Chemical Thermodynomicr: lems Approach
A Prob-
Norman 0.Smith, Fardham University, New York. Reinhold Publishing Car278 poration, New York, 1967. x pp. Figs. and tables. l5.S X 23.5 cm. $8.50.
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BOOK
REVIEWS
Introduction to Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms
J . C. Loekharl, University of Newcastlenpon-Tyne, England. D. Van Nost,rand Co., Inc., Prineet,on, New Jersey, 116 pp. $3.95. Paper1966. ix bound.
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Inorganic textbooks tend to neglect problems in reaction mechanisms a t the expense of discussions of synthesis, structure, and bonding. This book, devoted exclusively t,o inorganic mechanisms, is a. welcome supplement to the comprehen~ive textbooks. Some knowledge of thermodynamics and reaction kinetim is necessary to read this book, but upper division undergradnates should have no trouble with it,. As the title indicates, it is an introductory text and is not designed for the specialist in the field of inorganic reaction mechanisms. Superh s t d y problems a p pear a t the end of most chapters. These prnblems are worth the price of the book done. The basic pattern of discussion is to present a chemical reaction and t,hen to discuss all the known lines of evidence that, can be used to develop s. reasonable reaction mechanism. Reactions are divided into the following classes: disnociittionassociation, electron transfer, substitution, redistribution, elimination, chain, and pol,vmerization. Illust,rative examples of each class of reaction are discussed in con-
-Reviewed
siderable detail. The examples cover a wide variety of chemical systems including many nowtransition metalsystems. Original research papers are cited liberally throughout the book. I n the opinion of this reviewer, too much reliance is placed an t.he Ingold-Hughes classification systcm, but this is a subjective view. Occasionally, oversimplification has led to ambiguity as in an attempt to discuss substihttion mechitnisms while considering all reverse reactions to be negligibly slow. I n many respects this book is similar to "Inorganic Reaction Mechsnkms" by John 0. Edwards, (W. A. Benjamin, 1964). One would want both books in tho library, but would choose one or the other as a course textbook. Another book in the same field is "Ligand Substitution Processes" by C. H. Langford and H. B. Gray, (W. A. Benjamin, 1(966), but it is bath more narrow in scope and much more sophisticated. The author has succeeded in showing that the unraveling of rn~chanismproblems in inorganic ehemist,ry is an exciting and challenging business. Without being overwhelmed, the reader is brought to the frontier of chemical research. No higher tribi~tecan be paid to an undergraduate textbook. JAMES E. FIPHOLT Carleta College Northfield, Minnesota
in this Issue
Reviewed in this Issue J . C. Lockhart, Intradoctian to Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms Norman 0.Smith, Chemical Thermodynamics: A Problems Approach P . A . H . I'i'yalt, Energy and Entropy in Chemistry Eugene A . Dauidson, Carbohydrate Chemistry A . N . Nesmeyanov and R. A . Sokolik, Methods of Elementoorganic Chemistry. Volume 1, The 01,gnnic Compounds of Boron, Aluminum, Gallium, Indium and Thallium Kmneth A . Cmnors, A Textbook of Pharmaceutical Analysis H. Geoj%i.ey Bray and Kenneth While, Kinetics and Thermodynamics in Riochemistly lionrnd Kmuskopj, Introduction to Geochemistry Engelbert Broda and Thomas Sehonfeld, The Technical Applications of ITndioactivity. Volume 1 Frederick W . GCibbs, Joseph Priestley Revolutions of the Eighteenth Century E. H . E. Pietsch and the Gmelin Institute, editors, Gmelins Handhoeh der Anorganischen Chemie. 8. Auflage, System Nummer 48, Vanadium. Teil B, Lieferong 2, Verbindungen his Vandium and Wismut E. H . E. Pietsch and the Gmelin Institute, editors, Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemio. 8. Auflage, System Nummer 14, Carbon. Teil n, Lieferung I, Das Element Isdope, Atom, Molekeln, Einstoffsystem, I h m p f , Diamxnt
This book of eleven chapters has been carefully compiled for use in presenting chemical thermodynamics a t the intermediate undergraduate level. There is, in each chapter, a sufficient discussion of fundamental thermodynamic theory to make the problems workilble. I n addition to the 108 problems (an average of approximately 10 per chapter) there are nnmerous worked examples throughout the text. One excellent feature of the answels to the problems (given in an appendix) is that full explanation of the method of approach to each problem is given. This is ertremely helpful in self-study, and is one feature which makes the book a very good one to accompany a standard physical chemistry text a t the ilndelgrndunt,e level. A spot check shows that both the thble of contents and index have been casef~dly assembled. Several mnttem of a conceptusl natwe might have been done differently. For example, the term "xork content" in reference to the Helmholtz free energyshould have been avoided. "Work function" is preferable and much less misleading. The definition of adiabatic pracess shoidd be in t e m i of rly = 0, not, q = 0, since the latter statement ii; ambiguo~ts. There is a section of Chapter 3 entitled Visual Comparison of Entropies, which might well have been st,rengthened by mention of the Sacknr-Tetrode eqnstion; also, this reviewer is not happy with the choice of the ward "visual" in this conk x t ; perhaps "qualitative" might have been a better word. The matter is minor, however. There are a few typographical errors, e.g., equations 4.24, 4.26, and 4% are i w correct. This s i t u ~ t i o nis almost inevitable in the first printing of a book of technical nature, and merely represents entropy which surely will be pumped o ~ r t in subsequent printings. I n summary, the book would be an esd e n t problem text to accompany any of the modern physical chemistry texts which tend to shy more and more away from the~madynamicsin favor of stntisticnl and quantum mechanics, kinetics, structure, and spectroscopy. Further, it n-onld serve very well as the principal text in an intermediate course-ne semester or one or two qusrters-in chemical thermodynamics. F R ~ R.K ~ I E E K S University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 46881
Energy a n d Entropy in Chemistry
P . A . H . Wyatt, The University of Sheffield. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1967. ix 192 pp. Figs. and tableq. 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $6.
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The author says in his preface, "In this book I have tried to shorten the path to Volume 45, Number I , January 1968
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