PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Jock Hine, Georgia Institute of Technoloov. McGraw-Hill Book Co.. Inc.. ~ e w - ~ o r k1956. , xiv 497 pp. ' 1 6 x 24cm. $9.
+
P n m ~ s s o nHine's text is divided into four main scetions. The first of thew duals with a. brief review of the tools available for thc study of reaction mechanisms. The first chapter covers chemical atmcturo and ineludcs an excellent summary of resonance and t,he rules for writing resonance structures. The treatment is entirely non-mathemnticsl, in fact the whole text is ohviausly written for thc nan-mathematical hrccd of argnnir chemist. The author's clarity of expression in well illustrated in this first chapter. Suhsequent chapters of Part 1 deal with modern concepts of acids and hascs with considerable emphasis on the Hsmmett cqurttion, a very hrief review of kinetics, and finally a short chapter on definitions and t,he general classification of organic reactions. It is noteworthy that in discussing the terms 'Lnucleophilirity" and "basicity" Hine chooses to use the dcfinitions described earlier by Swain, in which the former refers to rate and thc latter to cquilihrium. This seems to bo unfortunate and nnnccossxry nn tho torms have hcen well defined earlier hy Ingold, i.e., hnsicity is simply a special ease of nueleaphilieity where the nucleus concerned happens to he a proton. I'nrt 2, tho largest section in the text, contains chaptcrs discussing the different typca of ionic organic reactions-nueleophilir and eleetrophilic mhstitution, sddition reactions. elimination reactions. and rcsrrangemcnt reactions. No one can quarrcl seriously with tho content of thi* ~ection. Whcro controversy exists as to the mcchnnism of R, particular react,ion, as for example in nucleaphilic aliphatic sob&itution or in elimination, both views hnve been pre~ented with occasional comments stating the author's own opinions. This is an up-to-date, scholarly and much needed presentation for which the author is to he congratulated. However, one is left with the feeling that if the term moleeularity had heen carefully defined early in this soction, tho reader who is unfamiliar with some of the pnat, and curront, controvers,v might find the discrmion more meaningful. The remaining two sections, dealing with free-radical and w i t h four-center reactions, continue with the same degree of clarity and scholarship. I n the prcfnce Hine states that "the book is written primarily for graduate students and advanced undergraduatetes,"
and that "the unpublished manuscript has been used by the author as lecture notes for a onc-ycar graduate course." The content of the text is so large that this can only he construed as a great compliment to the quality of thc graduate students at the Georgia Institute of Technology. If taken in smaller doses it should serve as a truly excellent text for advanced undergraduates, although the teacher should be prepared to expand somewhat on some sections of Part 1. I t is perhaps, only natural to compare this hook with the one by Ingold. I n goncml, the latter is more dotailed and conclusions are supported hy R. greator wealth of experimental detail. Both hooks are heantifully written hut Hine has given mare attention to certain aspects of the field which some chemists believe to have bccn slighted in Ingold's text, and for this reason is, perhaps, a better hook for the novice to rend first. However, a glance a t the author index will quickly reveal the debt thnt. chcmiats oae to the English school. ERIC S. GRAHAM I < a n v n ~Co,,,,r;oz G n r a l m . Omo
TRACER APPLICATIONS FOR THE STUDY OF ORGANIC REACTIONS
John G. Burr, Jr., Atomics International Division, North American Aviation, Inc. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1957. x 291 pp. 1 6 X 23 cm. $7.50.
+
THIS hook is primarily s detailed review of the organic reactions in which isotopes hnve hcen used to elucidate tho mochnnisms. In each example eonsiderod, cvidcnee from other sources has bcen given. I n addition, isotope exchange reacbions and structural studies in whieh isotopes have hoen used aa tracer8 are discuased, and general considerations for the use of t r a c ~ methods r me given. The first chapter is devoted to generalizations regarding the use of isotopir: tracers methods and tho remaining 13 ehepte~s are devoted to spplicstions. Three appendixes are included: Appendix A lists textbook8 and other gencral reference sources concerning thc various phaaea of using isotopes; Appendix B lists texts on organic reaction mechanisms; and Appendix C lists literature references whieh appeared in the years 195355 and earlier literature whieh was missed in the initial survey. The literature coverage of the material discus~edin the body of the text is eompleto only through 1952. Since the nsc of isotopcs is growing a t an ever in-
creasing rate, i t is likely that the number of articles which have appeared since the text was written, approach or surpass the number which are discussed in the text. As a practical matter, a new book can never he completely up to date; however, in this case, the literature coverage seems unnecessarily out of date. The reviewer believes that the main value of a book of this type is as a reference source, andin this regard it is unfortunate thnt the literature coverage is not more recent. The book is written for the organic chemist with emphasis on the reaction rather than the isotopes or isotope effect. The discussions are given from an ndvanced viewpoint, and therefore the book will he of value primarily to thoso versed in t,he field. The author has made an excellent case far the use of isotopic methods while
unohtitinable h y &her methods, the author hns formidable arguments. One purpose of the hook cited by the author is to stimulate the use of isotopes. I n this respect ho has succeeded and the reader is left convinced of the value and frequent uniqueness of the method. The material is well organized and the text is clearly written. There are errors and important omissions. For the heginning student tho main value of the book will be ss a source of knowledge concerning the method8 and principles of tracer applications, but this vnluo is diminished by the fact that the text is written for the student with a background in theoretical organic chemistry. For the researrh worker the main value of the hook will he as a reference source for the litersture prior to 1952. FREDERICK R. JENSEN
umvensmr or CnrrwanNI* B r ; n n e r ~ r ,C * L , * ~ ~ N , *
ELEMENTARY PRACTICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. PART 2: QUALITATIVE ORGANIC ANALYSIS
Arthur I. Vogel, Woolwich Polytechnic. Longmans, Green and Co., New York, 1957. x 320 xxiv pp. Many figs. and tahles. 14.5 X 22 cm. $4.50.
+
+
THIS is the ~ e c o n din a series of texthooks entitled "Elementary Organic Chemistry." The first of these excellent texts dealt with Small Scale Preparations of Organic Compounds. Part 2: Qualitative Organic Analysis also reflects the author's many years of experience as a teacher. The text is a suitable one as a reference for more advanced students as well as a. good tenthook for beginners. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
