book reviews Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry, 2nd Editlon
Stuart J. Raum, State University of New York, College a t Plettsburgh. Maemillan Publishing Ca., New York, 1978. Figs. & tables. 18 X 26 cm. xiii 514 pp. $14.95.
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This book is intended for a course in organic chemistry with heavy emphasis on biological applications. It is written for students in the areas of nursing, biology, medical technology, agriculture, and veterinary science, and i t assumes students have had a t least one orior course in chemistrv.
chapters cover biochemistry. The second edition of this book contains many revised chapters, a new chapter on sulfur and phosphorus compounds, new material on aging, taste, smell, birth control, drugs, viruses, and pesticides. Reaction mechanisms are not heavily stressed, but some are included. The book does not utilize a two-color format which is the trend for most modern textbooks. Readability and easier understanding of concepts could have been improved if a twu-color format had been used, oarticularlv for figures and structures. Ex-
adequate, but no answers are provided in the hook. Overall, the book is well conceived and written. Instructors looking for a book for a course in organic chemistry for nonmajor in health related fields should consider this edition. Roger D. Barry Norfhem Michigan University Marquene. 49855
Organic Chemistry: A Brief Survey
Reuben L. Baumgarten, Lehman College of the City University of New York. The Ronald Press Co., New York, 1977. Figs. and tables. 16.5 X 24 cm. viii + 474 pp. $14.50. This teat is designed for a one-semester course in organic chemistry for nonmajors. The book is well written and easy to read. A liberal number of interesting historical notes and examples drawn from biochemistry serves to increase the enjoyment and interest. Although there are some confusing sentences, the number of these is small. In addition, the number of typographical errors is low for a new t e d . However, one particularly annoying one is the consistent use of r instead of A for wavelength in the chapter on spectroscopy. The book is comprised of 24 chapters. The first six chapters cover the basic concepts of organic chemistry including bonding, geometry, and an introduction to nomenclature. Electronic and steric effects are also introduced here and used to discuss acid and base
chemistry. This is followed by an introduction to reaction mechanisms. The next ten stereochemistry, six chapters on natural products and polymers, and a final chapter on spectroscopy complete the coverage. Each chapter is followed by problems of varying degrees of difficulty. All the imoortant conceots of oreanic " chemistry nrr presrnrrd i n adrquarr drrnil. The lrrcl of rhc rerr IS quite appropriatr for the audirncr for u,hlch il is des~nned.hlua of the major reaction mechanisms are presented in the chapters dealing with the reactions of the functional groups and then used to aid in understanding the chemistry. Overall the text succeeds in its goals and deserves consideration by those teaching a one-semester organic chemistry course. Joseph M. Hornback U n i w i t y of Denver Denver. Colorado 802 10
Prlnclples of Chemlcal Kinetics
Gordon G. Hommes, Cornell University. Academic Press, New York, 1978. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. x + 268 pp. $19.50, The subject of chemical kinetics is extremelv bmad. and. hence. it is necessarv to
he on the phenomenology and commonly used theories of chemical kinetics along with a selection of ap~lications.The topics included in this text accomplish this purpose and should provide the student with a basic understanding of the principles of chemical kinetics and an appreciation of how mechanistic information can be obtained from various experimental approaches. Although the title is different, the book is essentially a somewhat revised edition of an earlier work coauthored with the late I. Amdur. Many long sections of the text have been lifted verbatum from the earlier edition. However. some of the material. esneeiallv
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chapter on enzyme kinetics has been expanded and a new section has heen added on collision dynamics by computer simulatim. The lists of references a t the ends of the chapters have been expanded to include new material. One meat imornvement is in the
he the case for many instructors, asbell, unless they are particularly well-gmunded in kinetics. The pnhlems at the ends of the chapters represent a good mix from easy to challenging. With une or two exceptions all the problems in this edition have been taken from the earlier work. Many students leaving school these days will be faced with tackling envinmnental or energy-related problems involving kinetics.
(Continued on pa#? A86) A84 1 Journal of Chemical Education
