book reviews correctness of significant figures (Hooray!). There are four tables of data a t the end of the book hut for this particular text, the omission of a table of formation constants of metal-EDTA chelates is a serious oversight. The index, in a type-size much too small, is exceedingly complete. At the end of each chapter is a list of recommended references which is as current as 1969 in some eases. The hook is in grave need af tender loving editing. A glaring typo appears on the very first page (p. 3) and there are an excessive number throughout the book. There are inexplicable omissions such as, in many experiments, sample drying temperatures. There are curiosities such as the inclusion of a, warning about air bubbles in the buret tip in the directions for one, and only one, particular experiment (13.2) which is not even the first titration. There is a tendency to casually insert in sentences some rather important words, particularly modifiers and qualifiers. Jargon appears in many instances without any definition, or pages or even chapters prior to definition. Excess conciseness results in loss of clarity, cohesion and logical development in numerous topics; rewriting without restructuring and slightly expanding the treatment of some subjects would remedy these defects. It is hoped that there will be a. second edition of this book soon. I t bas too many novel and goad features to he allowed to languish because of editorial defects. ROGERH. WEISS Humboldt State College Areata, California 96681
Organic Reaction Mechanisms: An Introduction
Edited by Ronald Bmslow, Colombia University. 2nd ed. W. A. Benjamin, 272 pp. Inc., New York, 1969. ix Figs. and tt~bles. 22 X 14.5 em. $15.
+
The first edition of this little book did a remarkshly good job of presenting the basic notions of mechanistic organic chemistry in s. form that was readable, yet fairly sophisticated. The essentials of the subject are stripped of much non-essential jargon and very lucidly presented. The level is considerably beyond that of a typical general organic chemistry text. I have found this hook useful in courses ranging in level from sophomore to first year graduate school. The new edition preserves the spirit and most of the original text, adding about 15% new material. It promises to be s t least as useful as its predecessor. The first edition covered most of the main types of organic reactions, including electropbilic and nucleophilic diphatic and aromatic substitution, reactions of carbanyl compounds (including derivatives of crtrhoxylic acids), iqnic elimination and addition reactions, and free radical re-
A182
/
Journal of Chemkd Educofion
actions. The m a n addition to this is s new chapter on photoohernistry and a special topic on the Woodward-Hoffmann orbital symmetry ideas. The special topics focus attention on particular areas, either because of their special current interest (the orbital symmetry topio) or because they illustrate the methodology of the field particularly well (the sect,ion on r complexes in aromatic substitution). I t is a pity that the latter, dthough it has been rewritten, still lacks reference to the crucial experiments by Christy and Ridd on diheneyl, which appear to cast serious doubt on the conclusion Breslow has drawn. Particularly for beginning students I think i t would have been nice to use this as an illustrrttion of the continuous growth and change, even in the older areas of the field. This book should But this is a be remarkably effective as supplement to standard texts for bringing the spirit and a good deal of the substance of its field to students. M,lunlc~M. KREEVOY University of Minnesola Minneapolis
Problems in Structural Inorganic Chemistry
William E. Hatfield, University of North Caroline, and Richard A. Palmer, Duke University. W. A. Benjamin, Inc., New York, 1971. xi f 328 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 23 em. $4.95. This hook of ten chapters hrts been carefully compiled to provide a. balanced collection of problems (262 in all) in structural inorganic chemistry for senior undergraduate and firsbyear graduate students. The authors prepared the book with the aim of assisting students to develop a. better understanding of the modern quantitative aspects of inorganic chemistry. Chapter 1 cont.ains exercises which review mast of the important aspects of inorganic nomenelatme. Chapter 2 on elementary structure and stereochemistry covers a number of correlative rules (effective atomic number, full hybridization theory, boron hydride styx rules) that are useful for predicting molecular stoicbiometry and geometry. There are a few problems on dipole moments and conductivities. Same common problem arising in the quantum theory of a t o m , particularly as applied to atomic spectra, are presented in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 is designed to give an operational familiarity with aspects of group theory related to molecular symmetry. Chapter 5 on chemical bonding indudes prohlems on ianio bonding, valence bond theory, molecular orbital theory, and ligand field theory. The use of vibrational spectroscopy (infrared and Raman) and electronic spectroscopy to obtain information about (Continued on page A186)
