Basic Biochemistry, A Visual Approach for College and University Students J. Edelman and J. M Chapman, Heinemann Education Books. Inc., London. 1979. v 136 pp. Figs. and tables. 24.5 X 19 cm. $7.50.
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T h e realization that some familiarity with and understanding of biochemistry are essential for students whose interests in the life science range from home economics to medicine has resulted in a spate of simplified biochemistry texts targeted a t the various segments of the student spectrum. This paperback book by Edelman and Chapman represents a n attempt a t applying a much more visual and symbolic approach t a a description af certain basics of the structure and function of living systems. T h e hook uses only minimal textual material, relying far about 60% or 70% of its descriptive coverage upon illustrations which resemble cartoon or blackboard drawings, including handwritten balloon captions on arrow8 painting a t portions of the illustrations. It is also very brief and eclectic and makes no pretense to completeness of treatment or even to any depth in much of its selective coverage. T h e book is engagingly written, but because of the multitude of organizational styles of the illustrations and the several type fonts used, in addition to the hand-drawn labels, it is somewhat confusing upon first acquaintance. Careful study is demanded, therefore, hut the material itself is bath clear and logically organized and deals successfully with many of the broad principles of biochemistry. T h e sections on the catabolic reactions of intermediary metabolism and their subsequent energy yield are especially well presented. Sophisticated concepts are interestingly depicted h u t much important basic information is neglected so that, by
conventional standards, there is some lack of balance. For example, there is significant coverage of the reactions of photosynthesis, requiring 32 pages, while the modern concepts of molecular biology are outlined in only 7 pages. Such topics as membranes, h o r ~ moms, and transport are not disscussed a t all. T h e text is divided into three parts; the first 25% being devoted to a description of the structures of biamolecules. T h e second section discusses enzymes very briefly. Thus, about 60% of the text is utilized in outlining certain processes of metabolism itself. Finally, there is a brief glossary of the structures and chemical groups found in the text. The production of the volume is excellent, with a freedom from typographical and other errors surprising in a first edition. This book will not succeed completely in satisfying the needs of the wide spectrum of students for which it was designed. I t would seem that it might be most suitable as supplementary reading far an undergraduate botany or b i o l o ~course. I t is, as noted above, well written, but its format renders it somewhat difficult to understand without con^ siderable effort.
Melvin Fried Professor of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology College of Medicine Gainesville. FL 32610 Exercises in Organic and Biochemistry DavidE. Newton, J. Weston Valch, Portland, Oregon. 1979. xii 50 pp. Figs, and tables 8.5 X 11 cm. $16.75.
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This set of exercises has as its goal the suoolementation of ~ r o b l e m sin nomencla. ture, formula writing, equation writing, and reaction re diction found in most organic and biochemistry textbooks. These are intended
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primarily for advanced level high schml chemistry students and also for the second half of the typical two semester sequence in general, organic, and hirrchemistry fur health sciences majors. These exercises consist of a honed set of
nizing families of compounds, and also on naming, writing formulas, and predicting reaction products on the hasis of functional group properties. The usual families of compounds are emphasiaed, including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, diems, aromatics, alcohols, phenols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, nitmgenous compounds, and carbuxylic acids and their derivatives. T h e organic section concludes with practice sheets on stereoisomerism. T h e much briefer biochemistry section includes general questions on carbuhydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins, and nucleic acids. Approximately 25% of the material is hiochemistry. Most of the stated aims of the theauthors appear to have been met. The exercises are pitched a t an average level of difficulty ronsistent with a typical freshman level health sciences chemistry course. They vary eonsiderahlv in diflieultv from easy to advanced.
point in their favor. The organicsection is a strung one, but the biochemistry is somewhat of a disappointment. Aside from an occasional misspelling, misinterpretation, or other ermr (e.g., choline is said to be a derivative of phosphatidic acid), there is no material included on intermediary metabolism. There is nothing on
(Continued on page AIL%?)
