a catalyzed reaction its rate depends in part on the nature and concentration of catalytic species. John C. Speck. Jr. Michigan State University East Lansing. Michigan 48823
How to Solve General Chemlstry Problems. Finh Edition.
C. H. Sorum, University of Wisconsin and R. S. Boikess. Fluteem 1Jnivcrsit.v~ ~, ..~ Prentice-Hall, Ine., Englewood Cliffs, 1916. xii 301 pages. Figures and tables. 15 X 23 cm. $5.95
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In this fifth edition new chapters are added on bonding and structure, colligative properties of solutions, kinetics, thermodynamics and thermochemistry, and the interactions between electromagnetic radiation and matter. Simultaneous equilibria prohlems are treated in detail using the main reaction approximation. More attention is given to buffer solutions and other aspects of aqueous equilibria which have biological interest. Aside from these additions, the concise and lucid explanations of the previous edition have been retained with only minor changes. The second edition of this book has been reviewed (this Journal, 36, 52 (1959).) One small hut important exception to this lucidity is in the area of significant figures (pp. 2427), in which no clear distinction is made between tntssured and counted numbers, a i they nflert i h nunilwr ~ ofdlowrd si:uifirant figures in an answer. S.I. o n m are neither used nor mentioned. Many new problems are included in addition to the best ones from the fourth edition, giving a good range of problem difficulty with most in the moderate area. There are a total of 819 problems, of which 294 are immediately followed by complete solutions or guiding hints, and complete answers to all problems are in the back of the book. The appendix contains eleven tables of useful data. The general clarity of the explanations and the variety of well-chosen problems should result in wide use ofthis volume as a supplementary problem book and self-learning aid. J. Michael Canner Regis College Denver. Colorado 80221
Mathematical Technlques in Chemistry
Joseph B. Denee, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1975. xv 442 pages. Figures and tables. 16 x 23.5 cm. $14.50
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How many times have you heard the student's lament, "I never thought I'd use that mathematical technique when I saw it in Math 101; and now that I have t o use it in chemistry, I can't remember what to do!"? Professor Denee's book represents a comprehensive attempt to provide chemistry undergraduate and graduate students with the mathematical twls required in chemistry, as well as the motivation to learn mathe-
matics through applications t o chemical problems. I believe this text will find favor with graduate students and with professionals who have experienced the frustration mentioned above. I t is less appropriate for its professed principal use as a text for undergraduate chemistry students who have completed only a year of calculus. The material is right, but the compressed nature of the mathematical presentation, combined with rather advanced applications, will lead t o difficulties with students who have the minimal background. "Mathematical Techniques in Chemistry" begins with a review of basic algehra and arithmetic and then turns in individual chapters to differentiation, integration, series expansions, differential equations, matrieies, vectors and tensors and special functions. Each chapter contains extensive problem sets (although without solutions) which stress chemical applications. Mast chapters are well written, mathematically very concise, and contain a good selection of topics for further application in chemistry. For example, the chapter on differentiation contains an extensive "Digression into Thermodynamics" including applications of the Maxwell relationships. Fourier transforms are considered as a special ease of the definite integral, and the matrix eigenvalue-eigenvector problem is applied to calculations of the vibrational frequencies of small molecules. Other applications are of similar chemical maturity so that students probably won't benefit from the chemical motivation until after their physical chemistry courses-and those are exactly the courses that the mathematical content of this text should precede. With that in mind, this text ean be strongly recommended as an excellent guide for seniors and might well be recommended as the text for a required introductory graduate course in chemical mathematics. Joseph L. Lippert Rochester inslihne of Technology Rochester. New York 14623
Electron Movemenk A Gulde for Students of Organic Chemistry
Daniel R. Weeks, Seton Hall University. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1976. xv 133 pages. Figures and tables. 19.5 X 26 cm. $4.95
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This book is designed as a supplementary work book for use in a typical first-year organic chemistry course. The author effectively utilizes a programmed approach t o cover the fallowing three major areas: (1) Lewis Structures, (2) Resonance Structures, and (3) Mechanisms. The first of these chapters provides the student with a set of six rules to be used in constructing correct Lewis structures for a variety of organic molecules encompassing nearly all important functional groups. Of special interest in thischapter are the sections dealing with presentation of formal charges on molecules and ions. The second chapter is devoted to presentation of a few simple rules for writing resonance structures followed by numerous exercises in which the student is required to draw reso(Continued on page A322) Volume 54, Number 7, July 1977 1 A321
book reviews n a m e forms for simple ions, benzene and benzenoid hydrocarbons, substituted benzenes. and neutral molecules which oossess reqonanre strurturea w ~ t hrhnrge sep&xion. 'l'tw final chapwr deal* with electronic redistributions which occur in a seriea of typical organic reactions involving heterolytic bond breaking and formation. Included are reactions illustrating sigma bond breaking, sigma bond makine. . .. simultaneous bond makine and breaking, complex mechanisms, and rearmngcmanla. ,\BI excellent c d l e c l ~ m of mcchnni$rie cxnmplei hnr heen r o m p h d ,n this chapter. T h e text is definitely student oriented, with 244 programmed exercises and answers. During the course of working a representative number of exercises and checking answers, no tvooeraohical errors were noted. .. A m m g supplemrntnry texts currently a\ndahle for n hegrnnmg orgnntc course, the present text is unique in content. I t should prove valuable t o instructors who wish to establish in their students a good understanding of electronic principles which are now a n integral part of all modern organic chemistry courses.
