is much more than a mere updating of the text of the first edition. Every chapter has been extensively revised, most of them completely reorganized and rewritten. Whole new sections have been added to round out the coverage of the earlier edition. Thus, for example, Chapter 9, in which the sections on esters of polyhydric alcohols and iuteresterification have been greatly expanded, also has new sections on kinetics, esterification practices, indirect methods of esterification, esters of oyolio dcohols, and reactions, properties and uses of esters. While more of the alder literature is thus involved, and some of its mare significant oontrihutions came in for extended discussion, much of the text is devoted to reviews of recent work, the advent of new research teohniques and the development of presently accepted theories and practices. Much attention is given thraughout the book to consideration of reaction mechanisms. Many useful tables of data have been added. Specialists in any branch of fatty acid chemistry will find this a most valuable reference text. Teachers and advanced students in organic chemistry might also find here much to interest them regarding the present status of chemical investigation in this field.
increase in weight of metala on calcination was not unembiguously demonstrated until the work of Guyton de Morvem in 1771 (published in "Digressions academiques" in spring of 1772). Although there were numerous instances where increase of weight on calcination had been reported, there were equally impressive instances reported of weight loss on calcination. Guyton settled the matter with a series of careful experiments, then went on to explain the weight gain on a phlogistio basis. Lavoisier was impressed by the experiments, not by the explmrttions. Dr. Guerlac has examined d l conceivable facets of the problem to develop a plausible, albeit oocasionctlly (and admittedly) speculative, reconstruotion of the chain of events leading to Lavoisier's experiments on the combustion of phosphorus and the reduction of lithssge. In doing 80, he has examined all of the pertinent documents, quoting extensively from them. A valuable appendix gives d l of the principal doouments in French. The book is a valuable study of the formative period in the history of chemistry.
AARONJ. IWE Univergity of Wiseasin Madison
ROBERTN. WENZEL 32 B ~ y n Mawr Road Pittdurgh 21, Pennsylvania Reactivity of Solids
Lavoirier: The Crucial Year
Henry Gumlac, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Comell University 240 pp. Press, Ithaca, 1961. xix 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $4.50.
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Although much attention has been given to Lavoisier's work and thought in 1774 and subsequently, there has been very little done on the earlier influences which led him to seek the role of the air in such chemical processes as combustion, calcination, and respiration. Except for a few short works by Max Speter and Andrew Meldrum, mostly dealing with notes written by Lavoisier in the latter half of 1772, the factors leading Lavoisier to perform his experiments showing the weight gain of phosphorus and sulfur on combustion have hardly been examined. Henry Guerlsc has worked carefully to close this gap in our knowledge of the Chemical Revolution. The author has recreated the state of chemical knowledge in France a t this time and shows that Lsvoisier revealed no interest in the calcination of metals or in the chemistry of phosphorus before midsummer in 1772. The common allegations suggesting the influence of the British pneumatic chemists are found wanting, since the works of Black and Priestley were only hemming known to the French chemists late in 1772. However, the "Vegetable Staticks" of Hales is shown to have been of influence in directing the thought of both Lavoisier and Turgot to the possible role of air in the reactions of metals and their calms. It is further shown that the fact of the
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Journal of Chemicol Education
Edited by J. H. de Boer, Technological University, Delft, The Netherlands, et al. Elsevier Publishing Co. (Distributed in the U. S. hy D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., Princeton, New 762 pp. Figs. Jersey), 1961. x and tablerr. 17 X 25 cm. $28.75.
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The subject of the chemioal reactivity of solid substances baa fascinated the human mind for a long time, and attracted wide interest both scientifically and technologically. I t is a subject which covers a variety of phenomens. associated with the chemistry and physios of solids: solid state reactions and transformations, adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis, sintering, and crystal growth. Progress toward an understanding of the hasic variables which control solid st& reactivity and a rational classification of the effects associated with them has been slow. To a large extent this was the result of a lack of a common language and exchange of ideas between the investigators of solid state phenomena. In order to remedy this situation the Internationd Symposia on the Reactivity of Solids were established, the first of which was held in Psri~a in 1948. The Fourth Symposium took place in Amsterdam in 1960 and the contents of the 81 lectures presented there, with the ensuing discussions, have been collected in the volume under review. The task of editing such a collection of widely different papers is always difficult and ungratifying. In this case the editor of the volume, Prof. J. H. de Boer, who has also been president of the organizing committee of the Symposium, has performed an outstanding service. Problems of selection of areas of discussion, of papers
to he presented (in order to avoid overLapping with other symposia) have been solved in a very commendable manner. The result is a volume giving an up-to-date account of the latest, most important problems in solid state reactivity. The areas covered involve the mechanism and kinetics of reactions of solids, the factors iduencing the reactivity, and reactivity studies with technical implication. An introductory lecture, which broadly discusses the position of the papers in terms of present knowledge, precedes the papers of each of the three areas. In addition an opening lecture by J. H. de Boer is included. The first area on transport processes in solids is divided into three parts. The first part includes papers covering aspects of diffusion and sintering in metal oxides, single and multieomponent. The second part deals with reaction of solids with solids, gases, and liquids. The emphasis of theae articles is on the kinetics of processes like spinel formation, lowtemperature oxidation of germanium and of intermetallie compounds, exchange resotion between vapor and solid, isotopic exchange hetween solid and liquid phases, and polymerization in the solid state. The third part deals with allotropic transitions, phase trrtnsformations, and thermal decomposition. These papers cover thermodynamio, structural, and kinetic aspects of solid state transformations. The second area discussed in the book, factors influencing solid state reactivity, is concerned mainly with the implicstions of solid state defects on the reactivity, reactivity induced by radiation, and the influence of pressure on reactivity. The last topic is quite timely; it is probably the first time that a collection of papers on the effect of pressure on diffusion and solid state transformation appears. A second group of papem discusses the influence of gas atmosphere and crystal size on reactivity, while a third group of articles analyzes the effect of crystal structure, including effect of dislooation, on solid state reactivity. The third area covers problems of 8. more technological nature, as encountered in ceramic fabrication techniques, in ceramicmetal junctions, in glasses and grsphite technology. The hook ends with a group of articles on experimental and apparatus methods: ion microscope, neutron diffraction, spectrophotometric and luminescence techniques. As a whole, the book is a very vivid and clear representation of the present state of knowledge in this field. The general and review lectures make the book informative to readers with little familiarity with the field, and enable them to proceed to the individual papers. Any scientist who is actively engaged in research in the field of the physical cbemistry of solids cannot avoid using the book for consultation of individual aarticles. In addition, some of the papers lend themselves very well to discussion problems for an advanced course in solid atate. The volume, therefore, should appeal to a wide group of persons in(Continued on page A550)
