BOOK REVIEWS ever, the author has succeeded in integrating diseuslssions of the mechanistic and stereochemical aspects of most reactions very smoothly with the rest of the text. The overall result is as coherent and rational a discussion as each reaction permits. Inevitably, t,here are especially pretty examples of some reactions not included in House's selection. For this reader, however, there are many more eases where previously unfamiliar but interesting examples of resetions are cited. The most serious criticism of this book is the weakness of its index. The absence of any aubhor index is to be deplored, since msny organic chemists tend to associate reactions with their discoverers or exploiters. This depersondization is most unfortunate, and can hardly he defended on the basis of the triviality of assigning priorities. A stronger subject index could also be desired. For example, although useful references to ruthenium tetroxide and lead tetraacetate are given on p. 81, these reagent,^ are not indexed a t all. Perhaps t,hese shortcomings can be corrected in a second edition, if not in later printings. I n spite of these minor shortcomings, this book is a resounding success. A second volume, filling in some of the major gaps, would he most welcome. The only other recent book with similar orientation, Fuson's "Reactions of Organic Compounds," has the advantage of a broader
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I t s style is all the more commendable when one considers the joint authorship. The chapters are not identified as having been contributed h y m y individual and, in fact, the style is quite consistent through the book, suggesting very careful editing. Although assuming a reamnahle sophistication in stereochemistry, it starts with basic principles and works t,oward the more complex both through the book as a JERROLD MEINWALD whole and within individual chapters. Cornell University I t can be read comfortably by any firstIfhaca, .lie?" l'ork year graduate student and would guide an undergraduate willing to do the suggested supplementary reading to an underConformaliond Analysis standing of the field. Ernest L. Eliel, University of Notre The authors remained true to the title Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, N o m n of the book and thus it is only those asL. Allinger, Wayne State University, pects of stereoisomerism and stereochemDetroit, Stephen J. Anggal, University istry which are functions of conformatimal of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, change which are discussed. The reader and George A. Mowison, University of should not expect a general stereochemical Leeds, England. Interscience Pubtreatise. Eliel's earlier text, "Stereolishers (a division of John Wiley and chemistry of Carbon Compounds" (J. Sons, Inc.), New York, 1965. xiii CHEM.EDUC.39, 543 [1962])provides a 524 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X modern review of that topic. 23.5 om. $15. Two introductory chapters are followed by a unique summary of the ways in This hook, appropriately dedicated to which all of the common physical measD. H. R. Barton, is excellent to the point urements have been applied to ronof serving as a model for the modern formational analysis. Ring systems other organic chemistry monograph. The style than cyelohexane (covered in Chapter 2) is such that i t can he read enjoyably as are analyeed in Chapter 4. The fifth well as rewardingly. I t is not abbreviated chapter examines the conformational to that terseness which has marred some aspects of steroids, triterpeneoids and advanced works. I n style I would ranialkaloids hut the steroids are more thorpare it to the Fiesers' excellent "Sleroids" (Continued on page A916) monograph. mope, hut is much less successful in its blending of practical m d theoretical content. The smaller House volume has a more contemporary viewpoint, and probes more deeply into its material. "Modern Synthetic Reactions" ie certain to provide the nucleus for msny advanced organic chemistry courses; in addition, it deserves a p l ~ o eon the bookshelves of every active organic chemist.
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BOOK REV1EWS oughly covered in earlier chapters. I n fact, themajority of the examples throughout the book have been taken from the steroid field where, of course, the discipline first flowered. The discussion of alkaloids is quite brief. Chapter 6 considers carbohydrates and a short final chapter picks up a few loose ends and provides some tabulated energy data. The reviewer particularly appreciated the generous use of clear structural disgrams accompanied by arabic number identification. This makes i t entirely possible to follow eonformational reasoning without specialized knowledge of the elass of compounds under discussion. The relabive paucity of such structures in the carbohydrate chapter is one of the few discontinuities in the work. Extemive use is made of footnotes to elaborate points of the text. Their fonn suggests that they represent one author's reactions t o the presentation of another, but, sourceaside, they forman integral and enjoyable portion of the book. The documentation is superb and deserves speoial mention because of its attempt to identify, as such, leading references and reviews. Over 1400 references, many multiple, guide the reader to the original literature. Each chapter is closed with a. short list of General References to its subject. The author and subject indexes are satisfactory. The paper quality excel-
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lent, permitting the use of felt or bamboo markers without bleeding. Only a single tyooaraphical error was noted. .. &VENTINR. PETERSEN Wabash College Cmwjordsville, Indiana
Structure of Matter
Wolfgang Finkelnburg, University of Translated Erlangen - Nuremberg. from the 9th/lOth ed. by the author in cooperation with Ottilia Matossi-niechemeier. Academic Presa, Inc., New 511 pp. Figs. and York, 1964. xii tables. 17 X 25.5 cm. $14.50.
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An accurate subtitle for this book might be "An Introduction to Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear and Solid State Physics." While keeping the mathematics used to a minimum and avoiding excessive experim e n t d detail, the author relates theoretical concepts to experimental observations throughout the book. The book includes a detailed discussion of atomio spectra, including X-ray typectre, and the effects of electric and magnetic fields; a lengthy discussion of quantum mechanics; an extensive treatment of nuclear properties, radioactivity and fundamental particles; molecular structure and spectra and the chemical band; and the physics of solids. The philosophical viewpoint on quantum mechanics and the general tone of the book are reminiscent of the thirties, although the author has included a great
deal of recent material. The emphasis on the "realitf'of exchangeforcesonp. 189is not coneistent with the more modern point of view expressed on p. 398. The andogy of mechitnical resonance to quantum mechenicel resonance seems to this reviewer to be taken too literally. Deepite these criticisms, this is a useful reference book for students and teachers of chemistry and contains much useful information which no longer appears in the more modern textbooks of 8tomic physics with which it might be compared. This is a translation of the gth/lOth German edition and is much larger and more up to date than the earlier translation published by MeGraw-Hill. ROBERTM. ROSENBERG Lawrace University Appleton, Wisconsin
Infrared Band Handbook. 1m d2
Supplements
Edited by Heman A. Szymamki, Canisius College, Buffalo, New York. Plenum Press, Xew York, 1964. 259 pp. 17 X 26 cm. Sl5. Supplements 1 and 2 to the Szymanski 41, I R Handbook (see THIS JOURNAL A536 [1964]) cover the far infrared from 60Ck200 em-'. This coincides with the range of the KBr prism with which most
(Continued on page AQ18)
