CHROMATOGUPHIC ADSORFITON ANALYSIS. Harold H. Strain, Ph.D., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Stanford University, California. First Edition. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York City, 1941. x 222 pp. 1 color plate and 37 figs. 15 X 23 cm. W.75. This is themost up-to-date book on averyimportant analytical technic which was first discovered by Tswett in 1906 but remained practically unknown for many years. Essentially, chromatographic adsorption analysis consists of three steps: (a) passage of the unknown mixture, dissolved in a suitable solvent, through a column of the proper adsorptive material, (b) development of the chromatagram, i. e.. fractionation of the mixture, by washing the column with mare (usually modified) solvent, and (c) mechanical separation of the obtained "bands" and subsequent elution of the adsorbed material. Since 1931, when crystalline carotene was first separated into two fractions bv adsorotion uoon columns of fibrous alumina. interesr in this method has grown stundily, with the rrsult that a meat variety of applicntious has been demonstrated. Among these one Gnds not only studies of nearly all c h s e s of organic compounds and isolation of many naturally occurring products. hut also resolution of mixtures of inorganic ions and even separation of isotopes. Although originally designed only for colored substances, the method has been extended to colorless materials, with the aid of ultra-violet light, or by means of chemical reactions which produce colored compounds either before or after the adsorption. All these analyses have so far been empirical and a general underlying theory has not yet been developed. Nevertheless, it has been possible to make some predictions and t o give certain directions of procedure, due to many existing regularities between the adsorbability and the chemical structure of similar molecules. This is pointed out hy the author who has presented lucidly and with excellent oreanization material contained in over 800~. oublished articles. With emphasis on the experirncntal procedure. he has clwrly shown the essentials so thar even the novicc should be able to apply this relatively simple and inexpensive method. The f i s t chapter, a brief Historical Introduction, is followed by a general discussion of Applications of Chromatographic Adsorption Methods. The next four chapters, Apparatus and Procedure, Adsorbents. Solvents and Eluants, and Location of Colorless Adsorbed Substances, contain the necessary general information. Tabular presentation of some of the material makes the use of this section especially simple. Chromatography of Inorganic Compounds, the next chapter, is brief, being one of the most recent developments. This is followed by the largest chapter, Chromatography of Organic Compounds. This topic includes aliphatic and aromatic substances, cyclic compounds, sterols and related compounds, vitamins, hormones, enzymes, co-enzymes and orateins. anthomanins.. nterins. chloroohvlls. . . . . derivatives of hmmglolin, blle pigments, carotenoids, cod tar dyes, and variouj natur4 substances. Thr final chapter suntmarizcs the Industrial Uses of this method. An extensive bibliography with subject titles and Author and Subject Indexes complete the volume and make i t extremely useful for reference purposes. I t is neatly bound, clearly printed, and well illustrated. Only few errors were noted, the most obvious of which are in the structural formulas of the sterols. The hook is highly recommended t o student and teacher alike. OTTOH. MULLER
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SEMIMICRO EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY. W. Bernard
King, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Iowa State College.
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Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York City, 1941. xvii 137 pp. 18 figs. 15 X 23.5 cm. 8 . 5 0 . I n adapting semimicro procedures to the needs of beginning students. the author has made a sienal success of a task that frequently has been declared irnpujsible. The experienced teacher of general rhcrnisuy will tind that the mnnual contnins most of the erperirnenta that he has come to r r ~ a r das clarsicol,
although he may find some novelty in a few of the materials used I t is evident. however, that this manual was not produced by a mere scaling down of quantities used in macro experiments. There is ample evidence of careful laboratory checking of the directions. Quantitative relationships are adequately stressed, but not overemphasized. Four of the forty-three experiments require determination of weight with a precision of one milligram. Introduction of the modern acid-base concept, a simple determination of pH, and an experiment on buffer action can be cited as valuable innovations. Experiments on eight simple organic compounds and suggestions for eleven inorganic preparations are included. Directions are concise and clearly written and are reasonably free from "cookbook style." A few well-chosen questions are given with each experiment. Perforated pages are provided for the student's record of observations and results. Simple procedures are given for the identification of both metallic and acid ions, but these cannot be called a course in qualitative analysis. Rather, as the author indicates in his preface, the entire manual has been designed with the idea of giving students adequate preparation for semimicro qualitative analysis. CHARLES B. DEWITT COLZBD* TARLBTON STBPIBNVILLB, TEXAS OUT OF THE TESTTUBE. Harry N. Hdmes, Ph.D., Oberlin College. Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Emerson Books, Inc., New York City, 1941. x 305 pp. 102 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $3.00. With the present popular interest in the work of science, this book should help to make the subject of chemistry more understandable and vivid to the layman. Told in simple, human, interesting, and often humorous language, it traces the development of man's chemical knowledge from earliest days to the present, wherein chemistry has such a far-reaching influence on modern life. The heterogeneous collection of factsabout theeffects of chemistry has been organized into a swiftly moving, logically developed story, illustrated with numerous pen and ink sketches and diagrams. This is a book for all who know very little about chemistry and would like to know a great deal more without going into the technicalities which would be of interest only to the specialist.
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Tmicru. QUESTIONSAND PROBLEMS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY. G. N. Quem, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Long Island University. Sixth Edition. Edwards Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor. Michigan, 1941. vi 11 102 pp. 21 X 27.5 cm. This sixth edition of the work has had the chapter on "Review of Some Arithmetical Operations" of the previous edition replaced by the more elaborate treatment, "Part I-Review of the Mathematics for General Chemistry." "Part II-Typical Questions and Problems in General Chemistry" follows the general plan of the 6fth edition. New problems, sample problems, and questions have been added. I n line with the designation of volume on glassware and in the literature, volumes are stated as liters and milliliters, in place of liters and cubic centimeters. Many references t o recent articles in chemical periodicals have been added or substituted.
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SOLU~IL~TIES O F ORGANICCOMPOUNDS.A COMPILATION OF QUANTITATIVE SOLUBILITY DATAPROM THE PERIODICAL LITERATURE. Atherton Seiddl, Ph.D., National Institute of Health, Washineton. D. C. Third Edition. Volume 11. D. Van Nostrand ~ i m b n yInc., , New York city. 1941. 926 pp. 14.8 X 23.4 cm. $10.00. Quantitative solubility data concerning organic compounds, arranged in order of their increasing c6ntent of carhan, hydrogen. and oxygen, with a cross-reference name index at the end of the volume. An author index gives references t o original sources of data. An invaluable reference book.
