book reviews worked out with unusual skill. Reactions like the Hafmann rearrangement are characterized as Sul-like while neighboring group effects and anchimeric assistance are compared to the familiar Su2 pathway. The approach is emminently sound and is supported by a large number of interesting problems. The chapter concludes with a consideration of classical versus nonclassical ions with only a bare hint of the large complementary changes in enthalpy and entropy engendered in that epic struggle. The new chapter Molecular Orbitals, Orbital Symmetry, is less successful. This chapter needs a clearer development of the relationship between atomic orbitals, linear combinations of these and molecular orbitals, along with appropriate problems. One of the great gifts of these authors is their ability to set out certain fundamental ideas, made simple by clarity of presentation, and then develope these ideas with shrewdly conceived discussions and problems. Fine examples were their development of carhonium ion chemistry in the first edition and nmr in the second. They have not done this for this topic. The material in the first seven pages does not prepare the student for the next fourteen which are concerned with Orbital Symmetry and the Chemical Reaction. This treatment of electrocvclic reactions.. cv. cloadditions, and sigmatropic rearrangements is very clear and is supported by a
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large number of problems, but the instructor will have a lot more explaining to do than is customary for this text. That is not all bad, given the distant clatter of thase computer terminals. The third section. Biomolecules, contains one new chapter. The first four chapters are devoted to fats, carhohydrates (21, and proteins. Those on carbohydrates and proteins are relatively minor modifications from earlier editions. The chapter on fats. formally a new chapter, contains the detergent oriented material of earlier editions with added paragraphs on phosphate esters and membranes. It is the last chapter, Biochemical Processes which justifies the establishment of Part 111. It is a stimulating introductory chapter. The careful discussion of chymotrypsin should convince the better student that enzymes are pretty clever organic chemists whose ways are slowly being understood. The same can he said for the discussions on biological oxidations of carbohydrates and the biosynthesis of fatty acids. Here these authors are a t their best, relating a limited numher of complex phenomena to earlier material, unruffled by the necessary omissions. Sheer momentum will guarantee that the new edition will he widely used. It is still one of the most hiehlv readable introductions t o organic chemistry and fully deserves the attention i t is bound toget.
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Manning A. Smith Buckneii University Lewisburg. Penna. 17837
Organic Molecules in Action
Murray Goodman and Frank Morehouse, both of the University of California, San Diego. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1973. vi 351 pp. Figs. and tables. 23.5 X 15.5 cm. $14.50.
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It is a pity that LLfe magazine is now defunct, for the authors of this book might have collected a fat fee far writing the slickly popular science articles which occasionally appeared there. Excepting one figure representing the human tongue, this is a pretty hook with a few beautiful color photographs, a few complex molecular diagrams, and a great many molecular formulas, colored red, which offsets them from the text and produces eye fatigue if they are studied in any detail. The author's apparent justification for this hook is a statement in the preface that they have encountered undergraduates that could "recall absolutely nothing from their organic chemistry studies shortly after completing their courses." If the authors expect to change this by presenting a few currently "relevant" subjects to nonchemistry majors with little or no previous formal training in basic concepts, it must surely be doomed to disastrous failure. The reason is simple; excepting an appendix with the formal title, "The Language of Organic Chemistry," (which is a greatly compressed version of (Continued onpngeA186)
book reviews the first ten or so chapters of textbooks used by chemistry majors) there is no useful foundation in this book that would help the average non-science college student to understand the subjects presented. Derry L. Fishel Kent State University Kent. Ohio
Environmental Chemistry: An Introduction Experiments in Environmental Chemistry (Laboratory Manual)
Lucy T. Pryde, San Diego Mesa College. Cummings Publishing Company, Menlo Park, California, 1973. 316 pp. Figs and tables. 22 x 24 cm. $9.95. This teat is a good starting point for use in an introductory course in environmental chemistry, providing students have either had some prior background in chemistry, or have access to other teats more oriented toward the fundamentals of chemistry Traditional chemical principles are primarily located in two of the book's nine chapters, and are for the most part discussed very superficially. The first part of Chap. 2 introduces, in seven pages, the concepts of elements and atoms, the electron cloud, atomic weight, gram atomic weight, and the periodic table. Chapter
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four returns to these concepts, develops them a hit further, then goes on to consider ionic and covalent bonding, bond ang l e , polarity, and organic chemistry. This chapter also deals briefly with chemical reactions, balancing equations, kinetics, and equilibrium. Other than a short (and confusing) description of redox in Chap. 5, and a bit about the chemistry of water in Chap. 6, the remainder of the book concerns itself with descriptive environmental chemistrv. . . which is doneauite well. The ropics considered arc nuclear power. air, water, pesriridrs, lwds and drugs, and plasrira. R,r each of thew topicl, the a p propriate chemistry is discussed, sources of pollution are listed, environmental effects including health effects are considered, standards and criteria are given, and courses of action are proposed. While the author tries to avoid value judgements and t o remain as objective as possible, now and again one finds debatable statements such as The first director (of the EPA), William Ruekelshaus, has provided strong leadershi~ for the new aeenev. . .. the AEC insists upon superior quality in design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants
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The book has several features which are unique. A "Flowchart of the Nuclear Industry" provides a clear picture of how uranium is processed and used in nuclear power plants. Other flowcharts included are the nitrogen cycle, the sulfur cycle, the
photochemistry of smog, water treatment and sewage treatment plants, and others. Insets of various kinds of information, appmpriate to the subject matter being discussed, are distributed throughout the book. Diagrams and illustrations are extensively used throughout the text. At the end of each chapter, two types of study questions and a short bibliography are presented. The first group of questions deal with the chemical aspect of the ehapter; the second group tends to be thoughtpmvoking questions which could be used as topics for class discussions or essays. Both sets of questions have been well thought out. A more extensive bibliography, grouped by chapters, appears a t the end of the book. In general the bibliographies are reasonably representative of various viewpoints, if not complete. One notable exception: The "Report on 2,4,5-T by the President's Science Advisory Committee'' is listed as being a valuable history of a case study which reflects the scientific considerations that lead t o public policy decisions. But nowhere is the critique to this controversial report by the Committee for Environmental Information, or the AAAS Assessment Commission Report, referenced. Another important omission: in s list of "National Organizations with Strong Interests in Environmental Proteetion," many groups are given; but the foremast group which deals with the scientific considerations of environmental problems, the Scientists Institute for Public In(Continued onpageA188)
