174
JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
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Louis F. Fieser and Mary Fieser. Second edition D. C. Heath and Company, Boston, 1950. rr 1125 pp. 16 X 23.5 Em. Ted edition $7.50; trade edition, distributed by Reinhold, 330 West 42nd Skeet, New York. $10.
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T m s thomughly revised second edition of Fieser and Fieser's distinguished text, "Organic Chemistry," has continued the trend of recent organic books to place greater emphasis on the electronic interpretation of organic reactions a t the intmductory level. The authors' stated aim has been to "modernize the hook by application of electronic and resonance concepts wherever mch theoretical interpretation is well grounded snd helpful." The authors intend the book to be both "an introduction to organic chemistry and a geneml survey of applications of organic chemistry to biological and medical sciences and to technology!' In all, the hook contains 42 chapters of which chapters 1 4 , 6-12, 15-17, and 22-34 (approxim&tely 700 of the 1100 pages) constitute an introductory course. The Fiesers point out that chapters 12, 15, 17, 3 M 4 contain more material than is needed far a first course and this reviewer heartily agrees with them. This second edition contains two completely new chapters, one on hetemcycles (35 pages) and one on reaotion mechanisms (25 pages). Alaa it contains a %page appendix giving band disbnces and energies, resonance energies, and solubility data for a number of compounds. Eleetronegativity values for several elementa are also given. The content of the second edition has been increased considerably by the addition of 34 more pages, plus the adoption of a format that affords 3 more lines per page, and by certain "techniques of compo~ition!~ Although the general approach is t.~.. h e anme as t , h t of the first edition. the authors have k e ~ in t mind mom clcarly the dux1 function of the book, that d w&ng asan introduction to the i,cginnrrand that of actingasa refmmw book for more advanced rturlcnta. They haw ncromplinh~dthie two fold objective admirably. The organization of the material in the &at 13 chapters is the same as in the first edition. However, considerable new material on interesting recent developments in organic chemistry has been added, for example, the 0x0 process, lithium aluminum hydride, nitrogen mustards, BAL, conversion of nitriles to amides by H,O*, and chemistry of B-propiolsctone. The platform is set for the discussion of electronic reaction mechanisms by a brief consideration of electronic structure of several elements in the first chapter. The initial consideration of a reaction mechanism in any detail is on page 44, for the free radical chlorination of hydrocarbons. The polarized double hand and coordinate covalent bond are considered on pages 52 and 53. The concept of the Lewis acids and hases is introduced in the chapter on alcohols (pages 139-40) and then again in the chapter on amines (pages 221-2). A two-page introduction is given to resonance in the chapter on oarboxylic acids with consideration of the carboxylic group and the allylic rearrangement. The mechanism of esterifieation is considered briefly on pages 176-7. With this gradual but brief introduction to modem concepts of reaction mechanisms the student is introduced rather suddenly into the subject a t page 343 in the chapter on Reaction Mcehanisms. Here in a very tightly written chapter of 25 pages, the Fiesers present to the student the important fundamentals supporting the modern concepts of organic reaction mechanisms. Since a considerable amount of this space is taken up by tables, equations, and questions, many terns such as tranaition atate, inductive effect,&st order kinetics, nucleophilic and hyperconjugation tionre not treated in much detail. Only the exceptional student will be able to gain a good understanding of principles with which to interpret other organic reactions without considerable outside help. The Fiesers do not recommend this chapter, 14, for inclusion in an introductory course. Since the bulk of the discussion of reaction mechanisms (an excellent discuenion of the mechanism of suhstitution and orientation in the benzene ring is given in chapter 24) is confined to this chapter, some instructors, along with this reviewer, msy feel that insufficient emphasis has been placed on the subject of mechanisms. ~
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In the second half of the b w k the Fiesem have been careful to iuolude the many recent organic developments, such as: Calvin and Benson's work with radioactive CO1 in photosynthesis, phthalyl synthesis of peptides, chemistry of cyclooctatetraene, Newman's work on esterification of o-substituted acids, new fibera such as Dynel, Orlon, and Terylene, new dyes such as Khaki 2G and Indocarbon CL, new material on cortical hormones, antimalarials, and the recent work on antibiotics. Many of the chapters have heen completely reorganized. For example, the chapter on steroids haa been shortened in part by omitting some of the long syntheses and by shortening others. New material on the stereoohemistry of the sterols has been included. The chapters on rubber and quinones have also been condensed. The first half of the new chapter on heterocycles is spent in description of the different systems and a few of their basic reactions. The last half discusses the chemistry of the alkaloids, anthocyanines, flavones, and miscellaneous pigments. This book is very nicely printed, well bound, and amazingly free fmm typographical errors. Fieser and Fieser will continue to organic texts in the English hold its place as one of the out~tanding language. CORWIN HANSCK
commoE! POMONA C~*amm"T,C*,,I~O~NI*
SALES AND BUSINESS FORECASTINGIN CHEMICA' PROCESS INDUSTRIES Robert S. Aries and William Copulsky, Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of BrooLlyn, and Research Economist, R. S. Aries and Associates, respectively. Chemonomics, Inc., New York, 1950. x 132 pp. 17 X 26 cm. $5.
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T m s book presents the methods used in forecasting the change in economic factors in chemical industry. The ways in which these methods are used by a number of ehemicsl companies and govcrnmcntnl agcncier are shorn. Unlortuontrly, the book is lithoprinted from shcets tyycd with light Gothic t y p ~and id difficult tu read. KENNETH A. KOBE
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EXPERIMENTS IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
Otto F. Steinbach, Assistant Professor of Chemidry, Queens College, Flushing, New York, and Cecil V. King, Professor of Chemistry, New York University, New York City. American 250 pp. 71 figs. 45 Book Company, New York, 1950. v i tables. 14 X 21 cm. $3.50.
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T m s addition to the list of books dealing with the laboratory work of physical chemistry will be of interest especislly to those teachers seeking an easily usshle manual in that field. It given brief but comprehensible directions for the performance of fifty experiments, each one of which would require the customary 2-3 hour period. Thus there are ahout 20 experiments in excess of the normal year's work and, in consequence, there is provision for considerable choice. The write-up of each experiment includes a concise discussion of the theory involved, a straightforward description of the procedure, with illuatrative diagrams in most casea, and directions regarding the tabuhtion and treatment of the resulta. References to original papers pertinent to the subject are given a t the end of each experiment; it may be noted that recent publications have not been neglected. The choice of experiments is largely conventional but the field is covered in a highly satisfactory manner. One may miss such favorites as the determination of the formula of the silver
