BOOK REVIEWS I found this book stimulating and enjoyable, and hope that this brief review is sufficimt to stin~ulsteothers to use this hook thernselvei.
The Encyclopedia of Spectroscopy Edited by Cr'rorge L. Clark, C n i v r r ~ i t p of Illinois, Uibann. Reinhold Puldishing Corp., iiew Yarli, 1!lAO. xvi ( h,-i pp. Figs. nnd tables. IS X 26 cm. $25.
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This mc?rlopedia is compilation of articles in the field of spcrt,roscopy by many of the outetanding workers in this :wen. The coverage contains d l spectroscopic techniques including t h r newer tools such as st,ondc ahrorption, rlectron paramagnetic and nuclear m a g n d c spectm. I n general, one finrl~a veyy brief theoretied discussion, and l:~rger sections dealing with experiment,nl techniques and applications oi a particular lmneh of spectroscopy. The npplicntions are extremely varied, dealing with such lopies as the absorption amlysis of manganese, nicotine and fats, oils, f:ttty acids and glyceride p~rt,iele size analpis using gamma ray nbsorptiamrtry. The largest sections of this hook iErc concerned ~ ~ - i t h omission spectraaeapy and infrnrod nnalysis. The inclusion oi R chapter on differential thermal :mnlysis in a work such as this does not seem to l w justifiable. Most of the a r t i c l ~ sare wrll w i t t e n and ahould serve as s clear int,roduction for the heginning worl~rr. References are given a t the end of each swtion t o permit a more thorough it~vcstipntion of the material. The intnxluetory materi:d in the w d i a n on eleet,ron parankagnetic resonnnce is virtually the same xa that which appears in the Vminn l'eth,ninicnl Bullelin, Voh~me 2, Number 1, hut this sort 01 duplicntion is not present throughout the cnt,iro reference. This hook will he used mainly b" porsone u'ith no prior Intrliground in the v a r i o u ~awns or sprctrs. This hook should he n worth-u-hile addition t o industrial and college libraries.
T r r ~ o n o nR.~ Wlr,l.lws ?'he College uJ W o u n l ~ r IVooslw. Ohio
Organic Syntheses. Volume41
John D. Roberts, editor-in-chief.
John Wiley & Sona, Inc., New York, 1961. ix 118 pp. Figs, and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. 54. There are 28 syntheses, ranging from the preparation of diazomethane and 2-nitroethanol t o a steroid ether, terpene derivatives, acetylsted gluconic acid, and a sandwich compound, rnthocene. T h r
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Journal of Chemical Education
BOOK REVIEWS scale of these preparations varies with the synthesis, generally being in the range of 0.5-2 moles of compound. However, the preparation of cholestanyl methyl ether is on the millimale scale. Same examples of the many different types of reactions are osonalysis, electrochemical reductions, carbene synthesis, Grignard and organorn&allic-type reactions, etc. The most unusual compound for which a synthesis was described is tetrameth,vlammani~~~n 1,1,2,3,3,-pentacyanopropenide. This substance is a strong acid of pKa -8.5, a value that compares with strong mineral acids. This volume contains the same careful directions and precautions that have slwa,vs marked this scries. One new feature, point 4 of bho organization of a synthesis, has heen added. This is titled Merits of the Prcpnration, and consists of s. brief evaluation of thc synthesis, its generality and t,he usefulness of the compound. This feature is s valuable addition to the volume. JoaN D. REINIIEIMER The College of Wooslw Wooster, Ohio College Chemistry
Donald C. Gregg, University of Vermont, Burlington. Allyn & Bacon, Inc., Boston, 1961. xxi 593 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 23.5 em. $7.50.
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This textbook is similar in its approach to the author's "Principles of Chemistry" published in 1958 (reviewed in J. CHEM. Eooc., 37, 107 119601). Nineteen of the twenty-five chapters have the same titles and cover essentially the same meterial as the earlier text. The principal change in the new hook is the inclusion of chapters entitled The Oxygen Family, The Halogens, The Nitrogen Family, The Representative Metals, and The Transitional Metals, whereas the former hook had only two chapters devoted specifically to the chemistry of the elements-those on Oxygen and Hydrogen. Some descriptive chemistry also is interwoven throughout the other chapters, but the emphasis continues t o be on the fundamental concepts of the composition and behavior of matter. The other new chapter is called Chemical Bonding and Architecture. The relationship of structure t o chemical and physical properties is stressed continually by using simple compounds as prototypes. The format of the hook is attractive, with clear type and exceptionally large page numbers. Location of tapica is facilitated by listing the chapter title under the left hand page number and the section number and topic under the right. The hook has several diagrams and drawings, but no photographs. Many of the chapters hegin with en introductory section entitled A Perspective, and end with A Summary. Each chapter is followed by a set of thaught-provoking questions and problems; answers to those which are numeri(Continued on page A836)
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