REGENT BOOKS I N ~ O D U C TO ~ I SEMIMICRO ~N QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. Louis 3. Curtman, Professor of Chemistry, The City College. The College of the City of New Yark. The Macmillan Company, New York, 1942. x 377 PP. 39 figs. 14 x 22 cm. 8.75. Qualitative analysis on a semimicro basis is becoming inmeasingly popular in the analytical field. To produce the present text, a well-known author has devoted much personal research to the problem of modifying a macro scheme to provide a practical course on a semimicro scale. This has involved a reduction to as Little as one-twenty-fifth in amounts employed, and the introduction of specialized techniques. Particular emphasis is placed upon these techniques, which are carefully described and well illustrated by numerous diagrams and photographs showing operations and semimicro apparatus. The reagents employed are mostly inorganic, only a few of the commoner organic reagents being used. In addition t o the systematic.analysis. preliminary experiments are provided, and in Part I1 the important reactions occurring in the analysis are presented and discussed in the light of the theory taken up in an earlier section of the hook. Part I of the text, comprising some 115 pages, is given over t o a thorough discussion of theoretical principles, including the structure of compounds, theory of ionization, chemical equilibrium, solubility product, complex ion formation and oxidationreduction. Rather more formal elementary physical chemistry is introduced than some may wish, hut as much of this is in finer print, it need cause little difficulty. Many numerical problems with answers are given to test the student's understanding of the principles presented. The answers to these problems invariably have proved t o be correct. In addition, Part I11 is devoted to those calculations which are primarily of analytical interest. Both the valence-change and the ian-electron methods of writing and balancing redox equations are described. Tables of sollblities and solubility products, of the properties of inorganic eompounds, and of logarithms are included in this book, which is well printed and attractively bound. This text offers a full, well-rounded treatment of the subject. and should be considered by all those seeking a text in semimicro qualitative analysis. W. W. RUSSELL
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O a c m c CHEMISTRY.G. Albert Hill, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Wesleyan University, and Louise Kclley. Professor of Organic Chemistry. Goucher College. The Blakiston Company. Philadelphia. 1943. viii 919 pp. 16 figs. 71 tables. 15 X 23 cm. WOO. The authors of this textbook have succeeded admirably in carrying out their expressed aim to "develop a balanced presentation of the thecretical asnects of orwnic - chemistrv..of the nronerties, methods of preparntiau, and rcactionr of organic rompmnds. nf the I. IT.C .ystrm of nommclalure and its rclatlon to earlier systems, and of the physiolunral r f f t r t s and rhc uscr of organic substances." The traditional sequence of presentation of the organic compounds :s closely adhered to: aliphatic eompounds (ahout 500 pages); aromatic compounds (210 pager)-followed by brief sections devoted to aiicyclic compounds, heterocyclics, and alkaloids. This is followed by a single chapter (27 pages) on "The steroid i group; plant pigments; vitamins" and a final chapter (11 pages) on "Polymerization." There is also an exceptionally complete index (59 pages) with the more important references indicated in boldface type. Included in the text are seventy-one numbered tables of data in addition to several similar unnumbered tables
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interspersed among the numbered ones. These tables, which vary in length from only a few lines to as much as four pages, are well arranged and contain much useful summarized data as to nomenclature, properties, reactions, and methods of preparation. Helpful review questions, frequently of a problem nature, are given at the end of each chapter. The first chapter (19 pages) deals with the nature of matter, the types of linkages in molecules, the role played by electrons in these linkages, and the activation of molecules for reactions. This theoretical material is applied repeatedly throughout the book in explaining the behavior of different types of eompounds and in explaining the mechanism of reactions. By the end of the year the student should have become quite familiar with such terms as "resonance," "resonance hybrid." "the dative bond." "electron density," "electrometric shift," and the other terminolow of electronic structural organic chemistry. Considerable stress is placed upon the etymology of many terms which the organic chemist so frequently accepts without considering their origin. In striking contrast, there are prsctically no biographical data of any of the numerous organic chemists mentioned by name. The only thumbnail sketch observed by the reviewer is that of Alfred Nobel (p. 270). No reading references t o the original literature are supplied to guide the more thorough students, although there are occasional references to other texts and to a few journal articles, chiefly to substantiate or to indicate the source of specific statements in the text. Considerably more material than can be covered in the usual one-year course in organic chemistry has been included, but there is little to guide the beginning student as t o what may be considered important and what may not. There are relatively few moss references in the body of the text. A great deal of information as to specific details of laboratory and commercial methods of preparation and yields as well as a multitude of specific industrial uses are included. Much of this information could have been obtained only by close attention to the current technical literature. There is no apparent indication that organic chemistry is playing an important part in World War 11. Thus a long list of organic chemicals produced from petroleum (p. 91) includes neither hutadieuenor toluene. The binding and typography are excellent. The book is very well put together and singularly free from errors, although the statement that "coke has a high ratio of hydrogen to carbon" (p. 94) is an obvious error that wasoverlooked. This book should be of use not only as a textbook for the serious student in a formal course in organic chemistry, but should also be valuable as a reference book for the industrial or research chemist.
