BOOK REVIEWS current devrlopm~ntsin wens in addition t,o that of thrir speciality. The present book should he of vnlne t o a wide group of investigators d h an intprrst in animal rarhoh,vdrstrs, hreause these persons will find thp lxtrst developmmts summnrised in :an intpgmtrd :~ecanntthnt is also well documented.
ROYL. \VHIST~.ER Prcrdse L7nicmitg I,qfa~,~tle. lndinna
Organic Reactions.
Volume 12
Edited hy :Irlhr,r ('. Cope, Massachusrt,t,s Institutp of Technology. John \12iley &z Sons Inc., S e w Yurk, 106'2. 538 pp. Tahles. 10 X 23.5 vii em. 513.
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V ~ ~ l u m12 e nf this well-known series prrsrnts nnother significant and welcome
contribution to the literature of organic chemistry. The chapters included in this w h n e are: Cycluhutane Ilerivat,ives from Thermal Cyeloaddition Reactions, by J. I). Roberts and C. M. Sharts, 56 pages, 128 references; The Preparation of Olrfins by the Pyrolysis of Santhatcs (the Chugaev Reaction), by H. R. Nscr, 44 pages, 109 references; The Synthesis of Aliphatic and Alicyclie Kitn, Compuunds, hy S. Kornblum, 56 pages, 108 rrirrmcrs; Synt,hesis of Peptides with M i x d Anhydrides, by N. F. Albertson, 109 pages, 538 references; I)esulfurisstion with Rnney S i c k d , hy O. R . Pcttit and E. E. van Tamelen, 174 pages, 400 ref~rences. I n view of the recent synthrtic and thecretieal attention given smxll-ring eompmmds, most organic chemists shmmld find the chapter concerning ryclnhntnne derivatives intprest,ing. T h r revier concorning desulfurisation d h Ranry nickel is wpecinlly welcrme; this mst,rrial is widely scattered in the chemical liter-
ature and is not essily indexed under ally single heading. Tho preparation of olefias hy the pyrolysis of xanthates also has heen discussed in a &her recent issue of C h m ice1 Keviews; however, the two surveys are eomplement,nry. The chapters concerning aliphat,ic nitro compounds and the synthesis of prpt,ides should prove invaluable t o all whose research interests lie in these fidds. Congratulabions to the editors and authors for maintshing the high standards which chemists now expect of each volume' ,,f this serirs.
Michel Eugi.ne Chevreul: O ~ g a n i rChemistry
Pioneer of
Albert H. Coslo, St. Mary'tl College, St. Mary's, Califomin. State Historical Society of nlsconsin, Madison, 1962. l l 6 p p . 15.5 X 23 cm. 83.50.
Fur those who think t h a t organic eheni ~ t r yhegm with \f'iihler's urea synth~sis, t,hi~ monoermh on the life of Chevreul and his work in organic ehemistry is a welcome antidote. Chevreul lived t o be 102. HP died in 1880 hut t,he bulk of his work in organic chpmistr>--his classic studies un the saponification of fats and oils-was essentially complrte h y 1823, five years hefore U E a was prepared in the l$,orabory. Part of Chevwul's significance lies in his development of practical devices fir sopsrat,ing pure substances from animal or vrgetahlr srmrces and knowing when an essentially pure material has becn d,tained. The hook is s monograph in the history of chemistry, carefully annotated, y r t very resdable. An excellent chapter nutlines the dovclopment of organic chemistry t o 1825, though this reviewer doul,t,s whethcr I1.v 1825 ehcmists had any awsreness that t,hp program of organic chemistry was the elucidittion and study of the reactions of organic radicals. The technnlogy of fats, oils, and soap8 is traced from antiquity and the influence of Chevreul's wurk both on organic t h ~ c a ) . and Isborntory practice and on t e c h n d w y is doscrihrd. For decndes Chevreul was connected with the Gc,bdin t,apestry industry and published important contrihutinns nut only rm chemical dye research hut also on the- theory ui e < h s and on the vimnl dkiects of bhrir juxtaposition. His v i w a st,rongl,v influenced the painters Seurat and Signae and made possible the nrctimpressionid movement. This fascinating aspect of his work is all too briefly treated. The book would have been aided h y a modern representation of the saponification processes and of the current formulas and names of the major chemicals discussed. And much time would he saved the reader if in this and other hooks, collected notes would be preceded by the title of thc chapter to which they refer, not merely by the chapter number. For anyone interested in the early development of organic chemistry this ~~
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L.
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(Contmued on page A980)
A978 / Jovrnol of Chemical Education