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computational method. The consequences of these results with respect to the conservation of orbital symmetry is pointed out but not developed further. The Hiickel treatment is then justified by a more complete development of LCAO-MO theory. Acidity functions and acid-base catalysis are discussed in detail in the following chapters. Boltzmann distributions and absolute reaction rate theory arc developed and the results applied to equlibrium and kinetic isotope effects, with numerical examples. Finally, the stereochemistry and kinetics of carbanionic reactions are discussed. This boak provides the lecturer with extensive room for outside reading and for extensionsand examples based on the research interests of the students and the department. It is not designed to serve as a reference source or as an unsupplemcnted text. Kenner A. Christensen
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J a m F. Wolte Virginia Polylechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, 24061
Physical Organlc Chemistry: The Fundamental Concepts
Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois 60201
Chemistry Cassettes. CC1: Heavy Metals a s Contaminants of the Human Environment, 100 minutes CC2: Some Aspects of the Electrochemistry of Solutions, 34 minutes CC3: Some Organic Reaction Pathways, 68 minutes
Peter Grouer, General Editor, Chemistry Caiuin D. Rilchie, State University of New York-Buffalo. Marcel Dekker, Ine., New York, 1975. vii 283 pages. Figures and tables. 16 X 23.5 em. No price given.
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This book has been written as a textbook to accompany a well-lectured course in physical organic chemistry far seniors and first-year graduate students. It places its emphasis on a thorough understanding ofthe most important aspects of physical organic chemistry, rather than attempting to provide a survey of the field. There are relatively few examples, and theseare chosen to illustrate the theory, rather than to provide a body of data. The discussion remains on the principles, and experimental methods and treatment of data are not covered. The derivations of equations are carried out in sufficient detail so that a student should be able to follow them with the aid of pencil and paper. Problems are given at the end of each chapter, along with a list of references to more specialized texts and review articles. Matrix algebra is introduced early in the treatment of the kinetics of consecutive reactions, rather than being relegated solely to molecular orbital theo(y. The first chapter covers rate laws and the trcatment of simultaneous and consecutive reactions, including the development of matrix algebra. Further chapters discuss the use of kinetic information in the elucidation of reaction mechanisms. Thevarious empirical relationships between structure and reactivity are then introduced. The chaoter on molecular orbital I h a q begin, uilh the prewnlntmn of Huckcl MO thmr) ac a ,tepu ,be recipc Severd exampltr rcrvc to lliurlrdlc lrnportanl drpecls about r-electron systems as well as illustrating the ~~~~
A322 / Journal of Chemical Education
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Cassettes, University of Aston, Birmingham, England. CCI by Derek BryceSmith, University of Reading; CC2 by Graham Hills, University of Southamptan: and CC3 hv Peter Svkes. Christ's C'oIIegr. ~ d u c a t i < h a~echi&,uis l Suhlert Gruup of the C'hrmiral Scmety.' I Y f , . C C l , f l ?5 CC'Af'l.80 & CC:I. N.25. Accompanying booklets: CC1: Heavy Metals as Contaminants of the Human Environment by D. BryceSmith, iii 38 pp. CC2: Some Aspects of the Electrochemistry of Solutions by Graham Hills. 20 pp. CC3: Some Organic Reaction Pathways by P Sykes. 28 pp. All booklets published by Educational Techniques Subject Group,* 1975. Figs. and tables. Additional copies of aeeampanying booklets cast 50p each or E4.00110. * Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, Herts, SG6 l H N , England.
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T h e three instructional modules under hrrr earh wnsist "fa tape cassette and a prmtrd bwklet, intended to be used together by the student. Bryce-Smith (contrasted to the much more encompassing title) treats t h e toxicology of three heavy metals, mercury, cadmium, and lead in detail with adiscussion of the sources of contamination and the nutritional and physiological and biochemical aspects of their ingestion by humans either directly or through plant products. T h e style of presentation is not unlike a lecture, with the lecture notes supplied by the lecturer and t o which there has been appended a n extensive set of further comments. The effect resembles ~~
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