CHEMISTRY.M . Cannon Snecd, Professor GENERALINORGANIC of Chemistry, and I. Levis Maymrd, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, in the School of Chemistry. University of Minnesota. First Edition. D. Van Nostrand and Company, Inc.. New York. 1942. xviii 1166 pp. 180 figs. 1.39 tables. 15 X 22 cm. $4.50. "This hook is more extensive in its scope than most inorganic chemistries." With this masterpiece of understatement the authors commence one of the most ambitious literary efforts in the history of American inorganic chemistry. Monumental is a word seldom applicable to a text for beginners in any subject. but this hook will long he remembered as a milestone in chemical education. The choice of topics is standard, with the addition of chapters on "Types of Compounds." "Thermochemistry." "The Further
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Chemistry of Carbon," "Coordination Compounds," and "Alloys: Intermetallic and Related Compounds," some, hut not all of which are found in other well-known texts. The treatment is what might he called conventional-modern with no radical departures in the method of presentation, hut "rather a conformity to the ideas of outstanding teachers of chemistry and to recommendations given in THIS JOURNAL.Throughout the book a "balance is struck between the historical, descriptive, theoretical. statistical. illustrative. and industrial Darts of the texts." ,fhe forty-sekn chap1er.m arraugcd so ;hat fourteen of them may he omitted wit h o loss ~ in cunttnurry of treatment. Several of the chapters a w l some section, uf other chapter$ have been written by colleagues of the authors. This book is not comparable with any standard text in elementary chemistry. I t contains most of the iuformation in Latimer and Hildebrand's "Reference Book of Inorganic Chemistry" plus a wealth of descriptive matter available between the covers of no other single volume. If i t is slightly less scholarly than Schlesinger's "General Chemistry" i t is vastly more complete and definitely more teachable. The only texts in English with which this hook may he compared are Partington's "Texthook of Inorganic Chemistry" and Mellor's "Modern Inorganic Chemistry." Thereviewer hasno hesitation in saying that it is a better book than either of these. I t is better in being more thorough, more accurate, and more modern. To say that the book is up to date is to understate the case. This is a text in which coordinate covalence is introduced on page 52, and the concept of resonance on page 327. I t is a text in which the 3-electron hond (p. 77). ortho and para hydrogen (p.117), dipole moments (p. 143). the hydrogen hond (p. 329). activity coefficients (p. 354). synthetic resin ion-exchangers (p. 857), and the Hume-Rathay rule (pp. 1115-1116) all have their places. I t is a text in which the electron microscope orecedes the electron method of halancine oxidation-reduction rquatiuns. Iris to theauthors'grcatcralit thnt thrir work I,earz. in spite of its SCOIW, evidence of thcir long exprrirm,e in clear, orderly prcsentntion before classes. The hook hears the mark of the practical educator. That such a book should contain controversial questions of fact and of methods of presentation is only natural. Of these there are many, hut of real errors there are exceedingly few. Occasionally, the authors lead themselves into a pitfall, as, for instance, on page 11 where i t is stated, "But as far as ordinary chemical changes are concerned, elements m y be considered as substances which cannot be resolved into simplerformr of matter." What is this shadowy distinction between chemical changes which are ordinary and those which are extraordinary? Sometimes there is a rather forced effort t o humanize the great scientists. On page 43 Aston is described as "an excellent amateur performer on the cello." On page 60 there is given a curiously old-fashioned version of the MendelCeff periodic table, and later on page 572 i t is implied that the MendelCeff table is no longer studied. But this reviewer, with all respect to same of his fellow associate editors of THISJOURNAL, knows a t least four leading universities where the MendelCeff type of table is not only esteemed, hut used in preference to all other types. On page 61 it is stated that atomic volumes are plotted against atomic weights in Figure 19. Actually, it is the atomic numbers which are used, and correctly so. Formulas and equations are discussed in Chapter 5, although they are used fairly freely in earlier chapters. Proof of Avogadro's law (p. 199) is rather obscure, and is based on the fact that the kinetic energies of the molmles of gases are the same a t the same temperature and pressure. But the proof of this proposition is not given until later On page 203 there is a reference to a text. "General Chemistry," by Deuing-Wiley (sic). This author's name may have a familiar sound, hut i t is a little difficult to place him. There is a rather frequent use by Professors Sneed and Maynard of the word "heavy," where "dense" is meant. The reference to a base whose formula contains more than one hydroxide radical as polyprotic (p. 333) is an item of nomenclature which it is to he hoped will not become general. ~
