Elementary Laboratory Experiments in Organic ... - ACS Publications

Elementary Laboratory Experiments in Organic Chemistry. Revised edition (Adams, Roger; Johnson, John R.) Nathan L. Drake. J. Chem. Educ. , 1933, 10 (7...
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devoted t o "The Solubility Problem in Analytical Chemistry" and an attempt is made t o reconcile as far as possible the solubility data furnished by Bruner and Zawadski, Weigl, Kohlrausch, Battger, Bodlinder, Remy and Kuhlmann, Britton, and others. This, as the authors frankly state, "is not simple reading and is possibly more difficult than should be attempted in a second course in chemistry." Certainly many teachers will have t o study i t carefully in order to follow all the mathematical arguments. Here, as throughout the entire bwk, there are numerous references to the literature. The general procedure recommended covers the detection of the 23 common cations and 12 anions, the latter being: sulfate, sulfite, carbonate, oxalate, arsenate, phosphate, sulfide, iodide, bromide, chloride, chlorate, and nitrate. The effect of phosphate or oxalate in causing the alkaline earth group to precipitate upon neutralizing the filtrate from the coppertin group is discussed and several methods of overcoming such difficulties are suggested. Comparatively little attention is paid to dry reactions. In short, from the standpoint of analytical procedure, the b w k is conservative and written with the idea of using qualitative analysis more as a means of imparting knowledge concerning inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry than for teaching the art of precise analysis. With this point of view, thereviewer has always been sympathetic. As the size of the book indicates, a great deal of new material bas been introduced and the general appearance of the text is greatly improved. It looks and is more interesting t o read. Practically every known element is mentioned and, with the exception of the rare gases and some of the rare earths, the discussion of the history, properties, preparation, and characteristic behavior of each element is discussed a t greater length than in most books on inorganic chemistry. For example, over two pages of fine print are devoted t o the element indium and about 25 references given. We learn, a t another place that the name cobalt comes from the Greek kobalos or the old German word Kobold meaning gnome. The descriptive matter concerning these various elements compares favorably with the important data given in some of our largest and best books, such as those of Mellor or Friend. The acids, too, are not neglected and mention is made of no less than 14 acids containing sulfur and of 9 containing phosphorus. Methods are outlined for the determination as well as the detection of most elements. This new revision represents the most drastic revision that the book has ever experienced. I t is really a new book. The editors have, in their own words, "attempted t o modernize a venerable text on Qualitative Analysis" and they have done their wark well. They have made their approach from an entirely different angle than that of the first author. Professor Douglas wrote the hook far beginners t o use in the laboratory. The new text represents better the point of view of the younger man who is intensely interested in chemistry and particularly in physical chemistry and cares comparatively little about the art of analyzing difficult unknowns or complicated mixtures. The book is written with the idea that most students who take qualitative analysis as an undergraduate requirement in our large colleges will not be called upon in the future t o make many qualitative analvses but the" can orofit.. oarticularlv if thev decide t o studv . othr; hranchea df chrmisvy latcr, by the stud; of the chemical principles which underlie analytical procrdurc. Students find thr laborntory work interesting and this rerves as an incentive t o study chemistry. WILLIAMT. HALL

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of a more advanced grade. There are sixteen of these expeiiments: urea from ammonium cyanate, m-bromotoluene, hydrazobenzene, distillation under diminished pressure, benzyl alcohol and benraic acid, henzalacetaphenone, benzoin and benzil, benzilic acid, diphenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid, 8hromostyrene, ethyl-n-butylacetoacetate,methyl-n-amylketone, ethyl-n-hutylmalanate, n-caproic acid, and quiuoline. One experiment, the preparation of chloroform from acetone, has been deleted, and judging from experience in the writer's lahoratory this experiment is well omitted. The plan of the book is the same as that of the first edition. The first few experiments are devoted t o the comman operations of the organic laboratory. An experiment on the qualitative detection of the elements, and a brief section on quantitative organic analysis bring the first part of the work to a close. The remainder of the experiments involve the preparation and (or) study of typical substances. These preparations are well chosen; the starting materials are inexpensive, permitting the use of reasonable ouantities of material. and the diversification is such that the instructor can choose experiments illustrating all of the more important reactions. Whereas the first edition was not entirely suitable for use in a full-year course, the revised edition contains ample material. "Suggestions for Supplementary Experiments" with references t o the literature follow the experiments. I n this section are listed fifty-three preparations "comparable in scope to those in the last third of the manual." From thesecan be selected preparations for students who have proved themselves qualified for advanced work. In the appendix are to he found a number of useful tables: physical properties of some organic compounds not listed in the ordinary handbwks, density and vapor pressure of water 0 " t o 35'C.. density and concentrations of aqueous alcohol. vapor pressures of some organic substances and of water 30' to 120°C... vaoor of several common orzanic sub. oressures . stances a t 10O0C., and densities and concentrations of the comman acids and bases. To aid in calculating chemical requirements for a course, there is a list of the quantities of materials necessary in each experiment for a group of ten students. This compilation aids &atly in ordering supplies, and is a very commendable feature. Descriptions of manipulations are lucid, and as concise as is consistent with clarity. The questions which follow each experiment, or group of related experiments, serve to increase the scope of the work. The leaves of the manual are perforated so that the direction sheets may be torn out if desired and pasted in the laboratory notebook. Print, paper, and binding are of good quality. I n the opinion of the writer, this book leaves little to be desired as a manual for a one- or two-semester elementary course; indeed, by a judicious selection of experiments, and a free use of the supplement, a second course might well be built around it. NATHANL. DRAKE

19251929 DES GENE~REGISTE VII R OBER DIE JAHRGANGE CEEMISCHEN ZENTRALBLATIS. TEIL IV A, TEIL IV B, S A C H S ~ ~ G ~ S TEdited E E . by Mazimilian Pfliicke. 2 Vols. Verlag Chemie, G.m.h.H., Berlin W 35, 1932. iv 2252 pp. RM. 210 postpaid.

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This collective subject index differs from previous subject indexes to Chcmisches Zentralblatt in that the principle of classification has been much extended in its compilation. Entries under ELEMENTARY LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS IN ORGANIC CHEM- many headings, including all of the larger ones, are systematically Roger Adams, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Uni- grouped according t o classification systems considered suited ISTRY. versity of Illinois, and John R. Johnson. Professor of Organic t o the various subjects. Many of these are quite elaborate. Chemistrv. Cornell Universitv. Revised edition. The Mac- For example, under "Eisen" there are 44 groups and subgroups millan c;.; New York City, i933. xiii 363 pp. 20 Figs. with a center-head rating besides numerous minor subgroups. 14 X 21.5 cm. $1.90. Entries are made from the body of abstracts and not just The revised edition of Adams and Johnson bas been con- from their titles, which is, of course, necessary for the very siderably expanded by the inclusion of a number of experiments desirable approach t o completeness which every abstract journal MASS. INSTITWB

OF TBCHNOLOGY CAMBPIDOE, MASS.

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