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BOOKREVIEWS
tion to the literature and is suflicient reason for persons interested in the field of mass spectrometry to acquire this book. The appendix contains an exhaustive survey of critical potential data covering the literature from 1930-1955 inclusive. T h e associated bibliography of 534 references indicates the niagnitude of the effort involved in this work. T h e main text of the book contains chapters on Apparatus and Methods, Theory, Energetic Considerations, M a s s Spectral Considerations aud Implicatioiis for Chemical Reactions. The first chapter is specifically designated t o the discussion of appearance potential deterniinatioiis and related techniques and serves this purpose. The chapter on Theory misses a n excellent opportuuity t o iudicate the litnitatioris of usefulness of t h e quasi-equilibrium theory which arise from difficulties in gettiug precise and reliable appearance potential data. I n t h e reviewer’s opinion one of tlie most important applications of critical potential data is found in studies of the quasi-equilibrium theory of mass spectra. The chapter on Energetic Considerations s h o w the limitations of appearauce potential data. This topic is difficult to treat clearly and objectively and the authors often yield to the natural temptation to emphasize their own results. On the point of clarity of expositioil, if future editioiis of this book appear revision of passages of tlie followiiig type would be helpful. “In discussing various ionic orgauic reactions, obviously t h e proton affinity of a molecuie is the energy evolved when a proton is added to a molecule t o form ah iou. Since a proton is a n entit)- of very high energy, pro ton affinities are usually comparatively high and, of course, so are strengths of the bonds involving the proton. ” In spite of the objectioiis noted above on clarity and the iiianner in which some data are presented, the reviea-er recommends this book as a useful reference work.
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charged first with assembling presently available iiiformalion in t h a t field of interest. I n spite of what may sound like a discouraging report u p t o this point this volume does contain good papers, suine largely review, but all of generally high caliber. A group of six titles is devoted to up-to-date reports and reviews oii the dectrochemistry of systems with solid state conductors. F o l l o ~ i n ga survey by Uadelung on t h e nature of t h e semiconduction single phase, using both band theory and t h e atomic picture used for ionic crystals, there are two papers concerned n-ith the complications iiitroduced in multiphase systems of this sort. Schultz and Harten coucern theniselves with semi-conductors in contact with a gas phase and with a.meta1, while Seiler and Geist treat t h e case of semi-conductors in contact with other semiconductors. T h e former have a particularly interesting section on surface properties of semi-conductors b u t the entire group, n-hile largely review, is good. Wagner provides an outstanding paper on gaivanic cells using solid electrolytes. It. is largely theoretical, draiving heavily on data and experimental information :heady in t h e literature. -21 in :in abstract gives a tantalizing look at a possible proc for measuring the phase potcntial of semi-conductors (and insulators) in powder forin. If truly applicablc, this opens some interesting possibilities such a s its use in poteiitioruetric ineasureiiient of adsorption oiito powders, as suggested by the author. T h e section is closed by a paper by G6hr in which he clraws the parallel between potentials in electrochemistry and in semi-conductor work. This is tloiie in a clear and concise fashion. T h e largest single section of t h e book consists of 15 titles de\-oted to experimental methods in clectroclicrziistry. This is one section which would have served a niuch better purpose had it appeared earlier. Much of it is in the nature of revieiv b u t a considerable portion describes new and useful procedures. Disregarding t h e question of neir mateDEPARTMENT OF CHEXISTRP rial versus revierv and survey, t h e papers by Gierst o n conBROOKHAVEN XATIONAL LABORATORYLEWIS FRIEDnL4X stant current density electrolysis, especially using iriterUPTOS, LONGISLAND,NEWYORK rupted and periodic inputs, by Seipt on galvanostatic and potentiostatic methods, and b y Ibl on investigative irleth(ids for the diffusion layer are first rate and likely t o bc \ uscful t o ninny workers in electrocheniistr):. T h e pape International Committee of EIectrochemical ThermodynamEpelboiii, Brouillet and Froment on ineasurii~glarge aiiodc ics and Kinetics. Proceedings of t h e Seventh hleeting. Lindau, 1955. G. VALESSI, Poitiers (Editor-iti-Chief), I)oteiitials in conceutrated electrolyte solutions shnultl be cif T. P . HOAR,Cambridge, F. JOLAS,Paris, and J , 0’11. 1)articul:ir interest t o those working on anodization, o n elec)lishing, and t o some extent t o those conccrned with the BOCKRIS,Johannesburg. B u t t e r ~ o r t l ~Scieiitific. s Pubvity of metals. Griiss’s paper on the use of brightness lications, 88 Kingswap, London, IV. C. 2. England. 