t o effectively dissuade redundancy and t o revise or eliminate the obviously inferior contributions. In conclusion, several chapters of this book represent outstanding contributions of permanent, scientific value in the general area of rheology. Several others represent extremely useful contributions t o a given area of industry. It is perhaps unfortunate t h a t t h e interested reader will have t o pay a nearly prohibitive price simply because the editor also chose t o include a n equal amount of material which is either redundant or of minor scientific value. DEPARTMEST OF CHEMICAL EAGIAEERING CNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE A. B. METZNER NEWARK,DELAWARE
The seven chapters of the volume are written by outstanding leaders and contributors in the areas of their contriblj; tions: 1. “The Infrared Spectra of .Adsorbed Molecules, by R . P. Eischens and W. 4.Pliskin, 53 pp., contains a timely description of the recently introduced and rapidly developing techniques for determining the spectra of adsorbate molecules including ethylene, ethane and acetylene on nickel; carbon monoxide on palladium, platinum, iron, copper, and rhodium; and ammonia on silica alumina and -,-alumina. 2. “The Influence of Crystal Face in Catalysis,” by Allan T. Gwathmey and Robert E. Cunningham, 38 pp., reviews the experimental work on the relation of crystal habit t o catalytic activity. Three major types of reactions are represented by (a) oxidation of copper, (b) deposition of carbon from carbon monoxide on iron, cobalt and nickel, and (c) the reaction of hydrogen and ethylene o n nickel. Eleven excellent halftones illustrate this chapter. 3. “The S a t u r e of Active Centers and the Kinetics of Catalytic Dehydrogenation,” b y A . A. Balandin. 34 pp., is a very welcome English summary of the status of Balandin’s famous “multiplet” theory in his own words. Balandin has, in the past, been associated with the strictly geometric interpretation of catalysis. The present treatment, however, also considers the effect of the nature of the bond. .I four-page table presents a unified treatment of reaction Aliphatic Fluorine Compounds. ACS Monograph S o . 138. parameters for some seventy-five catalytic reactions. 4 . B y A . M. LOVELACE, DOUGLAS A. KAUSCHand ~VILLIAM “The Structure of the Active Surface of Cholinesterases and POSTELXEK, Organic Materials Branch, Materials Labo- the Mechanism of Their Catalytic .iction in Ester Hydrolyratory, LVright Air Development Center. Reinhold sis,” by F . Bergmann, 34 pp., is a n evaluation of the experPublishing Corporation, 430 Park Avenue, New York 22, imental and theoretical studies of cholinesterases, and the S. Y. 1958. ix 370 pp. 16 X 23.5 cm. Price, postulation from this analysis of a preliminary model of $12.50. their structure and the manner of their action. 5. “Commercial Alkylation of Paraffins and Aromatics,” b y Edwin T h e Monograph on “hliphatic Fluorine Compounds” I;. Jones, 30 pp., summarizes modern industrial practice by .I.M. Lovelace, Douglas -1.Kausch and \Villiam Postelin alkylation. Feedstocks, types of catalysts, process varinek is an excellent reference book for this broad class of ables, commercial alkylates, and various alkylation prciccompounds. T h e approach t o the subject is primarily from esses are treated in adequate detail. 6. “The Reactivity the point of view of preparative organic chemistry. In of Oxide Surfaces,” by E . R . S. lyinter, 45 pp., reviews the general, the arrangement of the subject matter is similar t o experimental evidence showing how lattice oxygen itself t h a t of t h e classical treatises on organic chemistry. -11takes part in the chemisorption step and catalytic reactions though the first chapter is devoted t o fluorinating agents involving oxygen-containing gases, such as 0 2 , CO, CO? and methods, the remaining chapters are concerned with the and S n O . The catalysts discussed are oxides of zinc, coppreparation of specific classes of fluorine-containing aliphatic per, iron, ni_kel, chromium, manganese, lithium, silver and compounds, such as, for example, alcohols and alkanes. tungsten. I . “The Structure and Activity of Metal-on.