book reviews one-year exposure to the field of chemistry to prepare them for other professions or to increase their knowledge and understanding of current developments in ehemical research." Presumably such objectives could make the text suitable for courses for science majors other than chemistry as well as for courses designed primarily for non-science liberal arts majors. In fact, the authors refer to the renewed interest in "introductory chemistry courses which give a survey of a wide array of topics" as a motivation to preparing this new edition relatively soon after the appearance of the first edition. A number of desirable improvements have been achieved in this revision. Each chapter is now preceded by a statement of objectives and is concluded by a list of important terms and concepts covered. While some may feel this approach to be overly pedantic, it should be helpful to many students. The suggested readings at the end of every chapter have been thoroughly updated and contain many useful and interesting references, largely from Scientific American and the Journal of Chemical Education. While the total length is about the same as the first edition, the portion devoted to general and inorganic has been reduced about one-fifth and the section on organic has been increased proportionately. Two new chapters,
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Journal ofChemical Education
one on polymers and one on drug biochemistry, have been added. The latter surveys a wide range of modern drugs and should be of special interest to students. Substantial and worthwhile revisions have been made in the chapters on nuclear processes and on chemical bonding. A few changes have been made and some new questions have been added to the prohlems at the end of each chapter. However, while the authors refer in the Preface to new topics which have been added to help relate chemical principles to relevant modem issues, and specifically mention atmospheric chemistry and water sources and pollution, the amount of space accorded these topics is quite short and hardly indicative of the importance of the subjects to present day concerns. Much material would need to be added in these areas in any introductory survey course, particularlv one aimed at liberal arts majors.
The general layout of the book in terms of readability of type and clarity of the illustrations, equations and structures is excellent. Many teachers will question whether this much material can he profitably covered in a one-year survey course, but for those who believe in this approach, this im~rovedtext should he eiven careful consideration. W. H. Puterbaugh University ofNorth Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro. North Carolina 27412
Molecular Geometry
R. J. Gillespie, MeMaster Univemity, Hamilton, Ontario. Van Nastrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1972. ix + 228 pp. Figs. and tables. 23 x 15.5 em. 632.M). The Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR) is the simplest and most generally reliable approach to molecular geometry which may be taught to undergraduates. The major proponent of this approach has now prepared a book in which the details are laid bare in logical order with numerous examples. The VSEPR theory may be summed up as stating that electron pairs (free, or in bonds) stay as far away from each other as possible. What then requires a whole book for development? In addition to finding suitable geometric arrangements for up to nine electron pairs about a central atom, refinements are introduced to determine the numher of pairs that may be accamodated about a given atom, the relative size taken up by an electron pair compared to a bonding pair, the effect of multiple bands, the effect of electranegativity, and special considerations of transition metal compounds. The book abounds with figures and tables. Literally hundreds of examples are given with bond angles and bond lengths. The book is a tour de force of bonding without the use of orbitals. Accordingly, some concepts covered more directly with (Continued onpogeAJ18)
book reviews orhiral-haied themer d m p w r n t r d iurnewhnr more awkward" here. Thui, the antihunding orhirnli of 310 them? beromea a "second& valence shell" and the oxygen formulation is written as . ( e O I . , and Lp. C * ] O and [S-r.10 honds become ,hands invalvine the seeandarv valence. More con-
nitrate ion and hydrogen a i d e
"01
'H
These views differing from the current conventions, and the facts which prompt them, should be stimulating to students who have had prior exposure to the more usual bonding pictures; however, beginning freshman might fail to distinguish between these novel approaches and the misprints which occur with unfortunate frequency. This reviewer rates the book as far mature audiences only. Darl H. McDaniel University ot Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 45221
The Inorganic Chemistry of Biological Processes
M. N. Hughes, University of London. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1973. vi + 304 pp. Figs. and tahles. 16 X 24 cm. $12.95. "LifC is really as dependent upon inorganic chemistry as organic chemistry." This quotation from the author's preface suggests a rationale for this book. The hook, in turn, provides the information amply to justify the statement. Specialists may quarrel with the author's inclusions or omissions; they may argue with some of his interpretations of data reported by researchers working a t the growing edge of knowledge in this field. But professors and their students who wish to have a halanced overview of the chemistry indicated hy the title will be grateful to the author far putting so much information in this modest sized-modest priced volume. The introductory chapter provides a cursory sketch of essential biochemistry. The second chapter attempts to do the same for inorganic chemistry. Far fmm supplying the necessary background in either discipline for students of the other, these chapters merely suggest what the reader should know before he or she can profit from the rest of the hook. The emphasis of the hulk of the book is on the role of metal ions in a variety of biologically important reactions. Metalloproteins are treated in a chapter. Hydrolytic metallo- and metal-activated enzymes are the subject of another. This leads to a chapter on biological redax reactions where the chdnge in the oxidation number of a eamplexed transition metal
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Journal of Chemical Education
plays the crucial role. A status report on the rapidly moving field of nitrogen f i n tion research is treated in a chapter. Other chapters discuss oxygen carriers, alkali and alkaline earth cations, and finally the use of chelating agents in medicine. The style of writing is just right far the upper-level undergraduate. Sufficient references are given for him or her to have a good start on an exploration of the literature on same suhiect that attracts interest. At the present time when the large majority of undergraduate chemistry majors claim medicine as a primary career goal, this book can be especially useful to keep such students in courses the catalog calls "inorganic" chemistry. This is a welcome hook. WFK
Molecular Evolution and the Origin of Life
Sidney W. Fox, Institute of Molecular Evolution, University of Miami, and Klaus Dose, Johannes Gutenberg University. W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. xi + 359 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 cm. $16. This hoak contains a reasonably halanced overview of the possible events leading to the origins of life. It discusses the geological conditions on the primitive earth, reactions leading to micromolecules and macromolecules, self-assembly of polymers, origin of optical activity, molecular evolution in organisms, evidence for life in ancient sediments, and extraterrestrial molecular evolution. The coverage in the hook is generally even hut is not in great depth. I was disappointed that it did not discuss these topics in greater detail. One exception is the discussion of proteinoids which are covered in considerable detail in Chapters 6 and 7. It should he recognized that the significance ascribed to proteinoids is not accepted by all who work in this field. Also, the author's view that proteins evolved f m t and nucleic acids a t a later date is not a universally accepted postulate. This hoak might well be used as the main text for a special topics course or "January term" (minisemester) course on chemical evolution. Its scope is similar to that of "Biochemical Predestination" by D. H. Kenyon and G. Steinman (McGrawHill, New York, 1969) hut it is more current. For using this as a text, one would want to use other sources to amplify some of the topics and to expose the students to other points of view. "Chemical Evolution" hy M. Calvin (Oxford University Press, 1969); "Exobiology" edited by C. Ponnamneruma (North Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1972); R. Lemman, Chem. Reus. 70, 95 (1970); F. H. C. Crick, J Mol. B i d 38, 367 (1968); and L. E. Orpel, J. Mal. Biol., 38, 381 (1968) are some possible supplementary materials. ~~~~~~
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James P. Ferris
Rensseiaer Polytechnic Institute Troy,New York 12181 (Continued onpageA120)
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