BOOK REVIEWS Synthesen Organischer Verbindungen. Band I. B y Akademiemitglied A . K . NESMEJASOW and PROF.P. A . ROBROW’. Akademie der 1V‘issenschaften der UdSSR, Institut f u r Organische Chemie. S’EB 1-erlag Technik, Berlin, Germany. 1959. 160 pp. 15 x 21 cm. Price, DM 16.--. This first volume of a projected Russian series in s)-nthetic organic chemistry, now in a German edition, is similar in form and content t o its American counterpart. T h e volume comprises detailed procedures for t h e preparation of sixty compounds, only seven of which have appeared t o date in “Organic Syntheses.” For these seven compounds, either different methods or improved yields are described. The individual directions have n o t been tested by independent workers. However, the editors have “endeavored t o include only repeatedly used and consequently reliable methcids.” Inclusion of preparations for more than one compound b>the same chemical reaction has resulted in considerable repetition. T h e coupling of a Grignard reagent with an allylic chloride is illustrated by preparations of 1-heptene, 4,4dimethyl-1-hexene and 3-butyl-1-cyclopentene. Separate preparations for cyclobutane-1,l-dicarboxylicester and its 3-methyl’homolog are described by tlie malonic ester synthesis. Substituted pyrroles are formed by t h e condensation of 2,5-hexanedione with both aniline and methylamine. R,10-Dimethylanthracene and two methylated benzologs are prepared by the action of methyl halide on the corresponding aryllithium compounds. Five compounds including cyclopentane and t w o homologs are made by catalytic hydrogenation. Direct additions of antimony pentachloride, glycerol and several aliphatic alcohols t o acetylene are described. The resulting vinyl ethers are converted t o a-halo ethers and a,p-dihalo ethers. Classical reactions are used for the syntheses r)f diacyl halides, diamides, dinitriles and related diamines from adipic and sebacic acids. Several compounds such as rieoplasmochin, triisobutylene and three bis-(2-dimethylamino-5pyridy1)-methane derivatives appear t o have limited applicability. Friedel-Crafts alkylation o f acetanilide and tile use of alkox~.methylp~.ridine and quinoline salts for the syntheses of alkoxy acetals and alkox>-esters are of special interest. The syntheses in this volume were contributed mainly by eo-workers a t the 1nsti.iute for Organic Chemistry. Future volumes are t o have broader scope. DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY 1-IARRY 1 ) . Z O O K PEXNSYLVANIA STATE VSIVERSITY UNIVERSITY PARK, PENSSYLVANIA Synthesis and Organisation in the Bacterial Cell. C l B A Lectures in hlicrobial Biochemistry, B y E. F. GALE. John \Tiley and Sons, Iiic., 440 Fourth Avence, S e w York 16, K . Y. 1959. vii 110 pp. 1 3 X 19 cm. Price, $3.50. This volume consists of thrcr lectures given :it the Iiutgers liistitute of Microbiology. The first lecture is a comprelicnsive revien- of current knowledge of the organization of tlie bacterial cell, while the remainder of the book, concerned with the synthesis of protein and the nucleic acids, is more restricted in scope than the title might suggest. ‘Tlic review of bacterial organization presents a clear, \uccinct, and well-balanced account of an area iii which reIias been rapid. For tn:iny years the iiitercsl t s in bacteria hits been based t o a large extent I III the identity of many pathways of interniediary rnetahI disiii i i i :ill living forms; bacteria ha\Te provided especiallj. re\wrdiiig niaterid for analyzing tlie pathways of bins>ritliesis o f tlie building blocks of protein and nucleic acids. This biochemical unity, however, does not extend t o the exteriial en\-clopeh of cells; anti the recent preparation of relativcly pui-r lxictcriai ~ r a l l slixs led t o the discovery uf : I I I ~ I I I I I ) ~ o~ f~ lire\ iriusly i i i i k i i m v i i Iiuiltling hlocks, uiiiquc. 10 l ~ : l ~ ~ < t ~ ’I‘lrc. r i , i . f i ) r t i i : l t i i r l i d i l i ~w I I f n i m i l l w i i i i i l < II,I-.
