A Reference Book of Chemistry
J . H . White, Lstymer Upper School, England. 3rd ed. Philosophical Library, New York, 1967. 307 pp. 14 X 22 em. $10, This convenient sized volume contains Though composed primarily for teachers of chemistry and their upper class students it will be of much value to chemists in general who either do not have availddle or who do not wish to spend the time in consulting the more extensive and more costly dictionaries of chemistry. I n addition, these latter works frequently present too much about a topic t~ndso confuse rather than enlighten a student or run-of-the-mill chemist. The text is presented in ten sections in which the subjeots are listed alphabetically. For the most part, the desired information is found without diflioulty. Spot checks have revealed that most items are included though the specialist may sometimes be disappointed. The book will he especially useful to students preparing for examinations. The definitions and discussions are couched in concise clear fashion. The only mathematical presentations are in reference to certain laws, and the use of struct,urd fomulas ie quiterestricted. The titles of the sections are given here to show the scope of the book; the figures in parentheses are the number of pages devoted to each section. I. Important Terms (127); 11. Laws, Principles and Rules (18); 111. Named Organic Reactions and Processes (13); IV. Named Organic Reagents and Tests (8); V. Named Inorganic Reactions and Processes (30); VI. Named Inorganic Reagents and Tests (4); VII. Those Odd Names (67); VIII. Ores and Mineral Substances (23); IX. Common Alloys (10); Appendix I. First Aid in the Laboratory (5); A p pendix 11. Useful Data (4). This book deserves a wide circulation and would he an excellent addition to school and private libraries. I t doubtless would be consulted often and can he recommended for casual reading. It is rather unfortunate that the price is not more in line with the first line of the author's Preface: "It is hoped that this book will be of use to all teachers of chemistry, and to their senior pupils." s. wealth of information.
RALPEE. OESPER University of Cincinnati Cincinnati. Ohio
Elements of Organic Chemistry: Revealed by the Scienliflc Method
As
Alsoph H. Carwin, Johns Hopkins, University, Baltimore, Maryland, and Maurice M. Bursey, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, Massachusetts, 1966. xviii 746 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.5 X 24.5 em. $12.50.
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The teacher and/or scholar who is seekingan unusual textbook or reference covering the material normally prezented in
undergradut~teorganic chemistry will lind this textbook by Professors Corwin and Bursey a. "must" in their search. I n fine print this book is subtitled "Elements of Organic Chemistry-as revealed by the Scientific Method," and in using their novel approach, these authors rely heavily on experimental evidence in presenting the subject. In their foreword to the student, the authors state "it is the purpose of this hook to concern itself with the application, to the field of organic chemistry, of the central theme of science, the scientific method of reasoning." In place of the traditional organization by classification of substances, or some of the newer arrangements, the textbook has been organized according to ideas, with emphasis on the great ideas of structure and mechanism. The textbook is divided into two books. Book One asks and answers the questions, "How are organic chemical structures determined?" and, "How do we know what we know about organic chemical structures?" In an interesting, hut sometimes complex, series of chapters, the answers are pursued. The titles of the parts, which are further subdivided into Chapters, give clues to their approach. I n Book one, the parts are titled: The Structural Problem of Organic Chemistry; The Basic Reasaning Underlining Organic Structures; Elements of Chemical Geometry; Some Basic Methods for Structural Determination; and Structures of Some Natural Products. After one gets used to the idea of beginning an undergraduate study of organic chemistry with the complex structures of chlorophyll and hemoglobin, one finds in this book much of the traditional content of organic chemistry, although ins. greatly modified form of presentation, Book Two rtsks and answers the questions, "How do we know what we know about organic chemical reaction mecbanisms, and how do we learn ahout the processes which take place between the disappearance of the reagent and the formation of the product in an organic chemical reaction?" The titles of the parts in Book Two are: Elements of Chemical Bonding; Chemical Tools for the Investige tion of Reaction Mechanism; Some Specific Mechanisms in the Aliphatic Series; Some S~ecificMechanisms in the Aromatic Seriu; Sonw .\lwluir\~.nlr .\pplvng to Uorh Aliphnricnnd Arou~aticSydems; and Further Applirnriona of Speetru~cnpy. There then follows an interesting and speculative ten-page Epilogue, as the authors look into the future. The authors have recogniaed the problems faced by some readers in utilizing the book, and have written two summaries or indexes. One is concerned with synthetic methods for the preparation of organic compounds, traditiondly classified as acetals, anhydrides, ete. The other summary is concerned with the reactions of functionel .. eronos. Both summaries are indexed to the r c ~ lA, ~ inI t h i r manner, rhc autl~orsilidthe render in l:ndi~.gtr?diriuteri.,l i l l 811 itntvnditi..~~nl text. Like most new approaches, on first glance, the book appears overwhelming. However, as one reads it several times, it slowly begins to have it,s o m appeal.
