BOOK
REVIEWS
Burie Principles OF Organic Chemistry
John D. Roberts and Ma~jorieC. Caserw, both of California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. W. A. Benjamin, Ine., New York, 1964. xxv 1315 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.5 X 25.5 em. $13.50.
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The memorandum quoted below was sent to our chemistry faculty before we were asked to revievi "Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry" far THIS JOURNAL. There are several subjects in organic chemistry which we do not a t present cover in the introductory courses and which have become essential for the successful conduct of senior theses and the presentation of respectable seminars in Chem. 401 (senior seminar). These are: (1) NMR spectra, (2) infrared spectra, and (3) electronic (UV) spectra. The only introductory organic text covering these areas is Roberts and Caserio. This text thus merits our consideration and to stimulate discussion. some of the particular advantages of this text are listed below. 1. The print is large
6 0 that an old dog like myself can read it. 2. There are 128 raw spectre. presented. These occupy on an average about '/s. of B page each with a. few t&ng as much as
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page. They are beautifully portrayed. Probably half the total pages (1315) are taken urr with drawings and strueturd ffo~mulesso that the total amount of text is compsmhle to Morrison and Boyd (948 pages) or Cram and Hammond (846 pages). Study questions are good. I t is written in a very simple style and reasonably free of the one-upsmanship language that is strangling science. Proper emphasis is given to IUPAC and Chemical Abslracls nomenclature. The three texts we are currently wing [names d e leted], fault so badly in this matter that the student comes away using a style of nomenciature that is not acceptable to the editors of the J . Am. Chem. Sac., J . Org. C h a . , etc. The sweeping features of metabolic chemistry are presented. If these can be taught in general education physical science courses, they can be taught in introductory organic chemistry. To continue to leave out DNA, DPN, and messenger RNA is to teach organic chemistry further and further removed from the mainstream of current thought (and money). a
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in this Issue
John D. Roberts and Mariorie C. Case&, Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry 0.Theodor Benfey, From Vital Force to Structural Formulas
J. J . Lagowski, The Structure of Atoms A . A . Benedetti-Pichler, Identification of Materials via Physical Properties, Chemical Tests, and Microscopy Y . K. Syrkin and M . E. Dyatkina, Structure of lMolecules and the Chemical Bond Emil H. White, Chemical Background for the Biological Sciences Alezander I. Oparin, The Chemical Origin of Life Pe7-0200 Lowdin, editor, Molecular Orbitals in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology Robert Neher, Steroid Chromatography D a i s Taylor, Neutron Irradiation and Activation Analysis J . H. Wolfenden,Numerical Problems in Advanced Physical Chemistry J . Rose, Advanced Physico-Chemical Experiments G . Lepoube and M . J . Sienko, editors, Metal Ammonia. Solutions J . D. Lee, Concise Inorganic Chemistry Lloyd A . Munro, Chemistry in Engineering Cha~lesA . Reiehen, A History of Chemistry Robert Boyle, Experiments and ConsiderrttionsTouching Colours New Volumes in Continuing Series
8. Good ohspters on P, B, and Si chemistry are there if desired. 9. A similar statement can be made for the chapters on heteracyclica. 10. Polymers far once get a proper shake with profuse diagrams communicating the architectural problems in this area. 11. Natural products are emphasized and used as illustrations of the use of spectra. 12. Raw mass spectra, rotatory diipersion spectra, Raman spectra, and esr spectra are presented and interpreted. 13. The price is $13.50 and considering that it is 1315 pages, the price is reasonable. 14. The abundance of direct data (rather then generalizations) brings this text closer to experimental chemistry than usual. Thus the emphasis on the newer spectral methods is not a "flight to theory" but rather "back to the bench!'
The above memorandum was written to emphasize the merits of Roberts and Caserio. The one disadvantage is the physical size of the book. It is 55 mm thick and weighs about 2 kg. One new point and one reiteration can be added in retrospect. The new point is that optical isomerism gets properly presented. For example, the optical inactivity of meso-tartaric acid is explsjned in terms of statistical cancelling of the individual rotations of an assembly of rotational isomers (rather than the inadequate plane of symmetry explsnation). The reiteration concerns nomenclature. A current leading text introduces the substituted methane system for alkanes (trimethylethylmethane is exemplary) before the IUPAC system and the first study question contains ten such names. I t is no wonder that the student infers thia to be the preferred system despite what the professor says to the contrary. The fact is that every one of these ten names is not only unacceptable but it is difficult to imagine s, situation where they would be of any utility. In contrast, we find the emphasis in Roberts and Caseria entirely in accord with current journal requirements, strong commendation on this one point alone. NORMAN C. DENO Pennsyluania Stale Unwwsity University Park
From Vitol Force to Structurul Formulas
0. Theodor Benfey, Earlham College, Richmond, Indians. Classio Researches in Organic Chemistry. Houghton M a n Co., Boston, 1964. xi 115 pp. Figures. 15 X 23 cm.
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0 . T. Benfey conducts a guided tour through the original literature in this &at volume of a new paperback series, "Claasio Researches in Organic Chemistry." Intended for the student in elementary organic chemistry, the book not only rings Volume 42, Number
3, March 1965
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