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been found t o be the site of action of a number of cheiiicitherapeutic agents, thus explaining the selective toxicit)t h a t has made these compounds useful. Dr. Gale shows clearly how such studies 011 chemotherapeutic action and oil macromolecule synthesis in bacteria have mutually reinforced each other. Having provided a broad background, t h e author devotes the remainder of the book largely t o his own studies. 1Vhile this procedure is most fitting for a lecture series, t h e present studies have not yet yielded as clear a pattern as one would like t o see in a book. In mammalian cells the roles of :imino acid-activating enzymes, soluble KXX, and particulate RSh-protein (ribosomes) in protein synthesis seem quite firmly established. Dr. Gale stresses apparent differences in the mechanism in bacteria, including membrane.; rather than ribosomes as the principal site of protein synthesis, specific incorporation factors for the various amin,) acids, and incorporation of amino acids into “amino acid-):.” As yet these several substances have not been defined chemically, and their relation t o protein synthesis is iiot clear. And on general principles, one may wonder whether as universal a process as protein synthesis will fail t o exhibit the unity t h a t has been demonstrated for amino acid and iiucleotide sj,nthesis. D r . Gale’s provocative findings 011 protein s)-iitliesis arc primarily of interest t o the specialist in protein synthesis; b u t the discussion of bacterial organization can be reconimended strongly t o the more general reader. DEPARTXEKT OF T~ACTEKIOLOGY ASD IwnrusoLocr. HARVARD MEDICALSCHOOL BERNARD D. UAYE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Ionenaustaucher. Band I. Grundlagen. Struktur. Herstellung. Theorie. By F.HELFFERICII. 1.erlag Clieniie, G m . b . H . , Pappelallee 3, Weinheim/Bergstr., Germany. 1959. viii f 520 pp. 17 X 24.5 cm. Price, Dhl., 48.--. This treatisc 011 the theory- of ion-exchange material5 written in German is tlie most complete arid concise compilation in the field. T h e author has organized his complex subject matter in a very straightforward mariner and has managed t o condense and consolidate virtually all of our present knowledge of ion-exchange phenomena in twelve chapters. T h e general topics treated are: (1) structure and mode of action; ( 2 ) types of ion-exchangers; ( 3 ) manufacture; ( 4 ) capacity; (5) equilibrium; (6) kinetics; (7) electrochemical properties; (8) ion-exchange membranes; ( 9 ) ion-exchanger loading; ( 10) behavior in noli-aqueous and mixed media; (11) ion exchangers as catalysts; (12) electron-exchange and oxidation-reductiou ion exchangers. T h e book is completely documented and the discussions are illustrated with 153 diagrams and 14 tables of d a t a . The mathematical treatment is entirely adequate and i5 easy t o follow due to the author’s use of a consistent logical set of s)-mbols t o represent physical entities. . h y o n e interested in ion-exchange phenomena who has acquired a reading knowledge of the German language will find this book o f great value. I N S T I T U T E FOR ATOMICRESEA4RC€I JACK E D l V A K D PO\VEL12 IOX-A STATEUNIVERSITY AMES,IOWA
Methods of Experimental Physics. \‘olurne ti. Solid Electrical, Magnetic, and State Physics. Part R . Optical Properties. Fcditcti by I(. LARK-HOROVITZ mid \.IVIAN A . J o ~ s s o s Purduc , I‘niversity, I,afayettc, Iiidirtria. Acadetnic Press, Iiic., 1 1 1 Fiftli A V ~ I I L I C , 4113 pp. 1Ci X 3.,i S e w Tork 3 , N . Y. 1959. k i v c i n Price, $11 00. .Is iiiie o f :I series, t1ii.i volume co\-crs the electrical. ni:igtietic mid optical properties of solids. Likc the ot1ic.r ries tliis i\ :I ciillectiiiii rif :irticlcs l ) y I I I L I I I > ’ i t i ! l ~ ~ l ) t ~ i i ! l t ~ iii~t o i i t r i l i i i t o r ~ ,I ~ ~ I It l.i i - voIiiiii(. t l i t . I I I I I ~ I ~ I ( ~ I ~
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