Reviewed in this Issue J. Edelman and J. M. Chapman, Basic Biochemistry, A Visual Approach for College and University Students DavidE. Newton and J. Weston Valch, Exercises in Organic and Biochemistry Addison Ault, Techniques and Experiments for Organic Chemistry David S. Eisenberg and Donald M. Crothers, Physical Chemistry with Applications to the Life Sciences Per-Olov Lowdin, Jean-Louis Calais, and Osvaldo Goscinski, Editors, Quantum Chemistry-A Scientific Melting Pot MichaelR. L'Annunziata, Radiotracers in Agricultural Chemistry Thomas G. Spiro, Editor, Nucleic Acid-Metal Ion Interactions Volume I. "Metal Ions in Biology" 0. Olabisi, L. M. Robeson, and M. T. Shaw, Polymer-Polymer Miscibility
Alan S. Foust, Leonard A. Wenzel, Curtis W Clump. Louis Maus, and L. Bryce Andersen, Principles of Unit Operations, 2nd Edition Erwin N. Hiebert, A. J. Ihde, and R. E. Schofield, Joseph Priestley: Scientist, Theologian and Metaphysician John A. Bowden and Colin J. Rix, Mass and Volume Measurement: Basic Laboratory Skills, 2nd Edition Volume 58
Reviewer Melvin Fried
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Allan G. Splittgerber Paul R. Jones Leslie S. Forster
A151 A152 A152
Don R. McLaughiin
A153
L. B. Church Michael J. Clarke
A153 A153
David A. Brant Donald Vives
A154 A154
Derek A. Davenport
A155
C. Patrick Dunne
A155
Number 4
April 1981
A151
ROOH REVIEWf -
glycolysis, the TCA cycle, or the electron transport system. There is also nu mention of body fluids, enzymes, hormones, or vitamins, all topics which are normally included in the courses this material is intended to supplement. Aside i'rom the deficienciesmentioned, this group of exercises can be recommended as decent supplementary material for the typical health sciences chemistry course.
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Gusiavus Adolphus College St. Peter. M N 56082
Techniques and Experiments for Organic Chemistry Addison Auk, ' ~ l l y n& Bacon. Boston, 1979. vi 442 pp. Figs. and tables. 27.8 X 21.3 cm. 513.95.
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This is the third edition of a laboratory text with the same title, the first two having been published by Holbrook in 1973 and 1976; but apparently neither of the earlier versions has been reviewed. Expanded considerably in length to 400 pages, this edition is made up of two parts. Part I, "Laboratory Operations," is made up of detailed sections on separation techniques; determination of physical properties, including density, refractive index, optical rotation, molecular weight, and a "qua1 o" solubility treatment, as well as boiling point, melting point, and IR, UV, 'H NMR, and MS; qualitative analysis; and descriptions, with ample illustrations, of special apparatus and techniques. Part I comprises 240 pages of the total of 400. At the end of man" of the
etc.; many of these are simply examples of separations required in preparative experiments in a later section. Part 11, "Experiments," is divided into "Separations" (8 isolations from natural ~roducts.one resolutionl. and three subsec-
identification of an alcohol unknown bv stepwise deductive reasoning under "Qualitative Analysis" in Part I; unusually detailed treatment like that in Vogel's texts of density, refractive index, and molecular weight and their correlation with structure; and two indices, a Chemical Substance and General Subject Index. The general format of this edition has been improved over earlier versions but, in this reviewer's opinion, still leads to confusion for students. Each part is subdivided by the symbol " o " , these in turn being made up of paragraphs (g). The confusing format can be demonstrated. For example, in 3 81, a brief outline of 81.1 and 81.2 is presented, with no comment; then details of each, identified again by the same numbers, are given. In "Projects," the arrangement of equations, discussion, and original literature copy is better coordinated than before, and the literature is set off in shaded areas for improved visibility; but "Figures" (repraductions of the literature) are often divided up into two or even three pages. This reviewer noted very few misspellings (eluent, p. 254; Knoevenagel,p. 361); it would have been preferable had the author elected to use the more widelv accented "GC" rather
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jasmone and jasmone, for example, ten sets of directions (from the original literature) are mesented. several of them beine alternatives with an excellent reference source for teehniques. Unfortunately, the student who uses it continually will find that the fragile eardboard binding does not withstand frequent handling; and the 8'1%X 11pages will begin to come loose. Paul R. J o n e s University of New Hampshire Durham, NH 03824
Physical Chemistry with Applications
lo t h e Life S c i e n c e s one-pot reactions. In some eases several examples of each type ( e g , diazonium reactions, esterification) are described. Mechanisms of almost all of these are included in the usually ample discussion of the reactions. The last two subsections are "Synthetic Sequences," a set of four multi-step transformations; and "Projects," groups of syntheses, arranged according t o the nature of the final products (flavors, hydrocarbons, cyclopro~ pene derivatives, pheromones, and sex hormones). In the case of "Projects," the usual cookbook directions are not provided; rather the student is presented with experimental sections from the original literature in English, German, French, or Italian, which are to he scaled down and otherwise modified far the present objective. Very little discussion of the chemistry related to the last two sections is provided, and no mechanistic aspects are included. The unique features of this laboratory text, besides the original literature citations mentioned above, includes case study of the
A152
Journal of Chemical Education
David S Eisenberg and Donald M. Crothers, The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, inc., Menlo Park, California, 1979. xxvi 868 pp. Figs. and tables. 24 X 17 cm. $21.95.
