hy Neckeri and Dcylr joins the half dozen or other rurh texts ~ h i r hhave a p p ~ n r r din the last several years attempting to capture some of the market which has heen dominated for more than a decade by the text authored by Morrison and Boyd. In a somewhat unusual venture, with this entry by Neckers and Doyle and a 1976 book by Salamons, the publishen (Wiley) have committed themselves to two full-year texts. But it is probable that the two bwks are meant to serve slightly different audiences with the text by Neckers and Doyle appearing somewhat mare rigorous. Neckers and Doyle claim as their goal providing a modern, thorough introduction to organic chemistry. This reviewer believes that they have achieved that goal admirably. The book integrates nicely the areas that form the bulwark of organic chemistry: structure, reactions, mechanism, and synthesis. The functional group approach is retained and the pedagogically sound technique of reinforcement is utilized by recalling a previously introduced topic before expanding into a related area. In contrast to the slow start that some view as a criticism of Morrison and Boyd's textbook, Neekersand Doyle treat the common functional groups a t a much earlier stage. In typical fashion, whereas the halogenation of alkanes is mentioned an p. 50 as a means of preparing alkyl halides, the detailed free radical chain vncchaniim is d~scusaedinure appruprinrdg much later in ('haplrr I. under the grnrral I w i c uf hcmolstic rvacliuni. This a .~. ~ n hu c allows for an early overview of the major features of organic chemistry and aids understanding and perspective. The functional group approach is not purely traditional, however. Instead of relegating each group t o its own chapter, Neckers and Doyle combine the related functionalities to emphasize the interrelationships and similarities (Chapter 11, compounds containing carbon, hydrogen. and oxygen; Chapter 16, compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen). Spectroscopy and stereochemistry are introduced early (Chapters 4 and 9, respectively) and interwoven appropriately throughout the remainder of the hook. Chapter 6 provides a unique introduction to (Continued on page A320) it,
An introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry Norman L. Allinger, M.Jerome Bigelow, and Harmon C. McAllister. Wadsworth Publishing Co., Inc., Belmont, California, 1976. xxii 582 pp. Fig. and tables. 17.2 X 24.2 em.
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This hook allots 14 chapters (244 pp) to general and inorganic chemistry, 10 chapters (146 pp) to organic chemistry, and 11chapters (109 pp) plus 5 supplements (31 pp) t o biological chemistry. Part 1contains a fairly standard semester of work, with topics ranging from measurements through elements, reactions, atomic structure, periodicity, bonding, solutions, the kinetic-molecular theorv. ..eauilibrium. oxidation-reduction. electrochemi~try,the &nosphere, and nuclear chemistry. Part 2 offers relatively short chapters on hydrocarbons, oxygenated compounds such as alcohols and ethers, earhonyl compounds, carhoxylic acids, steroids, amines, natural products, polypeptides and proteins, and carbohydrates. Part 3, in turn, devotes 5 chapters to nucleic acids and proteins, 1 chapter t o blood chemistry, and 5 chapters to various aspects of metabolism. In addition, the supplements of Part 4 deal with the make-up of cells, enzymes, photosynthesis, nutrition and digestion, and hormones. Twosppendices, one on weights and measures and the other on properties of water, are also included. The book concludes with an extensive index. Eachchapter in the first two parts contains a number of questions interspersed through the text, and ends with a brief summary, solutions to questions in the text, and a further group of general questions. Answers to most of the latter are provided toward the end of the book. Part 3 is similar, hut contains no questions in the text, and usually only 3 or 4 general questions a t the end uf each chapter. Key words and phrases are underscored in all chapters. ~
This book makes a very good imprrssiun. The nuthors have admirahly met theirswted goal ofdesignmg a t ~ x l kfor the nunsrienr~ major. Consumer and environmental eoncerns have been integrated into the text as extensions of basic chemical principles, with the primary emphasis on the latter. This is done in such a skillful manner that the authors have avoided both condescension and sensationalism, which seem t o have inevitably crept into many texts designed for the nonscience major. Of course, there are some subjective statements which will not evoke universal agreement, but these have certainly been minimized. The level of presentation is high compared toother booksdesigned far a terminal course. The section on general and inorganic chemistry would compare favorably with the corresponding chapters in some texts designed far the regular first-year course. The production of the book is excellent. It is well-illustrated, and with a certain amount of humor in some places. Although there probably are some, the reviewer did not notice asinglemisprint. In all, this hook represents a significant contribution to its class, and should receive serious consideration for adoption as a text for one-year, terminal courses designed for nonscienee majors.
