BOOK REVIEWS However, the text does not make a clear diatinction between valence and oxidation number or oxidation state. The system of nomenclature recommended by the IUPAC and by Chemical Abstracts has been adopted. The discussion of the gas laws and kinetic theory is lucid. Its only flaw is the solution of gas law problems by substitution in a. formula rather than by the "common sense" method of setting up the pressure or temperature ratios to give the results predioted by Boyle's or Charles' Law. The chapters on the elements are interesting and authoritative. The t r e a t ment of a few topics deeerves special commendation, e.g., the disoussion of the electrolysis of water is especially good; the information on the Haber process is particularly helpful in applying Le Chatelier's principle; and the explanation of semioondurtors and their use in transistors is simply but effectively done. I n summary, this is a. text to be highly recommended for students of average or better background and ability in a traditional college chemistry course. Although i t is too long to be covered completely in mast courses, its arrangement is such that flexibility in ohoioe of topics is readily permitted. Even in cases where it is not chosen as a textbook, thia volume belongs on the reference shelf of every general chemistry instructor. ALBERTINE KROHN Uninersity of Toledo Toledo, Ohio Russian-English Chemical Dictionary Eurene A. Carpovich and Vera V. C a p oich. Technical Dictionaries Co., New York, 1961. 352 pp. 20.5 X 13.5 cm. $14. The Carpovioh team bas produced another Russian-English dictionary which is not a mere clerical job of reversing an English-Russian dictionary. Presenting about 29,000 terms (publisher's count) in 352 double-column pages, i t contributes more t,han a mere alphabetid sequence became cross-references frequently guide aearchers t o congeners, synonyms, ant* nyms, borrowed words rtnd their Russian equivalents, ete. Theoretical and applied chemistry receive apparently impartial attention; "applied" is interpreted broadly enough to include many engineering terms from the ohemical process industries. Since Russian literature freely uses Western trade names and trivial names, their entries here are helpful, espeoially since the borrowed name is not always identical with the original when transliterated back into English. Abbreviations formed from component letters of a name are tricky enough in the original language; when Russianized, sometimes from the borrowed English name rtnd sometimes from a native equivalent, readers need the aid given by this dictionary. Many abbreviations of more conventional character are also entered.
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There are occrtsiond errors in nomenclature which should have been caught in editing; thus, benzilamin is no more equivalent to toluidin in Russian than are benzylamine and toluidine in English (p.30). There are oceilsional, but not frequent, misprints in both languages, e.g., backetrap for blackstrap (p. 152), and adenatin for adenozin (p. 11). There are even a. few lapses from good English usage, e.g., vehicle-motor for motor vehicle (p. 10). But these minor defects will not distract any alert reader from effective reference use of this dictionary as a supplement t o general vocabulary dictionaries and the dictionaries of other arts and sciences. Presumably such wrinkles will be ironed out in a later edition. Amerioan chemists who are not within easy reach of an academio oourse in Russian oan begin reading current Russian chemical literature earlier in their selfstudy if they will make judioious use of a good dictionary like this along with their guides to the essence of the language.
JULIAN F. SMITE hoir-Rhyne College Hickory, North Carolina
Radical Polymerization John C. Beuingtm, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England. Academic Press, Ino., New York, 1961. 188 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 x viii 24cm. $6.
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Although this book is a. rather slim one as modern chemistry books go, it is one whioh is well worth reading. The author has selected homogeneous free radical vinyl polymerization as a. type of reaction whioh has been most intensively studied and one which ran, therefore, be understood in mare detail than many free radical reactions. From this understanding one can gain insight into these other less well explored areas. The aim of the book is t o present a coherent survey of what i8 known (up to mid-1960) about the mechanism of eaoh step in the polymerization of the typical vinyl monomer, and to point out the variations caused in this typical pattern by chemical differences in the case of individual monomers, transfer agents, eto. The unit steps, such as initiation, growth, transfer, termination, etc., are oonsidered in good detail with plentiful literature references in separate chapters. This approach allows the presentation of many side reactions and secondary effects in their relation t o the main reaction. The effect of experimentally variable conditions is also seen for eaoh step. For example, the chapter on growth reactions covers the effects of: Temperature and pressure (with appropriate thermodynamio discussion for each), viscosity, and nature of reacting species. This lest includes headto-tail, head-to-head, etc., modes of addition, as well as polymerization of ionized and unionized species. From a discussion of copolymerization the effects of the polar nature of the monomer and radical, and steric factors are presented. Finally, systems of multiple double bonds offer
further evidence on orientation and resonance effects during the chemical reaction which is the growth step. The comhination of several such chapters gives a wellknit, technically accurate book which is a pleasure to read. In order to keep the hook within its selected limits some topics such as the determination of absolute rate constants and the presentation of much formal kinetic development have been omitted. These may be found elsewhere, e.g., in "The Kinetics of Vinyl Polymerization by Radical Mechanism" bv Brtmford. Barb. Jenkins and Onyon (Academic o re is, N& York [19581). The book assumes ss B background some knowledge of the chemistry of free radicals and of the formation of high polymers. Thus it will be of interest to some college seniors and more advanced readen in these fields. I t should be especially useful for a. teacher who wishes to include some discussion of t,hese topics in an advanced course and needs a comprehensive survey of a rapidly growing field. THOMAS E.FERINOTON, W . R. Grace & Co. ClmksviJb, Maryland
Pharmaceutical Analysis Edited hy Takeru Higuchi, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Einar Bmehmann-Hanssen, University of California, San Franoisco. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New Pork, 1961. ix + 854 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 cm. 528.50. This hook combines in a well-planned and accurately executed form the theories and practices of modem drug assay. I t contains workable procedures which are in use today in our large pharmaceutical laboratories. Special adaptations of classical analytioal procedures are given in detail so that the active components of drug pmduots may be determined in the presence of interfering drugs, vehicles and diluents, as well as in the presence of certain degradation product,^. The classification used is a chemical one except where the antipyretic bases, the antibiotics and the vitamins are considered. A chapter of particular interest is that on the metal-containing organic compounds. Seventeen specialist authors have contributed to this treatise thereby assuring the accuracy and current nature of the contents. The book ie printed on good paper, not glossy, the type is clear, the tables are well organized and clearly presented. The proceduree are easy to read and easy to fall on^. This text should find aide use in the pharmaceuticd industry and also sewe as a reference book in most analytical laboratories where new or improved product control procedures are being developed College of Pharmacy Liniumsity of Houston Houston, Tezan (Continued on page A496)
