prehensive material for a one-semester course in qualitative analysis. Theory and laboratory work have been closely mordinated t o provide a sound scientific foundation for the prospective student of chemistry, medicine, dentistry, agriculture, and engineering." pa* I comprises 70 pages and is devoted to the discussion of Theory, which is handled thoroughly and adequately. I t would seem that possibly an unnecessary amount of space and attention is taken up with these theoretical considefations if any previous training in chemistry has preceded the use of the book. However, no adverse criticism is offered. Part 11, 50 pages, is taken up with the Reactions of the Metal Ions and of the Acids or Anions. This is also a satisfactory treatment of the subject matter, especially the statement of the conditions under which the reactions take place and the solubility of the products formed, etc. One omission was noted on page 108. where the best conditions far the reaction between nickel wits and dimethylglyuximc wcrc not given. P a n 111, O d pages, on Laboratory Work, takes up the analytical processes, a n d this is a n excellent piece of work. The directions are full and the reasons for the various steps are given with remarkable clarity. Doubtless one reason for this is the fact that the author has given much time t o the study of the processes of qualitative analysis, as his many papers along these lines of investigation show. The reviewer has yet t o see any book on this subject which excels in this particular. Possibly a few slight criticisms are in point. It would seem that hydrocyanic, ferrocyanic, and ferricyanic acids should not be omitted and thiocyanic acid be the only member of this quartet included. The test for nitric acid seems somewhat inadequate considering its importance. On page 170 the reference t o the precipitation of rubianic acid under Reaction 4 Cadmium seems t o call attention t o an omission. On page 180 the fact that a paper filter may reduce permanganic acid is not mentioned. While the author states in a footnote on page 77 that the student is referred to other texts for a study of the rarer elements, the reviewer cannot but feel that any text which omits a certain number of these must often involve the student in serious analytical difficulty. The time has come when such elements as, for example, Be, Ce, Ti, V, Ta, Mo, W, and Se are no longer so rare as not to be met with frequently; and a statement as to haw they may affect the analytical procedures becomes almost necessary if the object is to teach one how t o make a qualitative analysis. As a treatise on the analytical method the book is excellent and its treatment of the limited field of the more common elements is worthy of high praise. ~
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THE C H E M C R IRUBBER L~ CHEWSTRV MANUAL. Jermain D. Porter, Cornell University. The Porter Chemical Co., Hagerstown, Md., 1935. 77 PP. 12 X 2 0 cm. Paper-hound, $0.50. Chapter I, "The World Discovers Rubber" (pp. 1&9), tells of the early history of rubber howledge and, in some detail, of the experiments of Charles Goodyear. Chapter 11, "How We Get Our Rubber" @p. 20-8), describes modern plantation rubber growing and the gathering and treatment of the latex. Chapter 111. "What Rubber Is and How I t Is Used" (pp. 29-44), discusses the properties of rubber in the light of modem physical and chemical knowledge, but in simple language, and includes directions for the performance of numerous experiments. The titles of Chapters N."Making Tires" (pp. 45-56), V, "Wearing Apparel" (pp. 57-61), and VI, "Bathing Caps, Fire Hose, and Other Things" (pp. 62-71), are sufficiently indicative of their contents. Chapter VII is devoted t o a discussion of "Sulfur" and to directions for experiments illustrating the chemical and physical properties of the element. In all, the booklet contains directions for fifty-two experiments. A price list of materials and equipment for experimental use is included. OTTO REINMDTH
ORGAN~C CHEWSTRY. F. Shemood Taylor, Ph.D., M.A., B.Sc.. Assistant Master a t Reptan School. William Heinemann Ltd., Landon, 1933. Chemical Publishing Co. of N. Y. Inc., exclusive agents in North and South America. xii 586 pp. 14 X 22 cm. 56 f i s . 86.W.
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This organic chemistry is "new" only in the sense that it has been recently brought t o this country for distribution; it was first published in 1933, and apparently has not been revised or brought out in a second edition. I t is the claim of the author that "the chief novelty. . .of the book lies in the treatment of the carbohydrates as cyclic compounds." Certainly there was nothing novel in such a treatment as late as 1933. The book provides a fairly complete survey of organic chemistry with rather more emphasis on alkaloids, carbohydrates, terPenes, proteins, and plant pigments than one would expect in a volume of this size. These sections are well done with the object of offering additional material for the medical student. This end is attained, but other more elementary subjects are not so adequately treated. Olefins, di-olefins, and acetylenie hydrocarbons are dismissed in about twenty pages, of which three are devoted to laboratory experiments. The discussion of alkaloids and plant pigments, on the other hand, occupies thirty-seven pages. Such important processes as the preparation of ethanol and other alcohols from a l e h s , and the polymerization of acetylene t o vinyl acetvlene and of the latter t o a mhher substitute. ~.find no mention. Imt we learn on an earlier page (p. CO) that iwlmpyl nlcohol "is usunlly preynrcd by reducing acetone with sorl~umamalgam" Such a statement, nirhwt qualification. l ~ s r c -thr srudent in this country a t least, with an entirely erroneous impression. On page 68 we read, "The chemical properties of primary alcohols closely resemble those of ethyl alcohol. With the exception of isopropyl alcohol, they do not, however, give the iodoform reaction." The thoughtful student studying this statement will wander whether his conception of primary alcohols is wrong, or whether the author means that all alcohols other than isopropyl alcohol and ethanol do not give the iodoform test. Isopropyl alcohol is not a primary alcohol, nor is it the only alcohol other than ethanol which responds t o the haloform test. Numerous laboratory experiments are described, illustrating the preparation and properties of important compounds. These experiments follow the discussion of the compounds to which they refer. The book is intended, therefore, to serve as a combination laboratory manual and textbook. By far the majority of the figures describe apparatus used in preparations, in analytical work, or molecular-weight determination. The first thirty pages are devoted t o a very complete discussion of qualitative and quantitative analytical procedures and methods of molecular-weight determination. The treatment of these subjects is far more extensive than one would anticipate in a book of this character. A student who has learned that phosphorus' pentachloride converts sliphatic primary alcohols into chlorides with fairly satisfactory yields will doubtless be disappointed when he tries the same reaction on phenol after reading "chlorobenzene can be prepared by the action of phosphorus pentachloride an phenol. . Some qualifying statement as to the unsatisfactory yield of chlorobenzene should be given. No mention a t all is made of the preparation of phenol from chlorobenzene. Aside from the eight errors in f m u l a s or context noted s t the beginning of the book, we were able to find only two others which were not self-evident. The formula of purine (p. 313) and that of etioporphyrin (p. 550) are incorrect. After a rather careful reading of the text, we believe that the author has attempted to include in a relatively small book too complete a survey of the v q broad subject of organic chemistry, with a consequent lack of attention t o accuracy of detail. The result is a rather unbalanced volume which contains some chapters of a high degree of excellence and others which are decidedly mediocre. Print and paper and binding are excellent. U m n a s m OF MARYLAND NATHANL. D ~ K E COCL~OB PAEX.MARYLAND ~
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