Chemistry, Ligand Field Theory, and Topics Related to Spectroscopy. There is a bibliography, selected character tables and an index. Each chanter is followed material. The word "basic" in the title is surorisindv accurate. The author lucidly the fundamentals of quantum theory and develops the applications in a consistent fashion. Obviously, in so short a book many topics are omitted and others treated lightly. However, unlike so many monographs entitled "Introduction t o . ," the book rtecomplishes its purpose of being an introduction t o the applications of quant,um theory t o chemistry and the associated verbal and mathematical vocshulary. The author is t o be commended for having kept to his purpose. The book should serve quite well as supplementary reading far courses on chemical bonding and he effective in r e moving the fear of tackling more rigorous books on quantum chemistry such as that by Kauzmann or Eyring, Walter and 1Gmball.
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J o n R. ~ WASSON Universit~4f Missouri Columbia
Rodd'r Chemistry of Carbon Compounds. Volume 1, Part 0
Edited by S. Cofiu. 2nd ed. American Elsevier Publishing Co., New York, 313 pp. Figs. and tables. 1965. xv 16 X 23 cm. $18.
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I n 1951 Volnme IA of E. H. Rodd's "Chemistry of Carbon Compounds" first sppeared. Rodd's task of providing a thorough and modern reference treatise in organic chemistry was completed in 1962, after publication of ten separate volumes in the-series during the intervening eleven years. Within this period, Itodd's series has come to be accepted by practicing organic chemists throughout the world as the most comprehensive and up to date reference work dealing with f e c t a d organic chemistry. Concomitantly, both theoretical and practical organic chemistry h.wc m : d c mnj& .rdwnw~s,and the pn.C r w rditur, lh.S3mwl Cotre,, fwn.erly ~f rhc I ( ' I . I ) w t t t r r ~ r)iwsion. feels t t , t > time is ripe to undertake a. complete revision and updating of the Rodd series. He is being assisted in this task by a n advisory hoard of distinguished British chemists, including the former editor, and individual chapters are again contributed by one or more highly competent research specialists. The second edition of "Rndd's Chemistry of Carbon Compounds" began in 1964 with the appearance of Volume IA (General Introduction; Hydrocarbons; Halogen Derivatives). I t now continues with Volume IB, which wntsins four chapters (4 through 7) dealing with Monohydric Alwhols, their Ethers and Esters (72
580 / Journal of Chemical Education
pages; J. G. Buchanan, N. A. Hughes and G. A. Swan), Sulfur Analogs of the Alwhols and their Derivatives (20 pages; H. Goldwhite), Nitrogen Derivatives of the Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (72 pages; H. Goldwhite), and Aliphatic Organometallic and Orgmometalloidel Componnds (113 pages; C. B. Milne and A. N. Wright). Five more sub-volumes (IC through IG) are contemplated before t h e revision of Rodd's original Volumes IA and I B on Aliphatic Compounds will he complete. Revisio~~ of the enbire series, i t would appear, will he a task which may require several decades, and one can only admire the energy and ambition of Dr. Coffey in embarking on such an undertaking. Those familiar with the style, format and organiaation of the original Rodd series will feel a t home with the present revision, which suhstsntidy follows its predecessor in these matters. I n contrast. to the first edition, page numbering is not consecutive throughout the sub-volumes of each main vohtme, and each sub-volume index has its own index, with a eumuL~t~ive for Volume 1 scheduled for sub-volume IG. This pract,ice should simplify the location of material during the lengt,hy period prior to a General Index. It may he somewhat premature to compare Dr. Coffey's second edition of Rodd to the original. From the first two sub-volumes, however, the revised edition promises t,o maintain the hish standards of scientific and editorial excellence which chemists associate with the Rodd series. This reviewer feels, however, that the proposed proliferation of sub-volumes for the second edition is somewhat unfortunate. The ostensible reason for more and smaller sub-volumes is to reduce the delay between appearances of each sub-volume, and undoubtedly this objective will he sehieved to a certain extent. The price of this temporal advantage, however, is paid in terms of diminished convenience as a reference compilation and far greater cast,. Thus, the first two m~b-volumes of the revision (882 pages) cost $47 total, which we may extrapolat,e to perhaps $150 for the cast of the completely revised Volume I done! One hesitates to gness the total price of the complet,e revision. Perhaps the larger volume of material justifies this fant,astic price increase over the original edition, bnt it would be unfortunate indeed if the projeet,ed plethora of sub-volumes pegs the second edition of this useful compendium out. of reach of the individual organic chemist.
The Chemistry of Alkener
Edited by Saul Patai, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Interscience Publishers (a division of John Wiley and Sans, Inc.), New York, 1964. ix 1315 pp. Figs. and tables. 16.5 X 23.5 em. $37.50.
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This is the first of what promises to he a series of fat treatises on the chemistry of functional groups. As a unified source of alkene information complementsry t o the material in the Rodd, Houhen-Weyl or Grignrtrd treatises, it is recommended for institutional libraries. About 3500 citations are made, the author and subject indexes are clear, and I noticed only a few typographical erron-the interested reader should correct the labels on the compounds on p. 972. However, perhaps only two thirds of the material stands up well t o the competition from recent hooks and reviews. Coulson and Stewart's Wave Mechsnies and the Alkene Bond, would make an excellent introduct,ion t o another book, possibly a text on bonding. Readers interested in such material would not normally seek it here; people interested in alkene chemistry from a theoretical point of view will only find relevant material in the last third of the chapter. There, several conventional topics such s s ;* electron theory, the Hiiekel approximation, and spectra, are treated briefly but with authority. Kuchar deals with the Detection and Determination of Alkenes. Chemical methods, e.g., halogenation, and gas chromatographic analysis are treated adequately. I n keeping with t h e practical emphasis of thia chapter, a review of spectral data (mass, UV, NMR. IR, Raman) would have been valuable--the brief discussions of technique or theory seem unnecessary. Four chapters deal with special alkenes. Cais' Alkene Complexes of Some Transition Metals is a progress report on a rapidly expanding field. His other chapter on the synthesis, physical and chemical properties of Conjugated Dienes is relat,ively brief hut modern in viewpoint and packed with pertinent information. Lacey'spieee on Ketones is a n informative but traditional treatment of their preparation and conversions (additions, cycloadditions, polymerization): the discussion of physical properties or reaction mechitnisms is minimal or absent. Fischer's Cumulenes chapter is done so well that it could serve a s a model of how any family of compounds should he treated. Here, fact, interpretation and theory are judioiously blended. One minor point: I was puzzled by the strong statement "an attack by nuclew philes on the terminal carbon atom of an dkene has never been observed" which just precedes some examples in which such attacks do seem to occur. The remaining eight chapten concentrate more on mechanisms or on reaction types. Saunders' chapter, Elimination Reactions in Solution deals mostly with a,p-elimination mechanisms in saturated systems. His discussion of the HofmannSaytzeff rules is reassuring and his verdict favoring Ingold's over H. C. Brown's (Continued on page A830)
