so than other books on this topic. For both these purposes its value is limited by the absence of exercises. Charles E. Reid University of Fiwida Gainesvills, Florida 3261 1
Modern Practice of Gar Chromatography Robert L. Grob.. editor., Villanova- Ilnivar.~ shy. John Wiley & Suns,New York, lY.7. xv 7 654 pages. Figures and tables. 16 x 23.5 cm. $22.50. ~
~~~~~~~
Peter Wiseman, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Halstead Press-John Wiley, New York, X + 331 pp., 15 X 23 cm, $12.50 Figures and tables. 1976. Chemists have often expressed a need for the inclusion of some industrial organic chemistry in undergraduate chemistry programs. In the past a major obstacle has been the lack of a concise, inexpensive, current textbook on industrial chemistry. The Halstead Press of John Wiley and Sonsseemsto be trying to remedy this situation by publishing not only this text by Wiseman (in paperback) but also the closely related hook by A. L. Waddams, "Chemicals from Petroleum." Apparently both of these books had more limited distribution in previous editions. While both authors are English and thus tend to emphasize British industrial practices, they do pay some attention to American industrial processes. Wiseman's attractive book gives a good broad survey of much of industrial organic, from the sources of carbon to polymeric materials. Chapter one offers an interesting perspective on various sources of carbon compounds, including animal, vegetable, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and carbonates. Chapter two briefly treats modern petroleum refining processes, including a consideration of reaction mechanisms. The following chapters include: Oxidation (Chapter 3), Aromatic Substitution (Chapter 4), and Miscellaneous Reactions (Chapter 5). The last two chapters deal with polymers their preparations and properties. These two chapters make up ahout a third of the text. While this brief book is rather comprehensive and timely, I was disappointed in several striking omissions, especially American processes. No mention was found of: (1) the Monsanto process for electrically dimerizing acrylonitrile to adiponitrile, (2) the Union Carbide process for epoxidation of alkenes via the use of peracetic acid, (3) industrial preparation of isoprene, (4) isophthalic acid, and (5) Reppe acetylene chemistry. In all, however, the book still gives a broad survey of modern industrial organic. The above-mentioned text by Waddams which, as its name implies, is narrower in scope does discuss all five processes missing in Wiseman's text. Waddams, however, does not treat polymers separately or in detail. Both books merit consideration by anyone seeking moderately priced texts on current industrial organic practices. Wiseman gives the broader treatment, while Waddams is more detailed but of lesser scope.
~~
This text represents a blending of the basic theories of chromatography with the experiences of each contrihutine author. I t is the product of a gas chromatography shun course which has been presented annually in [he editor's area of the euuutry. The contents are structured for nut only Ireginners hut for r x istmg workers in the field and specialists c,f other fields r h o wish and need to know more about the techniques of gas chromatography. The authors felt that a current need existed for a textbook which was up t o date and placed proper emphasis on the technique's modern practices. This reviewer believes that they have achieved that goal admirably. After an introduction which considers the general types of chromatographic development, the nature of the isotherms, and linear and nonlinear, ideal and nonideal ehromatography, the remainder of the book is divided inta three parts of approximately equal length: Theory and Basics, Techniques and Instrumentation, and Applications. In the first part the theory of gas chromatography is covered in a single large chapter. This is followed by a short and compact chapter elegantly discussing ealumns and column selection, and a two-part chapter handling the dual subjects of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The latter topic is thoroughly treated with the advantages and limitations
-
An Introduction to lndustrlal Organlc Chemistry
~
of each evaluation method lucidly presented. Part I1 contains chaoters on detectors. ~~~~~~~-. instrumentatiou, trace analysis, and selection of analytical data. The book concludes with four application chapters dealing with the analysis of food, clinical applications, physicochemical measurements, and drug i n a l y sis. In the chapter on gas chromatography theory, separation techniques are reviewed in the classical manner before introducing the plate and rate theories of gas chromatography. Extensive derivations are not attempted; significant operational factors are identified from the various expressions. The gremlins were busy in this chapter. One finds "D? and "Din interchanged and the confusion is rwnpounded mtc, error because in place, one and not the other is meant as hoth ternls are d e f ~ n e dscparartly. Frsrti
