JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION the topics that are included in the book. The scope of the literature reviewed is perhaps best indicated by noting that 48 pages araneeded for the author's index, and that the references extend far into the fields of physiology, comparztive biochemistry, and clinical medirine. Three of the seven chapters that make up this volume have to do with the digestion and absorption of fats from the gastrointestinal tract, the digestibility of fats, and the digestion, absorption, and digestibility of lipids other than fats. Blood lipids, the occurrence of lipids in the animal as a whole, and lipid distribution in specific tissues, and their secretions are then considered in d e t d in the last chapters. Of outstanding interest is the author's treatment. of such subjects as the mechanism of fat absorption from the intestinal tract, the relation of cholesterol and plasma lipoproteins to atherosclerosis, the cause of obesity, the development of fatty livers, and lipotropic agents. Conflicting data and viewpoints are fully presented and the reader t h u ~ m a ybecome fully informed of the problems involved in these, and other highly eontroveriiial areas of lipid metabolism. F. A. CAJORI
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compounds with an optically active component, adsorption on optically active substrates, and biologicd resolutions. A final section deals with asymmetric synthesis. Sertion eight (Weygand and H. Simon, 190 pp.) is an excellent treatment of the methods of synthesis of isotopically labeled organic substances. The preparation of about 600 labeled compounds is described and presented in tabular form. The arrangement in the tahles is by the conventional method of empirical formulas which makes the search for specific eompounds very easy. Part nine (K. Ziegler. 94 pp.) deals with the synthesis and transformations of large ring systems. This section contains an excellent discussion of the theoretical factors entering into these problems as well as a. large number of specific laboratory direetions for the synthesis of important type-structures. Sections ten (B. Helferich, H. Stetter, and J. Krebs, 60 pp.) and eleven (W. Reisner, 16 pp.) review the techniques far carrying out biochemical reactions involving either enzymes or microorgrtnims. The production of a large number of compounds by fermentations is adequately described, as are certain procedures like oxidation, reduction, formation of glucuronic acids, etc. The last section considers the techniques of preparing pure cultures, media, inoculation, and isolation of the products. The over-all character of this volume of Houben-Weyl is excellent. I t will undoubtedly 6nd a valuable place in the laboratories of serious-minded organic chemists. GEORGE HOLMES RICHTER
METHODEN DER ORGANISCHEN CHEMIE. BAND IV, TEIL 2: ALLGEMEINE CHEMISCHE METHODEN
Edited by Eugen Muller. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stiittgart, 1955. xxviii 1004 pp. Figs. and tables. 18 X 2 6 om. $36.20.
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SAMUELCLEMENSobserved that the youth of his day had degenerated ta such a state that they would muoh prefer t o gaze 'upon a half-naked actress than t o behold General Ulysses S. Grant in full dress uniform. To the youth of these days who wish to avoid degeneration, this volume of "Die Methoden der organischen Chemie" offers an appealing alternative. Although it may not be as enhilwating as the first, or as elevating as the second, it contains much praotieal wisdom for leading a. calm, peaoeful life, especially if one has to deal with catalysts, pyrochemical reactions, electrochemistry, optical antipodes, or biochemical reactions. The first section (Henecka, 60 pp.) is an excellent treatment of acid-base catalysts. It considers the various theories and presents many examples of activation of carbon-oxygen, carboncarbon, and nitrogen-containing hands, as well as decmboxylation. Section two (G. Hesse, 76 pp.) deals with catalysis involving complex cations snd anions. The emphasis is on mechanisms and interpretation of a great variety of organic reactions. The third division (Wimmer, 104 pp.) treats the aubject of the preparation of catalyst for heterogeneous catalysis. Muoh of the information in this part ia of industrial importance. A great variet,y of catalysts is described and specific directions are given for their preparation. Section four (G. Schiller and H. Kr6per, 80 pp.) concludes the division on catalysis with a thoroughgoing treatment of the experimental procedures for heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Many of the data. are assembled in very useful tabular form under the headings of type reaction, equipment, catitly8ts, temperature, pressure, time, per cent yield, hyproducts, and references to the literature. Part five (H. Koch, 20 pp.) describes the techniques for pyrochemical reactions. Attention is centered on the design of labacttory apparatus involving hot wires, external heaters, molten-metal baths, and the handling of micro quantities of matelial8. Section six (F. MiiUer, 48 pp.) on electroohemica1 reactions outlines the theoretical background and summarizes the electrochemical changes whieh occur a t the anode and cathode. The seventh subdivision (Theilacker, 34 pp.) recapitulates the methods of resolution of racemie mixtures b y spontaneous crysttlllizetion, optically active reagents, formation of molecular
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PROGRESS IN STEREOCHEMISTRY. VOLUME 1
Edited by W. Klyne, Reader in Biochemistry, University of London. AcademicPress, Inc., New York, 1954. x 37Spp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 52 om. $8.
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THEphilosopher Zeno observed that the principal occupt~tional hazard of teachers was the loss of common sense resulting from the long association with b o p . The authors of this monograph either disprove this assertion, or they have been associating with very mature minds. They exhibit the eminent good sense of not writing an exhaustive textbook in this broad and difficult field, but recognize that Freudenberg's great work of 1933 provides an adequate background. They have concentrated their efforts, therefore, an those stereochemied problem of concepts which were unknown a t the time of Freudenberg's book or whieh have been developed very largely since that time. Part one (A. D. Walsh, 33 pp.) is a schalmly treatment of the subject of the shapes of molecules. I t deals with the interprets, tion of the experimental data, and theoretical and empirical generalizations. The significant data on a large number of compounds are conveniently arranged in tabular form for easy referenoe. Section two (W. Klyne, 54 pp.) is a thoroughgoing treatment of the eonformationa of six-membered ring systems. The intricate geometry of s. large number of both simple and complex polynuclear molecules is set forth in considerable detail. I n addition, there is s n ample discussion of the stereochemical factors involved in the chemical reactions of these systems. I n part three (P. B. D. de la Mare, 36 pp.) there is a. more eatended treatment of the stereochemical factors in reaction mechanisms and kinetics. Subjects such as the stereochemistry of nuoleophilio substitution, ester formation and hydrolysis, nuclecphilic elimination, addition reactions, and racemiaation of diphenyl derivatives are adequately described. Chapter four (E. A. Brande and E. S. Waight, 51 pp.) sets forth the relations between the stereochemistry and spectroscopic properties of organic compounds. Attention is centered around the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared absorption spectra of double bonds, single bonds in conjugated systems, and the conformation of alicyolio rings.
