BOO KS
A Literature Tool The chemist who considers the truly magnificent organization of the chemical literature which is represented by Chemical Abstracts, Beilstein, and a few other publications, with their elaborate indexes of subjects, formulas, patents, and authors, has much cause for gratitude toward the many dedicated writers and editors whose onerous labors have made this material available. With such a wealth of secondary literature constantly being produced, it is somewhat surprising that the chemical world had to wait until 1946 for the appearance of an annual summary of organic synthetic methods arranged according to the atomic bonds formed and broken in chemical reactions. With volume 1 of W. Theilheimer's "Synthetische Methoden der Organischen Chemie" (S. Karger, Basel, 1946) a new dimension was added to the chemical literature. A chemist searching for a specific chemical transformation no longer needed to rely upon named reactions or on any of the various hit-or-miss types of literature search for such information; he was no longer confined to the processes previously applied in his own specialized and narrow field of endeavor. Synthetic methods from all branches of organic chemistry became readily accessible to him. Some succeeding annual volumes of Dr. Theilheimer's series have contained cumulative indexes (vols. 5 and 10) while the indexes of other volumes (like the present one) contain cumulative features. The major part of the information in this latest volume has been gathered from primary sources published between 1957 and 1959. Judging from comments which have come to this reviewer, the most enthusiastic users of the series are quite naturally among these organic chemists whose duties require syntheses in a variety of areas of organic chemistry. However, a surprising proportion of organic chemists appears to make relatively little use of these volumes. In all probability, this fact is due to two circumstances: the nature of the system which is used to arrange the reactions noted and the existence of an alphabetical index in each volume. A hurried chemist using the latter
misses much of the value of the series. Certainly, the system represents a kind of mental hurdle, although it is a low one which need be jumped but once. An hour spent in careful study, followed by several weeks of frequent use, should suffice. The knowledgeable chemist will turn first to the "Systematic Survey" which is printed after the subject index. For many chemists who use this system as it was intended to be used, the series has become a most fertile source of inspiration; it is still (as far as this reviewer is aware) unique in the chemical literature. Over the years, a variety of ancillary features has been added to these volumes. Among the most interesting of these is a brief chapter of "Trends in Synthetic Organic Chemistry," started in volume 8. "Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry" must certainly be the most important chemical literature tool which is not supported by an official body; the chemical world is in debt to Dr. Theilheimer for his scholarly and prodigious efforts as well as to the staff of Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., for their assistance to the author. Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry.
Vol. 14.
W. THEILHEIMER.
xvi + 549 pages. Interscience Publishers, Inc., 250 Fifth Ave., New York 1, N.Y. 1960. $29.50. Reviewed by Hewitt G. Fletcher, Jr., National Institutes of Health.
Chemical Genetics Dr. Bernard S. Strauss, associate professor of microbiology at the University of Chicago, gave a series of lectures to the graduate students of the faculty of medicine at Osaka University. In "An Outline of Chemical Genetics" he has presented the material covered in these lectures. Dr. Strauss has succeeded admirably in his attempt to outline most of the current concepts and recent work in the field. The presentation is dogmatic. Although literature references are given to many of the recent and most important contributions in the field, the presentation by no means provides a rigorous stepwise proof of validity of the concepts and conclusions advanced. The sequence in which material is presented is nevertheless logi-
cal, and if the reader is willing to assume that the statements made are correct rather than to search for proof which is intentionally omitted, he may acquire rather quickly some familiarity with relevant current concepts. The scientist who has some knowledge of biochemistry will find this a very readable orientation to the field of chemical genetics. The sequence in which the four nucleotides of DNA are arranged in each strand of the double helix provides the code of genetic information which is passed on from one generation of cells to another and which determines, in turn, the sequence of amino acids in proteins synthesized by cells. Though the mechanism by which the DNA is precisely duplicated in each generation of cells is not yet completely understood, inaccurate reduplication is recognized as giving rise to a mutation (i.e., a slightly altered sequence of nucleotides in the DNA) and consequently to a correspondingly altered sequence of amino acids in a protein (enzyme) synthesized by the mutant cell and its descendants. Illustrative examples are cited in species which range from virus to man. An Outline of Chemical Genetics. BERNARD S.
STRAUSS,
ix
+
188
pages. W. B. Saunders Co., West Washington Square, Philadelphia 5, Pa. 1960. $5.00. Reviewed by R. M. Archibald, Rockefeller Institute.
"Saline Water Conversion" To find a method of converting saline water that can be practiced at low cost is still the most pressing problem of the Federal Saline Water Conversion Program, although much progress has been made in recent years in the chemistry, physics, and engineering involved. "Saline Water Conversion" is the title of No. 27 in the Advances in Chemistry Series. It is composed of the papers given at the Symposium on Saline Water Conversion before the Division of Water and Waste Chemistry, 137th national ACS meeting in Cleveland last April. The 21 papers present an up-to-date survey of the known methods of desalting water through distillation, through use of membranes, through separation by freezing, and the use of other physical, chemical, electrical, or DEC. 19, 1960 C&EN
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biological processes. There is also a chapter on Objectives and Status of the Federal Saline Water Conversion Program under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Edited by ACS Applied Publications staff, the book is available for $5.85 from ACS Special Issues Sales Department, 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W., Washington 6, D.C.
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is the title of a 39-page booklet issued by National Academy of SciencesNational Research Council as its Publication 825, No. 27 in its Nuclear Science Series Reports. It lists books now in print and includes blurbs to give an idea of the content. Collections of radiochemical procedures are given the same treatment, as are publications on ion exchange and solvent extraction, activation analysis, nuclear geochemistry, counting techniques, and nuclear data compilations. Sections are included on where and how to obtain radioactive isotopes and on laboratory design and safety. The booklet is free on request from NASNRC, Washington 25, D.C.
NEW BOOKS Activation Analysis Handbook. Vol. I. R. C. KOCH,
X + 219 pages.
Aca-
demic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth Ave., New York 3, N.Y. 1960. $8.00. Contains four chapters of explanatory material. The rest is tabular information. Advances in Agronomy. Vol. XII. A. G. NORMAN, editor,
xi 4- 464 pages.
Academic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth Ave., New York 3, N.Y. 1960. $12.50. Prepared under the auspices of the American Society of Agronomy. Biological Activities of Steroids in Rela-
Zone
State
title or Position Company Product My principal duties are: D Design r j Research D Management • Development • Advertising D Production • Purchasing f j Sales Other Q I am an ACS member and should receive special discount.
tion to Cancer. GREGORY PINCUS, ERWIN P. VOLLMER, editors, xvi -f-
530 pages. Academic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth Ave., New York 3, N.Y. 1960. $15. Proceedings of a conference sponsored by Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center, National Cancer Institute, 1959. Continued
on page 82