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I t is a hook for the student with a good background, who has time to read, and who wishes and needs mental exercise. For these students, it would make a very challenging text. For the traditional student and/or teacher, this is definitely not the text. This well-written hook is a worthy addition to the literature of organic chemistry. Like other trail-blssers, the authors have done a, tremendous service in focusing atr t n t w t 11lxm il new qpproach. For rhk for rhe lilmrir< reuson, it is r~wrnmntrl~rl S of all who love lean~my.~ t t t lC P P I X ~ ~fur all who seek new pathways of 1ea;ning organic chemistry.
Chemical Kinetics
Gordon M. Harris, State University of
New York at Buffalo. Topics in Modern Chemistry. D. C. Heath and Co., Boston, 1966. 123 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. Paperbound. $1.95. The Metalloids
Eugene G. R o c h , Harvard University. Topics in Modern Chemistry. D. C. Heath and Co., Boston, 1966. vii I l l pp. Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. Paperbound. $1.95.
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The Noble Gases
H m r d H . Claassen, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, Topics in Modern Chemistry. D. C. Heath and Co., Boston, 1966. vii 117 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 21.5 om. Paperbound. $1.95.
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The firs rhree uf n =eripsof topical books for t he undergrsduate have been publiihd and are part of a growing trend of giving to the undergraduate a t a reasonable cost and at a reasonable level a way to increase his depth of understanding. These three are different in content and deuth. and all three have few errors. The prkting, layout, and scope of these texts are as described in the publishers' literature and the authors' prefaces. "Chemical Kinetics" is one of the finest introductions to kinetics available and is s very welcome volume. After a very short historical introduction, in simple language, the state of the art. the . nroblems faeine- an understanding of rate processes, and an outline of how a reaction mechanism can be deduced are described in Chapter I. Rapidly the concept of the activated state and collision theory is outlined in sufficient detail and with good references so that a student can pursue it to the depth that he desires. In Chapter 111, the transition state theory is presented in such a way that a student should be so intrigued that he will want to further explore the topic. The rest of the volume continues to present problems and some of their solutions. For example, some of the topics covered are: reactions in flow systems, relaxation kinetics, isotope effects, solvent effects, and
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(Catinued an page A666)
Volume 44, Number 8, August 7 967
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A663
BOOK REVIEWS acid-base c~talysis. The reviewer feels every instructor should give serious consideration to this text. The second in the series, entitled "The Noble Gases," might have been given a subtitle of "Interactions between Molecules and Atoms and How They are Investigated." Using the very timely topic of the noble gas compounds, how they were discovered and how their structures were elucidated, the author introduces to students most of the techniques of modern chemistry. A second credit to this text is the two level presentation which makes certain parts suitable for beginning students and certain parts suitable for more advanced students. The selection of these parts is made by the author in the preface. This text is another needed addition to a growing, useful, undergraduate library that will allow the student to feed his interest beyond the level of the usual text. The third in this series, "The Metalloids," defines what is usually meant by the term metalloid and attempts to give some quantitative way of delinesting them in terms of eleotronegativities. This differentiation of these elements from the met& snd nonmetals is carried further in terms of physical, mechanical, and chemical properties. The depth of the approach is such that any student can follow it. The find parts of this text are topics selected by the author to give some depth to s student's understanding of the descriptive chemistry of these elements. R. K. BIRDWHISTELL University of West Florida Pmacola 32503
Operator Theory
Methods
in
Ligond
Field
Hiroshi Watonabe, Hokkaido University, Japan. Prentiee-Hell, Ino., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1966. ix 193 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $9.50.