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Physical ehemistry courses intended far students in the life sciences have undergone a transformation from non-calculus courses, often of one-semester duration, to full year courses that use calculus extensively. The textbooks desiened for these courses have kept pwr nit11 t l k C ~ J I , 'I'hl ~ : C U ~ P 181 "l'h! ~ .4: ('lwni.tr" wtth .\pplit or~tn t u the 1.~rvS ~ r ~ w e -13' '~ t ~ ~ i ~ kmnmt dl v.md rhe rigor adequate enough to form the basis for a full-fledged ehemistry majors course. The book is divided into five parts. Part One "Macroscopic Systems" and Part Two "Solutions and Electrochemistry" constitute nearly half of the book and are composed mainly of classical thermodynamics. A chaoter on chemical kinetics is included in
Part One. Quantum theorv. ..chemical bandine and speet;oscopy comprise Part ~ h r e e , "Microscopic Systems." Part Four "Bridging the Macrofieopic and Microscopic" is devoted to statistical mechanics and transport properties. Finally, Part Five, "Symmetry and Molecular Structure" contains a discussion of X-ray diffraction and symmetry~. prineiples. This text is characterized by thoughtful attention to pedagogy. The prose does more than fill the space between equations; it conveys the content of the equations. The material in eachchapter is divided into three
lutions, at appropriate points within the text is very helpful. Often, important ideas are developed in these exercises. The problems a t the end of each chapter that are related to the exercises areso indicated. In some chapters more drill-type problems would be desirable. No solutions manual is available, nor
Students ought to read these, but in all likelihood, i t is the instructor who will be interested in them. The treatment of thermodynamics achieves a nice balance between rigor and intuition. The discussions of the biochemical itantl~rdi t n t r m d inwnl~r.nnrrqunlllm 8 l r r pnr!ntol.dv lucd Then. ore i . m w t rrl I,~ n d ~ ~ ~ t ~ . it ~ n thi. c i t re11 i c ~ F.ITVXAIIIII~C 1t1t ~ I , W diffusion of a salt through a membrane is given as an example of a reversible process. The definitions of state and state function are unusual, the latter is identified with an equation of state and the farmer with the notion of "defined state", i.e, a state in which the state variables have specified values. It is confusing to use the phase rule to determine the minimum number of state variables long before the phase rule is developed. These are minor criticisms. In the main, thermodynamics is well organized. One reason for offering a course in physical chemistry for the life science major is the heavy emphasis on quantum theory and chemical bonding that aften prevails in the ehemistry majors course. Yet, spectroscopy cannot be understood without a grounding in quantum theory. Eisenherg and Crothers have done an excellent job of selecting an adequate but not excessive amount of material in this area, although many instructors will find the chapter on chemical handing rather terse. No mention is made of the valence bond method or of electron pairing The two chapters dealing with spectroscopy are very good, especially the sections on ORD and CD spectroscopy. Chemical kinetics is well presented. Relaxation and enzvme kinetics are described
from the brevity necessary in an undergraduate text. The chapter on transport processes is a valiant attempt to introduce many concepts in a terse manner. However, the result is disjointed. Four pages on autocorrelation functions and one page on irreversible thermodynamics are hardly sufficient. This book is a welcome addition to the group of physical ehemistry textbooks aimed a t the biologically oriented student. I have used it for the second semester of the physical chemistry course with students in the life
