664
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
devoted t o organic chemistry. Yet this redistribution of space ia certainly coneistent with so-called "everyday chemistry" in the present world. Liberal use of bleed printing of pictures, wash drawings, and sketches of atomic and molecular models gives an exceptioodly pleasing format. Not only is the eye-appeal increased, the figures are well chosen and, with few exceptions, replace a great many words. A clear style of writing, well chosen vocabulary, and narrative continuity combine t o give a fruitful source of knowledge for those whose training in chemistry will end here. I t is too much t o hope that each student using this book will, as a result, be happier, but he should be better informed. J. A. CAMPBELL
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ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Reynold C. Fuson,Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Illinois. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1950. x 669 pp. 16 X 2 4 om. 58.
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IN THE author's words. "This hook is designed for the use of students who have had an introduction to organic chemistry and seek a. mastery of the fundamentals of the subject. The author believes that the primary problem of the advanced student is not the acquisition of extensive knowledge of the many specialized fields of organic chemistry but rather the intimate aquaintsnee with facts and theories which is essential to success in research. Accordingly he has sought to bring together those feature? of the subject that constitute the least common denominator of the permanent equipment of investigators in the field." The treatment is well adapted t o the needs of advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, being neither encyclopedic nor merely a slight expansion of an elementary text. Aliphatic and aromatic chemistry are intermingled with s. satisfactory balance between the examples taken from each branch. The g r o s ~organization of the book is not conventional, for it is the author's opinion that students will learn more by reexamining the facts in an unfamilisr context, and this is probably true. The chapter titles are: "1. Introduction," "2. Cleavage of carbon-carbon honde," "3. Aliphatic substitution," "4. Carbon-carbon multiple bonds," "5. Hydroxy compounds," "6. Halogen compounds," "7. Organometallie compounds in synthesis," "8. The ether linkage,'' "9. Carbon monoxide in syntheeis," "10. Derivatives of carboxylic acids," "11. Oxidation,'' "12. Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and bydrogenolysis," "13. Substitution in the aromatic series," "14. Alkylation of aromatic oompounds," "15. Aeylstion of aromatic compounds," "16. Carhooyl compounds," "17. Ring closures involving condensation of carhooyl groups with aromatic nuclei," "18. Active metbylene compounds," "19. Conjugate addition," "20. Nitro, nitroso, and oximino compounds," "21. Amines and amino compounds," "22. A m and diazo compound^," "23. Organic sulfur compounds," "24. Aromatic character,'' and "25. Polymerization." Although the selection of topics is excellent, the implication that they "constitute the least common denominator of the permanent equipment o f investigators in the field" should not be taken too seriously. The specific examples discussed under each topic are, perhaps, less carefully chosen, although they do serve the purpose reasonably well. Largely, they are items either that have been in recent iournal articles or that are in "Ormnic Svntheses." , whioh obviously was combed in detail, for the text abounds with examplee taken from it. The treatment is definitely more descriptive than theoretical. Bath the statement from the preface quoted above and the promotional material issued by the publisher seem to give the impreseion that the book contains more of the theory of organic chemistry than it does. The ~ublisherawould do better to advise all se&s sdvrtnced students'to boy also their other "Advanced Organic Chemistry" by Wheland. A careful study of the two
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books would give snoh students a. fairly well-balanced idea of the present status of organic chemistry, and would even put them on the road toward acquiring that "intimate acquaintance with facts and theories which is essential to success in research." The theoretical material that is interspersed in the present volume will often only p u d e the students for whom this book is intended, since the ueual first course in organic chemistry will not have given them enough background t o understand it without further elaboration. The nomeclature of organic compounds is completely neglected, in spite of the obvious fact that a knowledge of systematic nomenclature is a very important, although possibly small, ?art of the "least common denominator of the permanent equ~pment of investigators in the field." The book is moderately well documented, averaging somewhat
the text rather than in footnotes. The coherence leaves something to 1 ~ adesired, the relationship between successive paragapha and the like not always being clear. In fact, there is sometimes the impression of a series of more or leas isolated observations written down at different times and then arranged in some logical order without much rewriting or introduction of connectives. Even the experienced chemiet will sometimes be bewildered temporarily over the relationship of a paragraph or statement t o what has just preceded it and to the unit as a whole. I t is quite possible that this bewilderment may far the student be more than temoorarv.
to attain a high standard of futual accuracy. LAWRENCE H. AMUNDSEN U V W E R ~ ~OPT CONNBCTICUV Y ST OR^^. C o n l i e c ~ r c u ~
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INTRODUCTORY CHEMISTRY
Lillicrn H. Meyer, Western College of Michigan, Kalamaeoo, Michigan. The Maomillan Co., New York, 1951. x 532 pp. Illustrated. 14.5 X 22 cm. $5.
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Tms text fills a need whieh has existed for some years. I t is about a decade &xce even a revlsed edition of an elementary chemistry hook for home economics students has appeared. The author suggests that it may he used also with other groups interested in the applied biological'sciences. This suggestion is pertinent to college students in nursing and physical education programs. Dr. Meyer uses the text for a year's course in chemistry, whieh is the maximum amount usually permitted such students. In fact, she does not find time to include all work given therein, but has added some material so that other instructors can make a aelection, according to her preface. The content of the book is wisely chosen. Over half of the text is included under the heading of "Introdootory Chemistry." The helance consists of approximately 10 per cent organic chemistry, 20 per cent bioohemistry, and 6 per cent textile chemistry. The index and a short appendix complete the book. The Introductory Chemistry section is subdivided into 21 chapters. Each of these treats a topic important in the subsequent work of the students such as solutions, the colloidal state, leavening agents, etc., instead of attempting to survey the whole general and inorganic chemistry field. In other words, the author has assisted the teacher in the selection of appropriate subject matter. This choice becomes increasingly difficult as the body of chemical knowledge grows each year. Further help is given the teacher by occasional comments as to the extent to which certain reactions may be used in our country. For example, electrolysis of water is of little industrial importance because of the relatively high cost of electric power. The author has excluded certain topics whioh are not of great value to the students for whom the