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Same of the chapters which were written by the authors' colleagues are rather difficult; this is particularly true of some of those on ionization. Chapter 34 on coordination compounds forms an excellent introduction to that topic, but it too is rather difficult for heginners. On the other hand, chapters such as 36 on radioactivity and the section on iron by Prof. Edward W. Davis are astonishingly interesting and complete. Chapter 32 on colloids is a little sketchy, and 38 on electrochemistry is somewhat overcondensed. Throughout the whole hook the sections on major industrial processes are particularly thorough. There are thirty-five pages on organic chemistry, ranging from simple hydrocarbons through phytol and progesterone to the polysaccharides. The wisdom of including this chapter may he questioned. Typographical errors are very rare. On page 1078 Cn is given. where CN is meant. At several points, including the author index, Ephraim is misspelled. On page 954 most authors would have iucluHed lanthanum as a memher of the rare earth group. But the reviewer is compelled to admit that the only serious error he can fihd in the whole hook is the statement on page 955 that samarium salts arepink when they are, of course, yellow. Questions and problems of considerable variety are given a t the end of each chapter. Answers are given for many of the prohlems. Some of the problems are somewhat more advanced than those commonly found in books for beginners. The fallowing are a few examples: P. 699. No. 5. D3 the chemical properties of phytol and vitamin A show any similarities? If so, why? P. 833, No. 7. How are cis and tram isomers differentiated by the use of a bifunctional chelating group? P. 979, No. 12. Why are the compounds CCI., SFs, and OsF, not readily hydrolyzed? P. 1092, No. 21. 0 2 the basis of the oxidation-reduction potentials for the equilibria co++ - l r z 3 co+++ and [Co(CN)sl'1. [Co(CN);I' show why Co with an oxidation number of +3 is more stable in the complex than in the simple cation.
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At Northwestern we generally leave such questions for our sophomores and juniors. Perhaps the Minnesota freshmen are made of sterner stuff, their football teams often are. The hook is well printed and well hound. The price is moderate. Authors and publishers alike are to be congratulated. Whether the gentle reader will wish to use such a weighty (1.640 kilograms) opus for his own classes is, of course, for him to rlecirle
THE STUDY o r THE PHYSIUL WOXLD. Nicholns D. Cheronis, James B. Parsons, Conrad E. Ronncbcrg, Chicago City Colleges. Houghton Mifilin Company, New York, 1942. vi 884 pp. 467figs. 15 X 24 cm. $3.85. There are certain things about "The Study of the Physical World" which make i t an outstanding book of its type. I t takes up its chosen subject with logical thoroughness and considerable enthusiasm. The authors set for themselves the goal of an integrated volume in which the scientific method is emphasized, in which a number of important principles are developed, in which numerous applications are made t o the more common affairs of everyday l i f e a n d they have succeeded surprisingly well. They have hewn to their line, letting the subjects of astronomy, geology, chemistry, and physics fall where they may. If they have shown any weakness, it is the weakness common to authors who love their subject too well; if the hook errs, i t is in the direction of too much, not too little. There is too much material for the average freshman to get and hold. For the expert teacher this is no haudicap-he will bridge, emphasize, condense, and extend t o fit his case. The saving grace is the careful integration of the wealth of material with the development of great general principles. I t is refreshing t o see a survey book which actually introduces,
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