simple method of balancing organic reactions of the oxidation-reduction type; a list of reference books and journals; and tables of logarithms and international atomic weight,^. The book is well-indexed, with 57 pages. T h e r e there is more than one veferenre to a rompound, the most important disrussion is listed in boldface type. The book is well-wt.ittcn; no elmxs n-ere noted. Many of the criticisms of the earlier edition have heen eorrwtecl. Tho book is sectioned and easy to follow. Cross references are frequently and wisely used. A few more biographies are included, although more might have been desirable. Helpful review questions, often of a pmhlem nature, and literature references are given a t the end of each chapter. Industrial processes for the synthesis of important substances are often described in detail for the purpose of providing some understanding of the difference in materials used and in reaction conditions between a. synthesis carried out in the lsboretory, and the commercial synthesis of the same substance. Yields are often mentioned in order to emphasize the fact that conversion of one organic m b ~ t a n r einto another is usually far from romplete. The reviewer is not in agreement uith the order of presentation of topics. For example, the importance of alkyl halides as synthetic intermediates n.ould suggest earlier presentation. The authov has drlayed this chapter in order that a l k d hal-
ides might follow the chapter on mechanisms-this is good. The theoretical chapters were postponed so as to give the student some familiarity with organic reactions-this is good. However the entire section (mechanisms, orbital, alkyl halides) could have been moved forward before the chapter on deahols and ethers to better advantage. Likewise the chapter on aldehydes and ketones, following alkyl halides, and eight chapters sfter alcohols, and six chapters after acids, seems out of place. The newer theoretical electronic concepts are introduced ear1.v and used frequently throughout the text. Liken-ise, the mechanisms of most organic reactions are explained well, and the style and manner arc easy to follon-. Although the book contains more than can be covered in a year, the teacher can easily and canveniently suggest the more important material.
platinum complex compounds and comuletes the datinum series of whi?h Darts A-c werebuhlished from 1938 to i951. This volume is especislly complete in that the Gmelin Institute reviewed the entire Russian platinum literature. Their findings as nell as those of other researrhen to the end of the year 1953 me included. The introductory chapter, 38 pages, deals with thearrangement of the material, nomenclature, formula, a summary of the more important ligands and their ahhreviations and a summary of Russian literature. I t also gives a brief review of thc historic development and a general description of the properties of platinum complex compounds. The nature and the importance of the trans effect are discussed with special emphasis on its importance in advancing the knowledge of platinum complex compounds. There are 2880 platinum compounds described in the main part, 589 pages, of this volume. This tremendous amount of material is rapidly available due to the systematic arrangement and the inclusion of a formula index arranged by type and liumber of neutral ligands. This volume illustrates the care and thoroughness of the entire Gmelin series. Active workers in the field of platinum rhemistry will appreciate the convenience and utility of this work.
SAMUEL P. M l S S I E
F ~ s vU s r v ~ n r r ~ r NASRIILLE. TENNEBSEE
GMELINS HANDBUCH DER ANORGANISCHEN CHEMIE. SYSTEM 68: PLATINUM Edited by the Gmelin Institute under the direction of E. H. E. Pietsch. Eighth edition. Verlag Chemie, GmbH, Weinheim Bergstrasse, Germany, 1957. 1iv 638 pp. 2 5 figs. 17.5 X 25.5 cm. 590.
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ROY I. GRADY
THISnew volume of Gmelins Hnndhook of Inorganic Chemistry is devoted to the
COLLECEO F WODSTER woorrm. 0x10 ~
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
