hlyerhof fermentation of glucose are summarized by H. 0. L. Rscher. Recent advances in the preparation of pept,ides by the isocyanate, phosphoram, and phosphite ester syntheses are critically discussed hy 8. Golrlschmidt and 11. L. Krauss. In addition, numerous heterocyclic compounds are prepared from aeetoacetaldehyde, and unique carboxylic acids by the dx-carbon chain-lengthening process. Even the examples chosen in the chapter on selective reductions by bydrides are in the area of natural products, and many selective oxidations with noble metal ccatalysts axe illustrated with sugars, polyhydric alcohols, and steroidw. A small chapter on the continuous preparation of phenyleodium somehow seem out of place. The dual-tipple, trimotar, multiloop unit is designed to produce twenty moles of phenvlsodium per working . . day. This reviewer has developed a generally warm feeling for the book. The translation from the German is excellent. Except for a very few sentences, the treatise might well have been composed in English. Much unpublished work is recorded, and numerous experimental procedures for the preparation of specific compounds are collected at the end of each review. The practical use of the book will depend on a thorough howledge of its contents rather than the nina-page subject index. On the other hand, no names were sacrificed in compiling and croas-indexing the twenty-page liat of 1600 authors from the 1000 references. HARRY D. ZOOK Pansyluania State University University Potk
An Outline of Organic Chemistry
Corwin Hansch, Pomona College, Claremont, California, and George Helmkamp, University of California at Riverside. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 336 pp. Figa. New York, 1963. vii and tables. 21 X 28cm. Paperbound. $3.98.
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As in the first edition, the authors have established an order of presentation based on functional groups, special topics (amino acids, carbohydrates, etc.), t~ndaromatic compounds. This division allows a rather complete outlining of the chemistry in each area. The prime virtue of the book is the numerous problems plus answers to most. The problems serve not only to review the material in a particular c h a p ter, but also bring in reactions and concepta covered in earlier chapters. In particular, an effort is made to teach the student how to approach the problem of synthesizing a compound. Reaction mechanisms are presented frequently to help develop an intuitive feeling about organic reactions as the student commits to memory factual information. The authors have increased the content of the chapter on stereoisomerism, s. natural outgrowth of their emphasis on reaction mechanism, and have added a useful introductory chapter on molecular orbital concepts.
The student of beginning organic chemistry could well afford the nominal price of this book for use as a. supplement to his classroom text and the student who must review first year organic chemistry would find this book admirably suited to that end.
Introduction to Modern Biochemistry
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LEROYW. HAYNES College of Wooster Womter, Ohio
Topier in Organic Chemistry
L w i s F. Fieser and Mary Fiesm, both of Hsnrard University. Reinhold Publishing Ca., New York, 1963. xii 668 pp. Figs. and tables. 16.5 X 24 e r r . $14. This reviewer delights in reading texts by the Fieaem. Whimeicdy, each is dedicated to a beautiful Siamese cat, but the prose of the texts is a credit to the writers' craft. Crammed with precise information, interlaced with lively, scientifically significant historical dramas, these books can be alternatelystudied or read with interest akin to reading thrillers. A strikine example is elaborated on pp. 126-7 in connection with the structure of pelletierine. I t is no accident that these texts are found in the personal libraries of many organic chemist8 here and abroad. 'Topics" is composed of two parts: Part 1, with nine chapters left out of "Advanced Organic Chemistry" (see J . C h . Ed., 39, A902 (November, 1962)), and Part 2, containing several corrections to "Advanced," new references up-dating sections already treated in "Advanced" (a total of 226) and 34 entirely new sections. The chapters in Part 1 me readily recognized as up-dated and, in part, extensively rewritten chapters from "Organic Chemistry," third edition: Chapter 1, Palynuclear Hydrocarbons; Chapter 2, Aromatic Heterocyclic Compounds; Chapter 3, Alkaloids; Chapter 4, Terpenoids; Chapter 5, Steroids; Chapter 6, Vitamins; Chapter 7, Chemotherapy; Chapter 8, Synthetic Polymers; and Chapter 9, Dyes. Some randomly selected new sections from Part 2 are: R and S Specifications of Configurations, Reduction with Diimide, Twistane, and Selective Chemical Cleavange of Proteins. A8 was donne in "Advanced," ''Topics" also includes one- or two-line biographies for many scientists, both young and old. One hundred seventy-nine new sketches are given making nearly 800 in both books. Typography is generally excellent. Ball and stick models are used when a simple diagram would not show sufficient detail. Errors are few, one being the misspelling of Claimn (p. 540). This text, like its predecessor, is recammended for the personal library of the practicing organic chemiat and as a supplementary reference work for a course in advanced organic chemistry.