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My first reaction to this book was that there was little need for it because of the abundance of good texts wsilitble. Yet, I have found myself using this small book as a reference while workmg on recent problems, and I believe that others will also find it a useful addition to their "working" bmkshelf. The text, based on lectures given by Professor Watanabe a t the University of Michigan and a t Hokkaido University, is very concise. It covers the elements of angular momentum, infinite group theory, the seniority scheme, and ligand field theory in 146 pages. I t assumes a knowledge of matrix theory and topics which appear in "The Theory of Atomic Spectra" by E. U. Condon and G. H. Shortley (2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, London, 1957). Each of the first three chapters begins with a block diagram showing the interconnectedness of the equations developed in the text. This technique is only one of the valuable
A666
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Journal of Chemical Education
reference points for the researcher. The appendix is a very useful tabulation of the spherical harmonics to sixth order, irreducible tensors to rank six, basis fun* tions for the octahedral group, ClebsohGordon coefficientsfor cubic groups, state vectors in the strong field scheme, and symmetry classified ligand orbitals for octahedral, tetrahedral and cubic coordinations. Indeed, it is these tables, together with the brief text, which make it a very handy volume. The brevity of the hook is certainly a shortcoming, if it were to be considered as s. graduate course text. In addition, there are no proble~mor exercises given. The hook is quite free from errors, with one exception found in most hooks on the subject. The character table for the double group of T is in error, but may be easily changed by comparing with the correct table given in "Properties of the Thirty-Two Point Groups," by G. F. Koster, J. 0 . Dimock, R. G. Wheeler, and H. Statz (Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, Cambridge, 1963). The fine printing work of Prentiee-Hall, together with this careful and precise manuscript of Professor Watanahe, should make this volume valuable and useful tool for any worker in this field. PAULB. DORAIN Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts
Chemie Lexikon.
Four Volumes
i.e., English translations of the omresponding German terms. The sixth edition differs from its predecessors especially by approximately 100,000 changes in the text (new inclusions of and deletions of outmoded entries) supplementary information, corrections, etc. In short, the text has been brought up to date so far as is feasible considering the magnitude of the undertaking. I n its present form, this outstanding chemical encyclopedia is a fitting capstone t,o fhe lifework of Hermmn Riimpp, whose professional life (his norms1 workweek was 80 hours) was spent in the servioe of his fellow chemists. Most of this sixth edition was esseniially complete when he died of a heart attack on April 24, 1964. A great debt is owed to Dr. Erhard dhlein for bringing this task to s successful conclusion. Dr. tfhlein had assisted Rompp for some yesrs by making suggestions, correcting proof, and the like, and had promised RBmpp, who perhaps had a presentiment that he would not live too many yesrs more, that he would continue this important project. This reviewer suffered a. g n a t personal los9 when Professor R6mpp died. He has been told that a letter from him was perhaps the lsst piece of correspondence that reached this eminent encyclopedist before his death and while he was working on his "Lexikon." This letter said in part: "I consult your Lexikon practically every day and I thank God that he has created a man l i e Rompp, who gives me so much information and stwen me so much time that otherwise I would have to spend in libraries."
Hmnann R h p p (deceased). Revised and Edited by Erkurd Uhlein. 6th ed. Franckh'sche Verhgshandlung, S t u t t g a t , West Germany, 1966. viii 3930 pp. Figures. 17 X 24.5 om. 390 (cash); 429 DM (installments). (1 DM = $0.25.)
R a m E. OESPER Universitg of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio
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The first edition of this outstanding chemical encyclopedia appeared in 1947; the single volume of 1370 pages contained 7700 entries. Suooeeding editions a p peared a t fairly regular intervals; the number of entries went up to 28,850 oocupying 2933 pages divided into three volumes. The latest three editions were reviewed in THIS JOURNAL (see 39, 416 L19621). What was said in these preceding reviews need not he repeated here; the earlier findings are confirmed and reemphasized with respect to the edition issued in 1966. The tardiness of this
sent out until a reprinting could be made. This fact alone testifies to the worth that the chemical German-reading public has accorded "Rompp!' The sixth edition in four good-sized volumes offers to the reader 7930 halfcolumns of clearly printed text. There are 37,500 entries with extensive discussions, 29,560 sources of supply (many with prices), 48,950 references to the technical literature, 13,570 proprietary articles, 1,150 brief biographical sketches of eminent chemists. A valuable new feature is the inclusion of an Index comprising 23,000 English technical terms,
Gmelinr Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8. Aufloge, System Nummer 57, Nickel. Teil AI, Ger~hichtlicher, Vorkommen, Dorstellung
Edited by E. H. E. Pietseh and the Gmelin Institute. Verlag Chemie, GMBH, Weinheim/Bergstrasse, 1967. nrv 641 pp. Tables. 17.5 X 25.5 em. $152.
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as recent as 1965. After a short historical section, a large part of this volume summarizes the geochemistry data which have accumulated since the turn of the century. The occurrence of nickel, from the cosmos to the innermost parts of the Earth, is covered in detail, as well as theeconomicimplications of the production of the metal. Another large portion of the book discusses the technology and varied methods of preparation of nickel metal. Short chapters on the nickel isotopes and toxicity conclude the volume.
B. VANDOREN J-&NET College of Wooste~ Wwste7, Ohio (Continued on page -4668)