1957. ureirierits t o study inetnl surfaces is n. short rex-iew of si 409 pp. 16.5 X 2S.5 CIII. Pricc, 8 4 s., b y post 1s. ctl Lisefultiess. Itius, Llopis and Sanchez-Iiobles d c 6d extra. s c r i x :I mercury j e t cathode as cliiothcr iii tlie i -~~pliic They point out t h e I T h e papers, the tliscussioiis, and the business the I ~ [ ) l ~ i i - ~ i ~ i techniques. es of the iiiethod mid state that i t provides an ir seventh meeting o f CIII‘CE a t Lantlau, Genilanj,, in Ju:J~, em iii wliicli a particular advantage i5 its use for prepar1 9 X , are contained in this volume. Xt t h e outset it must one to stutly the Iciiietics v e parposcs, thereby permit be noted t h a t the value of tlie proceedings must have beeii ior1n:d aunlyiical IIIC:IIIS. c!imitiishccl by the 27 moriths wlii(,h elapsed bcforc they i > f clcctrochcniical rccluctions rs of siiiiic\vhat riiorc I-cappeared in print. Tliis is not oiily a disservice tci the ’l31crc u e two other original IIL- anti I h I t e stutlicti tlic authors of the pnpcrs miking up most of the bvok but cl1si1 strietcvl interest. L k Greef, I C I ~ C C L Sof :ttttlitioiis t- l’vurb:iis, Zoubov atid DelThis report and ihr resilting discussion led to the forination of a Coniniissii~ii (111 L‘lcc[roclieiiiic;iI Kiiiet ics ii111c11 \?,IS tL,riii,e i ; ~ t v + u I J X ~ C I - S . :\sitlc frrnii rhc cqui1ibri~i:n iiifor-
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BOOKREVIEWS
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mation, the corrosion and electrochemistry (electrodeposi- Syntheses” tradition. Apparently several additional volumes will also be devoted to furan derivatives. tion, galvanic cells) of each system is discussed. T h e last This reviewer’s personal reaction t o this little volume is two authors also contributed a short paper on the standard free enthalpy of SnHl(g). A paper by Brown, plus the dis- good. It is well p u t together in a style familiar t o all praccussion which follows, gives a very full background on the ticing chemists, references are well annotated and proper chemistry of the 12-H20 system and should be most useful credit is given t o previous work. A reading of the book did t o anyone interested in iodine and its compounds in aque- not disclose any apparently unworkable stages in the syntheses. Very sensibly t h e irritant properties of halomethylous systems. T h e section is completed by a good paper by furans are mentioned as warnings in t h e text. This is also hlaronny and Valensi on the calorimetric determination of various thermodynamic functions for the polysulfide ion common “Organic Syntheses” practice. If the series is continued and is diversified to other heteroszs-. The reports of Study Groups one and two on corrosion and cyclic systems, it will make a very useful and inexpensive addition t o a chemist’s personal library (provided he reads on batteries and accumulators, respectively, were brief and not particularly informative. Associated with each, Russian). Current books in this country on heterocyclics however, was an original paper of some interest which should are becoming too expensive for most bench chemists. have appeared earlier than they did. Darsulin and Marko- R o s s CHEMICAL LABORATORY vic studied the mechanism of corrosion of lead in waterPOLYTECHNIC IXSTITUTE ALABAMA dioxane systems containing air, and concluded t h a t the AUBURN,ALABAMA GENNADY M. KOSOLAPOFF water molecule is split giving an oxide and a hydrogensorbed lead surface. T h e rate of lead corrosion is said to be controlled then by competition between the formation of the Chemisorption. Proceedings of a Symposium held a t the adsorption “surface compound” and the rate of access of University College of North Staffordshire, Keele, Stafoxygen to the surface. Brenet, Grund and Jolas studied fordshire, by The Chemical Society, 16-19 July, 1956. the effect of heating on MnOB structure and on the Mn-0 Edited by Professor W. E. GARNER, C.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S. ratio. T h e work is incomplete in t h a t the changes found Academic Press Inc., Publishers, 111 Fifth Avenue, have not yet been related to the important electrochemical New York 3, N. Y. 1967. xii 277 pp. 14.5 X 22 cm. effects in the dry cell. Price, $9.00. This volume covers such a wide range of topics t h a t a critical review of each contribution was not feasible. However, T h e subject of chemisorption, particularly in relation t h e quality throughout is generally satisfactory or better. to the chemistry of the solid state’and the kinetics of surface T h u s for various reasons, various people should find this a reactions, is undergoing extremely rapid development. useful book t o have handy. Over the past few years our knowledge of the nature of chemisorption has advanced from a vague notion of the DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY UXIVERSITY O F TEXAS KORMAN HACKERMANsaturation of residual valence bonds a t surfaces to much more precise ideas in which Brillouin zones, Fermi levels, AUSTIN,TEXAS conduction bands, impurity levels and d electrons play a prominent and well-defined role. There is still much for advancement, however, since a number of imporSynthesis of Heterocyclic Compounds. Issue I. A. L. troom a n t points remain unsettled and a few contradictions still MNDJOIAN, Editor. Publishing House of the Academy of exist. For this reason t h e publication of the proceedings Sciences of t h e Armenian SSR, Ulitsa Abovyana, No. 124, of a symposium in which the participants are all distinErevan, Armenian SSR, USSR. 1956. 