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Vol. 79
BOOK REVIEWS Quantum Chemistry. An Introduction. By %’ALTER KACZM A N S , Department of Chemistry, Princeton University. Academic Press Inc,, 111 Fifth Avenue, S e w York 3, N.Y. 1957. xii i 4 4 pp. 16 X 23.5 cm. Price, $12.00. I n t h e chemist’s effort t o “understand” the atom and the molecule he has grasped at certain features of the approximate treatments of quantum mechanics such as resonance, ionic character and hybridization, and with a non-scientific tendermindedness (W. James) set them u p as realities and absolutes. One of t h e many fine aspects of the new quant u m chemistry text b y Professor Kauzmann is his carefully spelled-out warning of t h e dangers of such attitudes. His t e s t is intermediate in its level of difficulty between t h e two other texts with t h e same title.’82 I t is divided into five parts: Mathematical Introduction (140 pages) ; General Principles of Quantum Mechanics (110 pages) ; ritomic Systems (100 pages); Molecular Systems (140 pages: ; Son-Stationary States (200 pages). T h e inathematical introduction, written a t a level well within the grasp of most chemists, is outstanding. His discussion of vibrating strings vibrating drum heads and pressure oscillations in gas chambers will give t h e student a vivid description of the states of a single particle. Degeneracy and hybridization are skillfully described in these same terms. For those who wish a smaller dose of mathematics, the author has indicated which sections may be eliminated without serious loss. T h e remaining sections are of uniformly high standard. There are a few oversights. n’hile t h e helium atom is extensively discussed, t h e author does not mention t h e work of Chandrasekhar and Herzberg (1955) which considerably reduces the level of uncertainty in the helium calculation. His very short treatment of group theory, and his negkct of crystalline field theory are regrettable. It is recognized t h a t some topics must be omitted, b u t these are of great importance in t h a t they transcend approximation. His judgment of free-electron theory (p. 680) appears a little harsh in view of its success. T h e only misprint noted was in tlie ionization energy of water on page 516. T h e reviewer ventures t o predict t h a t the t e s t will be widely adopted.
article is concerned first with t h e exchange of oxygen between the solvent water, aiid oxygen containing anions and cations; it then goes on t o a discussion of t h e poitit of cleavage in hydrolytic reactions of both organic and inorganic species; and then proceeds t o a fascinating review of which oxygen goes where in oridatioii-reduction reactions involving oxyions. T h e article is indeed an outstanding description of the insight t h a t we have gained into c!iemic:il phenomena in aqueous solutions through the use of isotopes. Four other articles are of less immediate interest, but concern areas of investigation ivliose importance for cliemistry can only increase with time. Included among tlicse are :i discussion of t h e mass and nuclear size effects iii tlie “ 1 ~ tope Shift in -4toniic Spectra” by Alack and Arroc; arevicw of “Recent Advances in LOWLevel Ciiuritirig Techiiiques” by .hitierson and Hayes; a very thorough clear Iiadiation Effects in Solids” by Brook discussion b y Davirlson, Loeb and Youiig (Jf “Suclcar Kcactors for Electric Power Cenerators.” T h e lieltlb t l i h cussed in t h e latter two articles iii particular contaiii niaiiy interestiiig and tecliriologically important cliciiiic:ii 1)ri)i)lerns. Of the seven reniaining articles, two :ire in the :ire3 of radiobiology: papers published during 1055 on “Cel1ul:ir Radiobiology” are reviewed by Gray; aud 0’13r tlie field of “Vertebrate Radiubiulrlgy: Einb T h e latter article is somewhat t h e more inforinat uninitiated. Three of the remaining five articles, “ T h e Masses of Light Xuclides” by Mattduch, LValdmann, Rieri arid Everliug; “Properties of Medium-IVeight Kurlei” by \.\-a>-, Kuntlu, McGinnis and van Lieshout: and “The Excitation of Suclei by Charged Particles” 6y Heydenburg a11d Tcinincr; are important contributions t o our knowledge of tlie 5t:ttionary states of nuclei. T h e final two articles by Sarabhai anti Scrurkar, and IVolfenstein, afe conrerued with “Tiiiie \-ariatioils i i f Primary Cosmic Ral-s” and tlie tlieoretical fornidi~iii cinployxl in discussioii of “Pultirizatioii of Fast Sucleons,” respectively.
