FEBRUARY, 1954 PRACTICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY
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Robert C. Brimley and Frederick C. Borrett, Low Temperature Research Station, Cambridge, England. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 1953. 128 pp. 34 figs. 14 X 22.5 Ern. $5.
INTHE introduction the authors state: "It is hoped that the general student and workers who come new to the subject with a practical problem, will have sufficient detail before them to judge what may be attained by the use of chromatographic methods." This little hook does provide a quick glance at some of the separations which have been accomplished by means of chromatogrsphy, and for the reader "new to the subject" should provide an interesting evening's reading. Mnob of it is written in the past tense, it being an historical narration of selected individualexperiments, by past and present chromatographers, which have now aome to be reearded as more or less classical. Onlv sorption, ,prtition, and ion exchange. Applications are concerned chiefly m t h amino acids, sugars, and certain organic acids. Pertinent details are frequently lacking, the authors lapsing into vague generalitiessuch as "any mitable solvent" or "certain other factors.'' Description of involved techniques is repeatedly sidestenned with the statement that thev are "not simole." One is
erences in a single journal article on chromatography (Anal. Chem., 23, 25 (1951)). Historically, one might wish that the authors had mentioned the work of W. G. Brown of the Univer-
hv. five veam ~~A hrttrr rditinp, job would have corrcetcd thc frequent gmnimatied and typogniphical rrrors, and might hnvc irnprovnl thr rather awkward organization and frequently abstruse exposition. A much larger volume would be required for adequate treatment of the subject. As a whole, the book is somewhat of a disappointment. Perhaps too much was expectdd due to its origin in the Low Tem~eratureStation a t Csmhridee Universitv. " . Eneland. . . whor staff includes r v r r : ~ lscientists of w r y outeta~alinp,rrptlte in tlw various ficlda of chromutogctphp. ~
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A. R. PATTON
GENERAL COLLEGE CHEMISTRY
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of the person who is usually given credit for their discovery or elucidation. Thus much of the history of chemistry is included without distraction and with practically no extra.space consumed. Despite the author's statement that "This text is not a 'diluted' course in physical chemistry," a larger proportion of space than usual is given to physical principles and less to descriptive inorganic chemistry, One need not quarrel with this procedure so long as the fact is recognized and provision made elsewhere in the ourrieulum for the material omitted which is ususllv " eonsidered n part of the vhrmirt's equipment. Ikch chnptrr is ronrludcd with :in unuauully good srt of ewrriw~ ahiclr urr tlrou~ht-l,n,\,okit~~ and will test the capwity of the best students. The exercises are numerous and within any given list they increase in difficulty. Much thought and imagination has gone into their selection and they represent one of the most valuable features of the book. The binding and paper stock are gwd. The type is smaller and the lines set closer toeether than desirable for easv readine. .> ... but i t isonly by thisdrvirr tht1 the rn~rrrialof the hook 11- trew romprcswd to 527 p:tgvs P X ~ I I I S ~ V C of ~ppwdiwtiand indexer. 'The illuatrxtions rjrc line drawing;, ior the moat pad, with occasional photographs. Many are gwd, hut the cell system, Figure 100, page 374, as well ss those of several other electrochemical cells, are confusing and require considerable study to grasp the ideas they are meant to convey. Many better illustrations of the blast furnace and open hearth furnace are readily available. A large number of graphs have been used to illustrate variations in properties with conditions. The author is to be congratulated particularly for his clear explanations and development of chemical theory and for the unusually original and thought-provoking series of exercisesat the end of each chapter. Those instructors who have carefully selected groups of more capable students should welcome this text as a real challenge. I t has much to offer the teacher of any beginning chemistry course.
FronkBrescia, Assistant Professor of Chemi&y, The City College of New York. The Blakistan Company, Inc., New York, 1953. ir 581 pp. 125 figs. 65 tables. IS X 23 cm. $6.
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INmwords of the author, "This text is intended far first year college science and engineering students; it possesses, therefore, a rather mature point of view!' As the above implies, this book is a challenge to the best efforts of the most capable students. It is a well ordered, scholarly presentation of modern chemical theory. The "Text material, rather fully documented, to show that our present knowledge is the culmination of the labors of many men, has been separated into 30 chapters. Much useful and further explanatory material is attached as an appendix to several chapters from which teacher and student may drew as they see fit." Fundamental principles are clearly and more completely developed than is usual, with the student's being asked to accept much less on faith than is frequently true. Some of the dogma is stripped from the scientific method and its usefulness and its limitations are frankly stated. Principles are frequently illustrated with data from the work
FREDERIC B. DUTTON
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ORGANIC SYNTHESES. VOLUME 33
Charles C. Price, Editor-in-Chief. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1953. v i 115 pp. 15.5 X 23.5 cm.' $3.50.
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THISlatest addition to a well established series brings together the work of 64 contributors treating 40 new syntheses. Volume 33, like the previous volumes, presents the most convenient methods for preparing a variety of organic chemical reagents. All the reactions discussed have been checked by leading chemista throughout thecountry. This volume again gives the equations for the reactions, proredures for production with accompanying nates, and other methods of preparation. An interesting and impartant insert oalllls attention to the hazardous nature of a compound listed previously and states that "The sodium salt of nitromalanddehyde [Org. Syntheses, 32, 95 (1952)l is impactsensitive and t h e m l l y unstable and should be handled as a potentially explosive material.'' All users of these volumes will, therefore, want to make the corresponding notation on page 95 of Volume 32. Preparations are listed under common names and Chemical Abstract indexing names for: 3-acetamido-Zhutanone, alloxantin dihydrate, atrolactic acid, benehydryl-8-chloroethyl ether, henzoguanamine, hutyrchloral, oreosol, di-tert-hutyl malonate, diethyl-1,l-cyolohutane dicarboxylate, diethyl-7-oxopimelate, p-dimethylaminoheuzaldehyde, dimethylketene, 2,Z-dimethylpyrrolidine, ethyl-a-(l-pyrrolidy1)-propionate, 9-flnorenecarboxylie acid, furfural diaeetatc, itaconyl chloride, 3-methylcoumarone, 1,S-naphthalenedithiol, 1,4naphthoqniuone, nit* tinonitrile, m-nitrobenzazide, m-nitmbiphenyl, a-nitrocinnamaldehyde, nt-nitrostyrene, 6-nitroveratddehyde, 4pentyn-1-01, u-phenylcinnamic acid, 4phenylnn-dioxsne, a-phenylene car-