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ERNESTI. BECKER Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Brooklyn, New Ymlc
Peter t i o d s a , Thiversity of Munich. Translated hy Charles H. Doering, Iir~iversity of California School of Medicine, San Francisco. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1963. xviii 433 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 25 om. $10. Thanks to the development of newer and more probing techniques, our bioehemicd knowledge has accumulated at an ever increasing pace. The delineation of most metabolic pathwaytys, the unfolding of the mechanism of biosynthesis of macromolecules, the unraveling of the primary . .
diseases," are some of the numerous out. standing discoveries achieved in the short span of the last two decades. With the development of thedectronmicroscopemd histochemical techniques, it became evident that most, if not all, biochemical events in the cell take place in very highly organized systems, which could be discerned and studied. Thus, not only has the volume of biocheniml knowledge grown by leaps and bounds, but also the scope of biochemistry has widened to include the physical aspects of the manifestations of life on one side and the complex organization of living systems on the other. This poses a formidable task not only to the students of this field but undoubtedly to the authors who endeavor to correlate an enormous number of diverse facts, keep them up to date, and present them in s, coherent medium-sized textbook. In this volume, Professor Karlson has ably accomplished these objectives. The emphasis in this book is one the fundamental bio~hvsical and biochemical concepts that- underlie the various aspects of life in microbial, plant, and animal svstema. Methodolow and clinical asGets of bioehemistr~aretourhed upon only very slightly. The text is divided into 23 chapters beginning with an introductory one on organic chemistry. Chapters 2 through 9 deal with the chemistry and metabolism of nitrogenous compounds. Chapters 10 and 11 cover biological oxidation and the citric acid cycle, while chapters 12, 13, and 14 are devoted to the chemistry and metabolism of lipids. A unique feature of this book is the placing of the chapters on carbohydrates (15, 16, and 17) after those
that the arrangement of material ior didactic purposes is a subjective point. The correlation of various pathways of intermediary metabolism is discussed in chapter 18. Chapters 19 through 23 deal with the "topoehemistry" of the cell, hormones, mineral metabolism, nutrition and vitamins, and special biochemical function of certain organs. Most recent findings are often included but the original references are not given. From two to nine well-selected review references are listed after each chapter; some of which are German but the majority are English. The most recent reference is dated 1962. Volume 41, Number 6, June 1964
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Overcondensstion, which is evident throughout the text, is a limitation of this hook. I t is too brief to he recommended for medical or graduate students. Thus the chemistry of blood is dealt with in less than one page, urine in 2 pages, and acidbase balance in 2 pages. However, it meets adequately the needs of undergraduate students of the physical and biological sciences as well as students of dentistrv. ", pharmacy, agriculture, food ~cience,and nutrition. On the whole, this textbook is very clearly written, well illustrated, and smoothly translated.
ods are brief. Witkop's exhaustive review of chemical methods in "Advances in Protein Chemistry" is a necessary supplement to this chapter. The review of enzymatic llydn,lyi.ie rnethocls is adequare. N-trmminul und C-teruunal sequcnre determinnriorta un diwuseed in Cha~tem 6 and 7. These procedures are reviewed in many books. The present treatment ia thorough and balanced. Procedures artre described in sufficient detail so that the original literature may be readily ewluated. This section is a valuable summary of analytical methods. The chapter on dialysis and gel filtration is s. good practical introduction conEBBAT S. YOUNATHAN taining information such as the porosity Univetsity of Arkansas Medical Cater of Viaking cellophane tubing a t different I d l e Rock thicknesses. It is unfortunate that Porath's review in "Advances in Protein Chemistry" is too recent for inclusion in this section. The next two chapters on column chromatography and zone eleotrophoresis are goad introductions to the subject. Techniques in Protein Chemistry The final chapter outlines miscellaneous methods such as the Folin-Cioealteau, J . Leggett Bailey, Twyford Laboratories, biuret, and Kjeldahl procedures for estiLondon. American Elsevier Publishmating protein and nitrogen. ing Co., New York, 1962. xii 310 In this review, it has been suggested pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 that more authoritative discussions of cm. $11. specific topics are available. This in no This hook is a thorough laboratory manway detracts from Bailey's hook. The ual on protein isolation, protein cleavage, real merit of this book is found in ita baland amino acid analysis. The subject is a ance and selectivity. The hook is much fortunate choice. Msny excellent dismore than a. survey. I t is a good working cussions of protein chemistry have been manual and should fill this important funepublished; however, 3. Leggett Bailey tion in the personal libraries of many has written the heat concise and yet critical chemists and hiochemists. summary