BOOK
REVIEWS
College Chemistry
H a q H. Sisler, University of Florida, C. A . VanderWerf, Hope College, and Arthuv W . Dauidson, The University of Kansas. Assisted by Richard D. Dresdner, University of Florida. 3rd ed. The Macmillan Company, New York, 915 pp. Figs. and July 1967. x tables. 18.5 X 26 om. $9.95.
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Two previous editions of the highly regarded Sisler, VanderWerf, and Dsvidson general chemistry texts have made their reputation in large measure because of their straightforward, systematic, clearexposition of chemical principles. The 3rd edition, entitled "College Chemistry," maintains the high level of the earlier editions while drawing heavily upon the topics currently regarded as essential to the training of the modem chemist. In the opinion of the reviewer the authors have done an exceptional job of selecting the highly significant, from the mountainous emptians of the "knowledge explosion." To make space for the broad sampling of principles and concepts chosen, a considerable amount of pruning has obviously been necessam. ", iust to keeo the volume within the rather generous proportions of this latest and physically largest edition. Principles and concepts are skillfully interspersed with descriptive chemistry thus avoiding the booby trap of the monotony which results when the properties of the elements are discussed in a block, family after family. The first 9 chapters fo-
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-Reviewed
cus principally on states of matter, atomic structure and chemicsl bonding. An attractive feature of chepter 6 is the excellent delineation of the differing approaches of the valence bond and malecular orbital theories to the study of bond formation. The discussion is concise and to the point, with clear contrasts; enough detail hut not so much as to he cumbersome. In chapter 9, only 3 or 4 pages are devoted to quantitative volume and mass relations in chemical equations, an illustration of how mrtterials usually covered adequately in the secondary school program have been p a d down so as to provide needed space. The descriptive chemistry starts essentially with chapters 10 and 11, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. Following these two chapters which serve to illustrate the application of principles just studied, a second group of 8 "principles chapters" is initiated. These include, oxidation-reduction, rates of reaction, thermodynamics (an excellent interpretation of entropy and free energy), then 5 chapters centering about solution chemistry, including quite a comprehensive treatment of acid-base theory. Chapter 20 starts another &chapter Bequence of descriptive chemistry beginning with the halogens and working backwards in the periodic table from group 'ia to 4a, carbon-silicon. The latter chapter pravides m appropriate opportunity for introducing organic chemistry, a treatment which is lengthy (53 pages), but well-conceived. It includes such important topics as ir and nmr spectroscopy, bonding in or-
in this Issue
Hamy H. Sisler, C. A. VanderWerf, and Arthur W . Davidsm, College Chemistry Charles H . DePuy and Kaneth L. Rinehart, Jr., Introduction to Organic Chemistry Robert W . Lenz, Organic Chemistry of Synthetic High Polymers Klaus J. Vetter, Electrochemical Kinetics, Theoretical and Experimental Aspects
Fred Basolo and Ralph 0. Pearson, Mechanisms of Inorganic Reactiom-A Study of Metal Complexes in Solution
E. H. E. Pietsch and the Gmelin Institute, editors, Gmelins Handhuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8. AuEage, System Nummer 16,Phosphor. Formel-und Schlagwartregister New Volumes in Continuing Series
ganic molecules, conformations of cyclohexane, isomerism, functional groups, etc. For those who feel that biochemistry has a greater than average student appeal, the chapter The Chemistry of Life Processes will he an added feature. Topics include: Proteins, DNA-RNA and the genetic code, nucleotides and cellular energy transfer, hormones and chemotherapy. Once again capitalizing on the ourrent interest in macromolecules is the chapter entitled The Realm of the Giant Molecule, which includes polymerization, stereochemical control, silicones, etc. The group of 4 chaptern dealing with "special topics" closes with an excellent chapter on Non-Aqueous Systems which among other things, effectively brings out acid-base analogies in liquid ammonia and anhydrous sulfuric acid solvent systems. After s. one-chapter interlude on the alkali and alkaline earth metals, comes another outstanding chapter, the transition elements. The careful delineation of crystal field, valence bond and ligand field theories is particularly appealing. Fonr more descriptive chapters fallow, dealing with transition and sub-group elements. Completing the text are chapters on noble gas compounds and finally nuclear chemistry. All in all, this is an impressive list. The preface states, "A background in One calculus . . . is not assumed!, should hasten to add, however, that differentials and integrals are much in evidence in several chapters. These should not uresent a serious orohlem to the surprisingly large number of secondary school students now pursuing an introduction to calculus. At the end of each chapter is a list of suggested readings. Answers to selected problems are found in an appendix. There is a generous selection of good questions and problems. The illustrations are numerous and well executed. While the style of writing is mare orderly and logical than sparkling and glittering, there is throughout, evidence of careful selection m d elimination of the peripheral. This should prove to be a vahiable addition to the excellent texts now available. I t will undoubtedly prove to he a popular text.