( 1 ) H. Eyring, J. Walter and G. IC. Kimball, “Quantum Chemist r y , ” John W l e y and Sons, I n c . . X e w I‘ork, N . Y.,1911. (2) K. S. Pitzer, “ Q u a n t u m Chemistry,” Prentice-H.~Il.New York, S . Y.,1953.
s.Y. 27, s.Y.
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DEPARTMESTS OF CHEMISTRY ASD PIIYSICS TIIEL T ~ ~OR T~E X A~ S ~ ~ ~ ~ F. l A. ’ AUSTIN.TEXAS
hrATSEN
Annual Review of Nuclear Science. Volume 6. By JAMES G. BECKERLEY, Editor, Schluinberger 1% ell Surveying Corporation, MARTIN D . KAMEN,Associate Editor, Washington University Medical School, and LEOXARD I. SCHIFF, Associate Editor, Stanford Cniversity. Annual Reviews, Inc.,Grant Avenue, Palo Alto, California, 1956. v 471 pp. 16 X 23 cm. Price, $7.00. T h e 1956 volume of t h e Xnnual Review of Kuclear Science is clearly u p t o t h e standards established b y its predecessors. Cousidering t h e intensity of effort expended in t h e areas encompassed b y “Kuclear Science,” we are indeed fortunate t h a t this series exists. Of the thirteen articles in t h e present volume, t x o should be of direct interest t o chemists. Under the title of “Generalized Acidity in Radio-chemical Separations,” Horne, Coryell and Goldring present a n interesting and lucid discussion of the role of acidity as a rather generalized concept in inorganic equilibria. Their discussion includes not only t h e classic field of aqueous solutions, b u t also goes into solvent extraction, ion exchange, non-aqueous solvents and liquid salt systems. Taube’s contribution on “Applications of Oxygen Isotopes in Chemical Studies” pays primary attention t o homogeneous solutions. This very logically constructed
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DEPT.OF CHEMISTRY COLUMBI.4 UNIVERSITY
Medizin u n d Chemie. Abhandlungen aus den MedizinischChemischen Forschungsstltten der Farbenfabriken Bayer Aktiengesellschaft. Band 1:. FRITZMIETZSCII,Editor and Director, Farbenfabriken Bayer Aktiengesellschaft, IVerk Iyuppertal-Elberfeld. Verlag Chemie, G.ni.b.H., Pappelallee 3, Weinheim/Bergstr., Germany. 19.56. 535 pp. 16 X 24 cm. Price, DM 30.-. This book is a continuation of four volumes of “Iledizin und Chemie” published by I . G . Farben before lVorltl War 11. Its aim is t o acquaint its readers with scientific problems presently under investigation a t the Bayer Works and it is planned t o publish one such volume every one t o two years, alternating with the Pharmaceutical Department of Farbwerke Hoechst. This present volume contains about 40 contributions of which a large number emphasize clieniotherapy. Some papers are of interest t o the chemists, like Klarer’s work on Sulfonamides, Chemistry anti Pliartnacology of Homologous Morphinanes, t h e development ,of “Resochin” and the Chemotherapy of Schistosoniiasis. M a n y other contributions have apparently been written for t h e special purpose of being included in this volume and, therefore, lack the refreshing originality of publications for a scientific journal. “hledizin und Chemie” might appeal more t o doctors than t o chemists, who ~ v o u l d probably prefer broad reviews written by specialists or a collection of Bayer’s original publications. The reviewer cannot agree with some of t h e opinions expressed in the book. For example the statement t h a t PAS and lsoniazide were not biologically screened before 1946 and 1950, respectively, becxuse they