%lthough the Bibliography a t the end of each chapter is not complete, it is verj- extensive a s well as valuable t o the Silica Catalysts,” by G. C . A . Schuit and L . L. van Reijen, 75 p p . , summarizes the status of our knowledge of the funinvestigator faced with preparations and a need t o know the damental physical properties of the nickel, platinum, pallaa r t . Furthermore, the Tables at t h e end of the chapters dium, copper, iron and ruthenium in metal-silica catalysts which list physical properties of most of the known comobtained by mixture, co-precipitation and impregnation. pounds of each class are invaluable. Physical characterization is by means of chemisorption, T h e book is highly recommended for the person interelectrical conductivity, magnetic properties and crystalline ested in the preparation and physical properties of aliphatic phase analysis. compounds. Little space is devoted t o theory and the The seven pages of author and subject indexes are a little interpretation of unique properties of many fluorine-conscant if the reader wishes to use this volume as a reference taining compounds. -Itotal of 1 preparative methods book. On the other hand, the generous bibliographies is an indication of the comprehensive nature and importance of the subject of fluorine-containing compounds. accompanying most of the chapters are a distinct asset. This area of knowledge continues t o grow a t an ever-increasBUREAU OF MINES,I ~ E C I O S irig rate and I feel sure this book will be a stimulus t o this D I ~ I S I OOF S SOLID FUELS TECHSOILICYL . J . E. HOFER growth. BRAKCH O F COAL-TO-OIL RESEARCH PITTSBURGH, PESSA. DEPARTMEKT OF CHEMISTRY PURDUE l,-NIVERSITY EARLT.JICBEE LAFAUETTE, ISDIANA T h e Chemical Kinetics of Enzyme Action. By KEITH J . LAIDLER,Professor of Chemistry, The Vniversitl- of Advances in Catalysis and Related Subjects. Volume X. Ottawa. Oxford Cniversity Press, 417 Fifth Avenue, Editecl by I). D . ELEI’, Sottingham, EnglaIld; W. G . S c w York 10, S.Y. 1938. vi 419 pp. 10.5X 24 cni. FRASKESBURG, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; arid V. I . Price, $9.60. KOMAREIVSKY, Cliicago, Illinois. Associate Editor, PArn, Prufessor Laidler Iias preliat-:.d tliis book witli t l ~ cidya B. WEISZ,Paulsboro, S e w Jersey. Academic Press, Inc., t h a t it might be helpful t o collect tiigetller s ~ t i i eof the tnaltl 111 Fifth Avenue, S e w l-ork 3 , N. T. 1958. xvi results and concepts that have been developed in the inrire 32Opp. 15.jX 23.5cm. Price,L11.00. physical chemical studies of enzymes. Considerable emEven after the lamented death of two members of the phasis is placed on general principles and less on the details original editorial staff who organized the compilation of Adof individual enzyme systems. The treatment of each vances in Catalysis, the tenth volume shows t h a t the origsubject starts a t an elementar>-level suitable for students. inal aims are still being faithfully followed, namely, to The first part of the book is concerned with the more integrate and t o report upon catalytic knowledge from all fundamental aspects of enzyme kinetics and includes chaplands and from all disciplines. T h e popularity and usefulters on General Kinetic Principles, R a t e Laws in Enzyme ness of this series emphasize the wisdom of those aims. This Kinetics, T h e Time Course of Enzyme Reactions and T h e new volume appropriately contains a short biography of the Influence of Hydrogen Ion Concentration. I n the last part late editor, IValter G . Frankenburg, by R . Brill and F . F. of the book various chapters deal with individual enzyme S o r d , :md of the other late editor, \.asili Ilyicli Koniarewskj., sj.etenis (proteol>.tic eiiz!mci, rjtlier l~!~drolytice ~ ~ z y n i e by Charles Kiesz. risitlative eiiz>.iiies, catalaw a i i r l iieIositluse ) , lmt tliere
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