DONALD S. ALLEN State University of New York at Albany Introduction to Owonic Chemistry
Charles H. DePuy, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Kenneth L. Rinehart, Jr., University of Illinois, Urbana. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1967. xii 392 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.5 X 24. 5 cm. $8.95.
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This introductory text is designed for a one semester college course in organio chemistry a t the sophomore or second semester freshman level. The authors utiliee the unified aliphatic-aromatic approach to explain organic chemical principles. A background in the nature and behavior of organic compounds is presented with a minimum treatment of mechanism. Practical applications of bath
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BOOK REVIEWS industrial and biochemical aspects are made an interesting part of the unfolding of thesuhject. Some idea of the contents of the text may he obtained from a resume of the sequence of chapters and certain highlights. In the first chapter structural aspects of organic compounds are introdnced with treatment of the spa character of tetrahedrally bound carbon and conformation of open chain compounds. Emphasis on nt,ntoture is continued in chapter 2 with the study of the conformation of ring compounds and geometric isomerism. The subject of each chapter is developed rapidly and discussed in a deliberate fashion. In the first five chapters, alkanes through aromatic hydrocarbons, six of the nine topics on reaction mechanism are covered. The topics of the next several chapters are alcohols, phenols, ethers, then only one-third of the way through the text, configurational isomerism is introduced, followed b y alkyl halides, then amines. Finally, the chemistry of aldehydes and ketones completes the sequence stressing manofunctional compounds. The groundwork
then turn to carbhydretes and insert chapt,ers on carbaxylic acids and enolate anion reactions before the chapter on proteins. One advantage of this order of presentation is that the student is thus afforded some relief from the complexit,ies of sugars and the development of macromolecular concepts on carbohydrates and proteins. The hook closes on a. sequence of three chapters, the first two of these provide a straightforward current treatment of biochemical reactions, metabolism, and biosynthesis. These chapters are designed well and should enhance the students' feeling that the study of organic chemistry is both meaningful and important. The concluding chapter on color and dyes is made to fit quite naturally into the overall framework of the text. Explanation and development of nomenclature in a given chapter is often brief. To complement this introduction reference is made to an appendix entitled "Self-correcting Study Guide for IUPAC Nomenclatore." The guide consists of instructive nomenclrtture prablems on one page followed by the answers on the reverse side. This orgltniastion contribotes to speeding the development of the chemistry in the chapter. There are approximately twenty-five figures in each chapter. This is, on the average, better than one figure per page. The figures are well cross-referenced and each is effectively and efficiently worked into the main text. Optimistically, it may be said that the completeness of the captions on the figures, their pointedness, and their t o t d coverage of the subject suggests they may he used as an important aid in making extensive and succinct weekly reviews. Problems and questions fall into two categories; sets of problems a t the end
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of each chapter and numerous questions integrated into the substance of each chapter. The integrated set of questions should induce the student to extract important information in the process of reading and studying. The questions and problems on the whole require more than the recall of simple facts; throughout the text the questions extend and develop the ideas expressed in eaoh phase of the subject. The questions will not only be challenging to many students but helpful in stimulating classroom discussion. This text is not supercharged with mechanism; the nine mechanisms covered range from reasonably hrief and pertinent discussions, e.g., electraphilic aromatic substitution to the cursory mention of an intermediate in esterification. The mechanism of enolate anion reactions discussed in chapter 12 is unfortunately lacking in the good coherence otherwise demonstrated throughout the book. Except for this deficiency, mechanisms are treated adequately for the intended student audience. As s whole, the text is remarkably free of errors. A t,ypographical error occurs in Fig. 12-13 p. 232 where diethyl carbonate should have a red carbonyl group to be consistent