teovers and the index is woefully incomplete hut, in my opinion, slickness should not take precedent aver timeliness or content. The few illustrations are well chosen and even funny, as is Adler's discussion of Eco-pornography (p. 82-3). His writing style is pungent, personal, and borders on the insulting uiz. (p. 277) "Many bums, astrologers, English majors, and other parasites in our society exist only because seience-based technology has been able to produce surplus food and other necessities of life." Since I found the book worth reading, I should not allow my dislike of the author's conclusions or suspicions that he is biasing the data interfere with my recommendations. The hook can be incorporated as a reference for an environmental science course. I would not recommend it as a text. It is liable to get a better reception in city based community colleges than in the Ivy league or pseudo Ivy league. Professors teaching such courses should also familiarize themselves with some of the arguments and non-arguments in the haok. The fundamental idea of the book is sound, it is too bad it was poorly carried out. Harold W. Kohn Ohio Power Siting Commission Columbus. Ohio 43216
Introductionto Modern Organic Chemistry
Carl H Snyder, University of Miami. Harper & Row, New York, 10022, 1973. xiii x 530 pp. Figs. and Tables. 21 X 24 em. $11.95. The author has designed this text for the nonmajor. The preface states: the text was written "to provide the nonmajor with a survey of organic chemistry which corresponds more closely than usual to the organic chemistry we practice as professianal chemists and live with as teachers and students in our society." In seeking this goal, the author modified the traditional approach to the subject in several ways. The text is organized into seven major parts. Part I (Chapters 1-61 deals with molecular structure including bonding and electronic structure, structure of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, spectrometry and stereochemistry involving configuration and conformation. The introduction to organic reactions appears in Part I1 (Chapters 7-91 and involves interconversions among alcohols, alkyl halides, and alkenes together with mechanistic discussions of these reactions. The reactions of aliphatic hydrocarbons, which constitutes the traditional introduction to organic reactions, is relegated ta a minor role and appears relatively late in the text (page 215) supporting the author's belief that combustion and free radical halogenation are simply not important topics in the early stages of a course in organic chemistry. Instead, the early examination of earhonium ion chemistry has enabled the author to develop the central concept of his text that "every preparation of an organic compound involves the reaction of another organic compound." In this teat the separate preparation-reaction schemes are replaced to a large extent by emphasis on preparations of the functional group without explicit descriptions of its A376
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reactions. The reactions appear in analyses of the functional group in question, its
use in the preparation of other functional groups, and in mechanistic discussions. Parts D - W follow this general pattern. Part III (Chapters 10-14) involves the chemistry of alcohols, alkyl halides, ethers, and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Part IV (Chapters 15-17) discusses aromatic compounds, followed by Part V (Chapters 18-19) carbanyl compounds (aldehydes, ketones, and carbohydrates), Part VI (Chapters 20-22) acids and bases, and Part VII (Chapters 23-24) derivatives of carhoaylic acids. Throughout the text, theory is integrated with synthetically useful reactions. There are no special topic sections, for example, a chapter on natural products or macromolecules. Instead, biological, medical, and commercially important campounds are integrated into the main body of the text. For example steroids appear as illustrations of polycyclic hydrocarbons, alkaloids as amines, carbohydrates as polyhydroxy aldehydes, and ketones and proteins as polyamides. The printing of the text is good; the molecular orbitals appear in blue and the contrast with the black type is useful in drawing attention t o the central feature of the illustration or reaction. The text is free of typographical errors. No section an the literature of organic chemistry appears in the text, and unfortunately no suggested further reading assignments a t the end of each chapter are given to stimulate student interest. The important concepts of orbital symmetry control of certain organic reactions are not discussed. The text is written with the assumption that the student has a n adequate background in the general principles of chemistry. In the traditional one-semester course for nonmajors, the text may be beyond the ability of many average students who take organic ehemistry without a strong inclination for a background in science and therefore same principles in general chemistry will probably have to he supplemented. On the other hand, the text does not cover enough material in depth for the full-year science major course. Students who successfully use this text should find i t intellectually exciting and gratifying and should be well prepared for an additional course in organic or a short course in biochemistry. This reviewer plans to use this text the next time he teaches the short course in organic and this fact best describes his positive evaluation of it. Augustine Siiveira. Jr. State University of New York Oswego. New York 13126
In Preparation for College Chemistry
William S. Seese, Casper College. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1974. xii + 239 pp. Figs. and Tables. 15 X 23 cm. $4.95 Paperbound. The author describes his work quite accurately in one short paragraph. "The basic concepts of chemistry are presented in a step-hy-step informative review that enables the reader to determine his or her weakness and to take the necessary mea-
sures to overcome them." A student that is knowledgeable in the concepts presented would he in a favorable position in most first-year college chemistry courses. The author has a straightforward approach which makes the book very readable. His problem salving technique is clear and easy to follow, about to the paint of being programmed. In my opinion, this manuscript could be used to advantage with three groups of students. First, as a companion to any good first-year chemistry text for the marginal student, secondly, as the primary text for an introductory chemistry course for students without a high school chemistry background. and third, as a rapid review vehicle for high school students prior to entering a class in college chemistry. The choice of topics and the manner in which they are treated makes this one of the best puhlieatians of this type. C. A. Dhonau Vincennes University Vincennes. Indiana 47591
Aliphatic Nucleophilic Substitution
S. R. Hartshorn, University of Durham. Cambridge University Press, 32 East 57th Street, New York, 10022, 1973. vii 172 pp. Figs. and tables. 14 x 22 cm. $12.50.
+
This small hook is intended to he an introduction to aliphatic nucleophilie substitution reactions. It consists of five chapters: Introduction, Structural and Solvent Effects, Characterization of Mechanism, Ion-Pair Intermediates, and Intramolecular Reactions. The introduction gives a brief survey of the types of aliphatic nucleophilic substitutions and their designations ( S N ~SNI, , SNZ(C+), S N I ,etc.). The contents of the other chapters are indicated by their titles. The descriptions of the mechanisms and the experimental evidence upon which these mechanisms are based are clearly presented. In some cases, the limits of experimental data is given. However, the reader is not presented with all sides of a question and then told to draw his own conclusions; the author gives his evaluation of the status of the problem. In this respect, the author's approach reminds me of Gould's. The author has characterized the book as an introduction to the subject. This is an accurate appraisal, for he mentions the tools and techniques needed to establish a mechanism. Some of these are carefully discussed, with adequate references to the literature, hut some are given a very short shrift. The linear free energy relationships, ~articularlythe Taft equation, are not well done. In Chapter 5, nmr is mentioned but the way that the data supported the mechanism was not discussed. Overall, I was favorably impressed with the haok. It does serve as a clear introduction to the subject. It reminds me of the Methuen monograph in many respects hut will not be used as a definitive reference work. John 0 . Rsinheimer The College of Wooster Woosler. Ohio 44691
