lines, and iwquinolines, virtually all alkaloids, a considerable number of vitamins and antibiotics, and many synthetic medicinal agents and dyestuffs r e d values for H2 and DZ The device are heterocyclic in nature. So also are of running chemical equations into the numerous other classes of compounds, text. and the detailed verbal explanation such as the parphyrins and nucleic acids, of mathematical equations (instead of which are intimately connected with many rrliance on mathematical rigor) cause life processes. some reading difficulty. However, all in In view of this great importance, i t is all, this highly personalized catalogue and unfortunate that het,erocyclic chemistry intcrpretzt,ion of gas reactions induced is so ofton slighted in the chemistry curhy high-energy radiation is s useful posriculum, especially a t the advanced undersession ior any worker in the field. graduate or even a t the graduate level. MILTONBURTON However, the nerd for broader knowledge and training in this area has become more liniversity of Notre Dame widely recognired, and today there are Notw Dame. Indiana available a number of new and useful textbooks on the subject. Of these, "The Chemistry of Heterocyclic ComThe Chemistry of Halerocyclic Com~ o u n d s "by Professor Badger of the Unipounds versity of Adelaide, South Australia, is undoubtedly one of the most readable G. M . Badger, Univeraity of Adelaide, andinteresting. Bdelaide, South Australia. Academic Aft,er a brief introduction to the struc498 Press, h e . , New York, 1961. ix tural types and nomenclature of heteropp. Figs. and tablos. 16 X 23.5 cm. cyclic compounds, the author gives a $12. descriptive account of the chemistry and properties of the principal 5- and 6-memOver the years heterocyclic substmces hered heterocyclic systems and their have grown increasingly important, so that polynuclear aromatic ring analogues, today they are estimated to represent a t with special emphasis on substances of Immt one third of the organic compounds biological or indust,rial importance. For known tu man. In addition to the simpler each system discussion is devoted first and mare familiar heterocyclic systems, to structural considerations in the light such as the pyrroles, furans, thiophenes, of physical and chemical evidence, pyridines, diszinos, pyrans, indoles, quino-
BOOK REVIEWS
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A988 / Journol of Chemical Education
next to the principal general methods of synthesis, and finally to a summary of characteristic reactions. The chemistry of important individual representatives of each class of compounds is then presented. Here, in these sections, is told the background and some of the excit.ing episodes in the discovery, isolation, structure dcterminatian, and synthesis of such familiar substances as indigo, biotin, pyfidoxine, pencillin, nicotine, nicotinic a c ~ d ,riboflavin, uric acid, the parphyrins, the pyridine nucleotides, and important alkaloids of the indole, opium, and tropnne classes. Interesting comments on the occurrence of these natural products, as well as discussions of their pharmacological properties and possible biogenesis, are also included. Certainly from many points of view, these sections are among the best in this book. Considering the breadth of material covered, the selection of topics is excrllent. In addition, the surprisingly large number of references to work published since 1950 greatly enhances the contemporary value of the book. The inclusion of an author, ns well as a subiect index. nlus the mner-
this book as a text.
w.BUROSTLHLER The University of Kansas
.~LBERT
Lrrt~renee