54 pp. 15 X guished workers in the field is particularly timely, and those 22.5 cm. Price, 5 rubles (with binding). interested and fairly familiar with the subject will find much This little booklet is patterned after the well-known “Orof value in the present volume. ganic Syntheses” in style of writing and composition of the Space does not permit even a reference t o each individual individual items. paper, and t h e reviewer will content himself with commentAs stated by the editor, until the publication of this book, ing on a few of the contributions that seemed to him t o be of which is stated t o be the first of a series, there has been a special interest. T h e group of papers dealing with chemilack of small and inexpensive books giving practical direc- sorption on metals is a particularly strong one; most of the tions for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. Such important phases of the subject are covered. Conductivity preparations are scattered through the literature although changes on adsorption on metal films are described by Suhrsome do appear in “Organic Syntheses.” T h e original pub- mann, while Mignolet extends his previous work cm charge lications, however, are often not given in sufficient detail transfer during chemisorption. Bond and rZddy deal with to be reliable or workable, and a series of m a l l books de- chemisorption and catalysis on metals of group VIII, while scribing practical syntheses of heterocyclics should be very Eley and Rossington, and Gundry and Tompkins, deal more uscful. particularly with kinetic aspects of chemisorption. A4very This reviewer fully supports the author in this purpose. interesting paper by Leck describes experiments mi chemiThere are many compendia on heterocyclic compounds, sorption resulting from the bombardment of metal surbut for the most part these are of a descriptive or theoretical faces by positive ions with energies up to 5000 e.v. nature rather than manuals of practical directions. The group of papers on semiconductors also contains sevThe present booklet covers a nuniber of readily carried eral significant contributions. The introductory paper by uut sJ-iitheses of furan derivatives. They are to a large Stone is a particularly lucid and useful one. Vv-inter reviews esteiit taken from Mndjoinn’s ow1 publications in the his results 011 the exchange of I8O between O2 gas and oxide Journals of the Srineiiian Academy in 1953. Many are surfaces, while papers by Rudharn and Stone, McConnell simple adaptations of earlier descriptions in Western publica- and Roberts, and R . J. Davis, deal with procesxs a t thc tions. surfaces of various other oxides. A group of papers dealing Mndjoian has been active in the general area of organic with adsorption on insulators includes interesting contribupharmaceuticals for a number of years, and has reported a tions by Kipling and Peakall and by Gregg on the adsorplarge number of preparations of esters and amides useful in tion of water and other vapors on oxides, and by Kloosterziel the general area of anesthetics and aritihistaminics in the on hydrogen-containing aluminum oxides. Armenian journals. T h e furan series is only one of the A somewhat disappointing group of papers comprises lines of work. The present booklet largely collects these those dealing with the theory of chemisorption; one could, data in one place. The original descriptions in the Armenian indeed, glean more of the theory by reading the other papers journals were mere lists of t h e compounds made with de- than the four in this group. Dowden’s introductory paper is scriptions of physical constants but as a rule no details of written in such a condensed manner as t o be largely uninthe methods of synthesis were given owing to lack of space. telligible t o anyone not already entirely familiar with the In the introduction the author states t h a t the Institute of field. Grimley gives an interesting formal treatment of the Fine Organic Chemistry of the -4rmenian SSR is underquantum mechanics of the chemisorption of hydrogen on a taking a periodic publication of such volumes in heterocyclic metal surface, and in this section one might have hoped for syntheses. .\long with nisterial taken from the work of this parallel trratments of other kinds of systems. A paper by Institute (in which Rlndjrlian is a leading chemist), he states de Boer gives an authoritative discussion of the possible that methods developed by others will also be published. factors leading to a decrease of the heat of chernisorption T h e preparations are checked and verified in t h e “Organic with coverage. A paper by Schuit, de Boer and co-workers,
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