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Carl D. Slater Memphis State University Memphis,. Tennessee 38 152
Organic Chemistry Douglas C. Neckers, Bowling Green State University, and Michael P. Doyle, Hope College. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1977. xxxvi 1147 pages. Figures and tables. 18 X 26 em. $21.95
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The organic professor has yet another full-year text from which to choose. This book
Volume 54, Number 7, July 1977 / A319
book reviews reaction mechanisms and reactive intermediates following the usual coverage of kinetics, potential energy diagrams, thermodynamics, etc. It is in this chapter that the authors lay the groundwork for the mechanistic approach utilized throughout the remainder of the hook to tie together the myriad of organic chemical reactions into recognizable types. The text appears very readable although this judgement must ultimitely rest with the student who is encountering the topic of organic chemistry for the first time. The authors do not attempt to mimic the "conversational" style of Morrison and Boyd. Adequate references to biochemical and industrial oroeesses are made and a number of brief, but enjoyable, historical perspectives are given. The figures and illustrations are done very well although in some cases are unnecessarily redundant (Figures 6.5 and 6.9; pages xxxivand 10).There are a large number of oroblems of varvine.. difficultv both a t the w d s and sprmkled thruughout the rhaptcrr. Hecause 131the funddmrntal importance 01 wurking pnhlems t t r the understanding uf organicchemistry, the number and quality provided is definitely a highlight of the book. Although not a serious flaw, this reviewer found somewhat annoying the publisher's practice of placing the subtopic headings in the margin of the text and not indenting, shading, or otherwise more obviously offsetting the problems that appear within the chapters. As it is, the problems, special sections, and basic text are not as clearly differentiated as might he desired. Answers to selected problems are provided a t the back of the text and a "Solutions Manual" is available giving detailed answers end enlightening problem-salving methadology. In addition, a "Study Guide" can be purchased which provides a programmed review in a workbook format which this reviewer believes many students will appreciate. All problems are crowreferenced t o the appropriate section in the textbook to keep the student on track. Finally, there is an instructor's manual and a student study guide for a personalized system of instruction (PSI or Keller Method) utilizing the text by Neckers and Doyle. All in all.. this new text bv Neckers and Dc.yle n done well and insrrum.rs must cerrninly cmsidcr it as o contender fur sdoptiw for their full-year organic course.
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Wayne C. Danen Kansas State University knhanan, 66506
comprehensible rather than comprehensive." Whether or not the authors intended this as a n answer to the question, this reviewer would add that there is plenty of room for a fresh approach in surveying this complex field; he presumes that they had this in mind, however. Yudkin and Offord have divided their "Biochemistry" into four parts: (1) macromolecules, (2) intermediary metabolism, (3) informational molecules, and (4) regulation. Some 30 pages of material entitled "Kinetics and Thermodynamics in Biochemistry" precede these sections, however, and two appendices deal with enzyme kinetics and biological separations. Two concluding sections provide references for further reading and answers to problems appearing a t the ends of certain chapters and principal divisions. The book is well and attractively printed in a two-column format. Brown ink is used for contrast and emphasis. There are numerous diagrams and structural formulas; most are bald and clear. This reviewer detected few typogmphical ernm Much uf the material in this hook is standard fcrr abbrewnted hiwhpmistry teatbwks, less common are a short section dealing with X-ray crystallography of proteins and two chapters covering molecular genetics and protein evolution. The development proceeds according to a logical plan which has produced much interdependence between the various sections (those who use this hook for teaching may not find i t easy todepart from the order in which the subjects are presented). The style is interesting, if not a modelof conciseness. Students probably will find much of the material easy t o comprehend. Unfortunately there is another side to this hook, for in this reviewer's opinion three unnecessary defects seriously diminish its quality. The first of these is a leaning toward superficiality (an example is the avoidance of chemical mechanism). Such a tendency often renders biochemical phenomena more difficult to understand than does probing them to greater depth and, especially where chemistry is involved, it does little t o reinforce a student's hackground. The second is a curiously oldfashioned overemphasis on thermodyamic control. We see no fresh apnraach here and we wonder whether students using this buok wll e w r iundtmwnd that lor living cell5 there are mnn) rhermrrlynamienllg pvisible reactions which for kinetic reasons never occur during the life process. The third is the number of factual errors, especially in the area of organic chemistry, that occur in this hook. One of the worst of these appears on p. 30 in the midst of a discussion of low energy barriers for chemical reaction. We quote, "For some reactions the barrier is very low indeed. We will meet a t least one such case later in the reaction ag l u m + 0-glucnse (p. 161). This cme makes the neeessarv, m i n t s verv clearlv. Neither form of gluwsecan he kept from approaching on eqtzilihrium mixture for sufficiently h u g tu store the ~natcrial.One cannot, fur rxnmple, purchase a-and @-glucoseseparately, but only as the equilibrium mixture." For those who do not know the facts they are: (1) crystalline a-and 8-elucose are ~ e r f e c t l vstable. 12) hv ~. orooer attention t o the elucoie-water phabediagram m y of the three iorms,anhyd n u s u-,,.-munohwlrnte, o r 3-glucose, may be prepared by recrystallization from aqueous solution, and (3) glucose mutarotation is not a n exceedingly fast reaction, although as
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Michael Yudkin and Robin Offord, University of Oxford. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1975. Figs. and tables. x + 528 pages. 21.5 X 24 em.
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Why another introductory biochemistry textbook? Yudkin and Offord ask a similar question in the preface to their "Biochemistry" and later state that they have "aimed a t making (their) treatment of biochemistry