with the other equations; similarly, the carhoxyl group in Fig. 12-11 p. 231. The words "in cellohiose" should be omitted in the laat sentence on page 185. The schematic of glycogen on p. 19'2 is amisrepresentation in that the unit shows no branching. Erroneously glycogen is stated to resemble amylose rather than amylopection on p. 193. A gla"ng error occurs in Fig. 9-13 p. 164 where obviously the parts (a) and ( b ) of the captions should he interchanged. Unfortunately there is no definition of the wedged-shaped bonds in the figures on pages 35, 96, and 178; however obvious the meaning may appear, it may not he so to a student. I t is recognized that for a short course in organic chemistry much of the material must be abbreviated end contents somewhat arbitrarily chosen, however, the authors' treatment of a number of important topics is much too brief, especially for example, the Fischer projection formula page 178, and elimination reactions p. 128. Omission of other material, e.g., discussion of uses of halides, p. 132, would have provided space for expansion of an important topic such as elimination reactions. The treatment of nomenclature in the chapters leaves much to be desired although the supplementary appendix is helpful and a good idea. This book will provide very good support for a short course in organic chemistry, psrticularly where it is desirable to place less emphasis an mechanisms and involved types of syntheses than on other aspects of organic chemistry. The novelty of the text resides for the most pzrt on the strong biochemical orientation, on the unusually goad correspondence between the textual subjects and the diagrams, and on the substitution of a s ~ e c i a l question type of appendix t o support the text treatment of nomenclature.
M. BENTONNAPF Nationd Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland
Organic Chemistry of Synthetic High Polymers
Robert W. L a z , University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with contributions by Darrell C . Feay and Nathaniel S. Schneide~. Interscience Publishers ( a division of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 837 New York, March, 1967. xvi pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $15.
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The title of this hook is somewhat misleading because it is the chemistry of the polymerisation process, rather than that of the resulting polymer itself, that comprises the major portion of the text. Within this context Professor Lena provides a comprehensive survey of the entire field of synthetic organic polymers. The focus of the survey is the mechanism of the polymerization process with particular attention to the stringent restrictions imposed if a high molecular weight polymer of known structure is to he obtained. I n the first of two introductory chapters, Professor Lenz suggests the terminology "stepgrowth" and "chain-growth" to distinguish what is generally called "condensation" and "addition." Flory long ago proposed that the distinguishing feature of 8. polymerization should he the polymerization kinetics rather than the stoichiametry of the polymer structure; this suggestion has heen accepted and it seems to me that the introduction of mother terminology adds little to our understanding and may lead to confusion. The second chapter (contributed by N. S. Schneider) is an overview of structureproperty relations. References to standard texts endreviews are orovided to sum mer chemistry. The next six chapters treat stepgrowth (condensation) polymerization. There is a detailed discussion of virtually every specific polymer encompassed within the chapter headings; references to the original literature-including patents-are extraordinarily complete. This portion of the subject lends itself well t o a d i r cossion based on traditional organic chemistry and here the hook reads much like an organic text. The third main section of the text., six chapters, treats homogeneous chain-growth (addition) polymerization. Included here after a. general introduction is a discussion of arganio free radirals followed by detailed expositions of radical, anionic, and cationic palymeriastion. Both in its length (more than 300 pages) and the number of references (1118!) this portion of the book properly reflects the large amount of research and interest in these fields. The treatment is encyclopedic. The next major section deals with heterogeneous chain-growth polymeriaation-probably the most fascinating and least well understood aspect of polymerization chemistry. The major unsolved problems here are those of heterogeneous catalysis involving metall~organics, and the text shifts from traditional arganio chemistry t o emphasize the physical-inorganic aspects. This is all to the good. The artificial boundaries between the (Continued on page AI4Z)