of analytical methods that is D ~ v mG. CORNWELL now available. Ohio State University Paper chromatography is discussed in Columbus Chapter 1. The discussion includes general conaiderations and detailed inatructions. The partition coefficient theory of Martin and Synge is reviewed and a h g e series of experimental Rr values are recorded. Thin-layer chromatography is Methods in Carbohydrole Chemistry. too recent a development for inclusion Volume 2, Reactions of Carbohydrates in this section. Chapter 2 discusses high-voltage elecEdited by Roy L . Whistler, Purdue trophoresis. Line drawings and circuit University, Lafayette, Indiana, and diagram are used to describe apparatus. M. L. Wolfrom, Ohio State University, The actual separations achieved with a Columbus, assisted by James N . Benumber of system are represented scheMiller, Southern Illinois University, matically and with several photographa. Carbondale. Academic Press, Inc., The combination of electrophoresis and New York, 1963. xv 572 pp. Figchromatography for the separation of ures. 16 X 23.5 om. $19.50. amino acids and peptides is described. Ion-exchange chromatography is oub This volume, the second in a series of lined in Chapter 3. This chapter includes five volumes to be published, is concerned a brief discussion of ion-exchange resins with reactions of simple carbohydrates. which will serve aa an introduction to the I t is designed primarily sa a working detailed information available in specific reference for the laboratory. In general boob on ion-excbange chromatography. each reaction is briefly discussed and variThe elution analysis scheme developed ous modifications evaluated. This is folbv Moore and Stein is covered adeaustelv. lowed by a detailed procedure for one or . , ljrtte on tho frartimkrion of prptidw are more specificreactions. inrluded in this vlmprrr. Section 1, General Considerations, conThe sperific clr~vageof disulCde b w h tains only one article: Claasitioation of and disulfide interchirnge me disruased in Blocking Groups. Thia is a brief outline a n interesting chnptcr. Inrra- and iuterof the stability and use of various derivarnolerul?r didtide lronds have presented tives. Many of the descriptions are too a formidable analncial ~roblem. Bnilrv brief to be of much value, particularly for has made original &ntridutions and writ& the non-expert. with authority on this subject. Section 2, Oxidation Products, is suhChapter 5, Selective Cletwrtge of Pepdivided into sections entitled: Aldonic tide Chains, is perhaps the least adequate Acids, Uronic Acids, Aldaric Acids, Hexochapter in this book. The sections on losonic Acids, and Esterification. partial acid hydrolysis and chemical methSection 3, Reduction Pmduets, contains
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Journal o f Chemical Education
descriptions of different metal hydride reductions, catalytic hydrogenation, reductive amination, and also methods for the preparation of inositol, mannitol, and pemeitol. Section 4 discusses Derive tives of Nitrogen Bases; Section 5, Etheritication; Section 6, Esterification. The remaining sections are: 7, Acetalation; 8, Unsaturated Sugars; 9, Aldosuloses; 10, Acyclic Monosaccharides; 11, Thiosugars; 12, Configurational Inversion; 13, The 0x0 Reaction; 14, Grignard and Friedel-Crafta Reaction; 15, Saccharinic Acids; 16, Determination of Isotopic Carbon Distribution in Aldoaes; 17, Selected Methods in Carbohydrate Chemistry Found in Other Collections. Each section is written hy an investigator who haa had direct experience with the method described. There are 86 contributors to the volume. As would be expected, the degree of detailing and the extent of evalustion of different methods varies considerably from section to section. The footnotes in several sections appear to contain much helpful information, particularly if modification of the described method is required. This volume is a definite contribution to the research worker dealing directly with carbohydrates. Every research laboratory having occasion to deaJ with csrbohydrates will find this book moat helpful. R. H. MCCLUER Ohw Stote University Columbus
Methods in Carbohydrate Chemistry. Volume 3, Cellulose
Edited hy Roy L. Whistler, Purdue University, Lafsyette, Indiana, and M . L. Wolfrorn, Ohio State University, Columbus. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1963. xvi 407 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $15.50.
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This volume presents methods in cellulose chemistry only, and is thus of more specialieed interest than the preceding volumes of the aeries. It is closely restricted to the subject of cellulose; plant and wood chemistry are only briefly considered, and applications to textile and paper technology have been omitted. Since little background material is given with the procedures, uae of s. standard text in cellulose cbemiatry in conjunction with the volume is recommended far the nan-specialists. The volume is divided into the following sections: 1, Preparation of Cellulose; 2, Chemical Analyses; 3, Physical Analyses; 4, Degradation of Cellulose; 5, Cellulose Esters: Preparation, Properties, Reactions, and Analyses; 6, Cellulose Ethers: Preparation, Properties, Reactions, and Analyses; 7, Microscopy; 8, Laboratory Equipment; 9, Preparation and Analysis of C'4-Labeled Cellulose. The form, as in the preceding volumes, for each procedure consists of sn intraduction in which some general information is
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