book reviews bondilig and geornet1.y is covered ill Chapters 6 and 7, respectively. The utility of stat,ic magnetic susceptibility data in determining stereochemistry, bonding and electronic stroct,nres of metal complexes is t,he topic fur Chapter 8, while Chapter 9 illust,rates how magnetic resonance spectroscopy (nmr and epr) can be used to answer quest,ions of t,he st,ructure and bonding of inorganic compounds. Chapt,er 10 on hssie crystallog~.aphydeals with the elements of symmetry which apply to crystal structure analysis. The orientation is loward the need of chemiats to understand and use the results reported by crystrtlkq~.aphers. All topics are treated very well in terms of the overall design of the book. Each chapter has a very brief introduction (a. paragraph or two) as t o the type of prohlems inrluded, fallowed by a short list of general references which can be used to study material pertinent, t o t,he solotions of the ptuhlems. Also references are of1.en give,, a t tho beginning of individual pwhlems to servc as s ~ u i d for e some gerioral r.eading on the suhjeet. An excellent fenlure of t h e hook is that t h e snswors ts, a h w t one-third of the prohlems are worked wtl. in detail, while about one thivd have lightly sket,ched nnswors. This is extl.emely helpful in self-study and is one feature which makes t h e hook x usoful stpplement to leolure notes and convent,iond textbooks.
A 186
/
Journal of Chemical Education
This book is a welcome addition t o t h e very few works t h a t illustrate in a basic way some of the quantitative aspects of inorganic chemistry. It should be studied by all serious students of the snbject.
RUDOLPHS. BOTTICI Uniuersity aj Notre Dame Nolre Dame, Indiana 4fi.556
Rudimentary Chemical Thermodynamics
H. F . Franzen and B. C. Gerslcin, both of Iowa. S t s t e University, Ames. I). C. Heat,h and Co., Lexingt,on, Massachusetts, 1971. viii 143 pp. Figs. and tables. 21 X 13.7 cm. 62.50.
+
This textbook is a concise present,at,ion of classical chemical t,hermodynamics written in a lively style. I t differ.; from current introductions t,o tho suhject in a number of ways. I t is essenbially a purely macroscopic treatment, develops definilions of standard states rsbher fdly, and emphasizes phase equilibria. The Gibbs chemical potential is inlroduecd and used in t h e main body of [,he text ss well as in two appendices. In keeping with the emphasis on standard states Chapter V (Elecbrochemisl~and Chomical Equilibriom) includes the important application of the Nernst equation to the precise determination of En's and AG0's.
Numerical applications, especially those involving the free energy function and the calculation of equilibrium concentrations, are stressed not only through worked problems but also through the selection of exercises. Students are expected to be nnintimidat,ed by ealeulus. Although this book has a number of distinctive features and is impressively free af printing errors, this reviewer feels t h a t i t has weaknesses whieh undermine its potenbid usefulness far introductory level stirdents. The authors are inconsistent in bheir assumptions about the sbudent's mathematical preparation. I n the first chapter they review inbegrat,ion and differentiation in same detail and then in the third chapter introduce the expansion of t h e Gihbs function in partial derivatives without n. word of reassmsnee to t h e reader. The absence of malecular level interpretations of thermodynamic functions, particularly entropy, not, only leaves the clasicnl thermodynamics more opaque for beginners hut, also isolates i t from other areas of general chemistry in which molecnlar theory predominetes. I n a purely classical development of thermodynamics, logical gaps tend t o stand out clearly. Far example, in the first chapter heat, is carefully defined in t,erms of the difference between the work dune along an adiabatic path and other, general paths. However, no connection is drawn for the reader between this definition of heat and its use in heat capacity expressiuns in subse(Conlinucd on page A190)
