outline course, and does not pretend t o be complete. Old fundamentals are well integrated with newer developments, as a few chapter headings will indicate: "Atoms and Molecules." "Acids and Bases," "Diffusion," "Electrostatics and Dielectrics." "Electrokinetics," "The Ultracentrifuge," "Membranes and Cell Penetration." and "Colloidal Structures." The author is careful t o point out the limitations of the applications of theoretical concepts to living systems without any tone of disparagement or frustration. As previously hinted, the tables, graphs. and figures are splendidly made, and the whole format is clear and surprisingly attractive for a book in this field with no photographic illustrations. The publishers have thus triumphed in good measure over the adversities inherent in the War Production Board's recommendations for the conservation of materials. The few errors as yet detected are merely orthographic and nonmathematical; e. g., "misicible" on page 329. DAVIDLYMAN Davrusov
ORGANIC ReAffrrroNs. Roger Adems. Editor-in-Chief. Volume 11. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 1944. v 461 pp. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. .W.50.
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The reviewer is torn between elation because this series has progressed to assured continuance and chagrin that he, in justice t o the student, will have to recommend other foreign-language training than the reading of Houben, "Die Methoden." This modern work will displace the older technical handbooks. Ten chapters comprise tbis second volume: "The Claisen Rearrangement." by Tarbell; "Preparation of Aliphatic Fluorine Compounds," by Henne; "The Cannizzaro Reaction," by Geissman; "Formation of Cyclic Ketones by Intramolecular Acylation," by Johnson; "Reduction with Aluminum Alkoxides," by Wilds; "Preparation of Unsymmetrical Biaryls by the Diazo Reaction and the Nitrosoacetylamine Reaction," by Bachmann and Hoffmann; "Replacement of the Aromatic Primary Amino Grouu bv Hvdroeen." bv Kornblum: "Periodic Acid Oxidation." by Jackson; "Resolution of Alcohols." hy Ingersoll; and "Preparation of Aromatic Arsonic and Aninic Acids," by Hamilton and Morgan. The reviewer has examined most carefully those chapters d i s cussing reactions with which he is well acquainted; specific comment does not imply that these chapters are inferior, but only that the editors' plea for improvement suggestions can best be met in tbis way. It is obvious that a work ofthis type must strictly be authoritative, complete, and reliable. It is surprising, therefore, that no mention is made in chapter five on alkoxide reductions concerning the allotropism of aluminum ethoxide [CHILD AND AUXINS,J. Am. C h m . Soc., 45, 3013 (1923)l. The insolubility of the beta form makes it much less amenable t o use than the alpha form; nevertheless the stock Eastman Chemical in 1938 was found by this laboratory to be beta. The subject matter of "Organic Syntheses" adjusts itself conveniently t o a method of checking which, no doubt, accounts for its unusual reliability. The reliable completeness of "Organic Reactions" cannot be assured by such a check. Perhaps i t can be approached by requesting chapter review from those chemists whose names appear most frequently in the chapter indexes. Since this series will he useful as a teaching tool, one wonders whether controverw might establish a policy regarding consistent methods of presentation. The reviewer proposes the question of reaction names. The excellent chapter eight on periodk acid oxidation-records its discovery by Malaprade in 1928. Although this reaction is more completely novel than most organic techniques introduced over the past 30 years, no attempt has been made t o call this the Malaprade Reaction. On the other hand the preparations of arsonic and arsinic acids in chapter 10 are elaborately classified as Bart, Bechamp, and Rosenmund reactions. One who has carried out these syntheses A
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realizes quickly that they are simple modifications of old procedures. Perhaps the space devoted to the history of each discovery could better have been used to describe the filtration problem one encounters during arsonic and arsinic acid syntheses, in order to direct that fortunate operator who has a Sharples centrifuge toward use of this instrument and away from the ordinary Biichner funnel. This criticism is not directed a t the author, but toward all of us organic chemists who tend to c a m the familiarities of the laboratory into the formal literature. The use of named reactions does not aid in the classification of chemical change which we need for teaching of organic chemistry, although sometimes it bas been unavoidable in cases where diversity and vagary necessitate general classifications such as Friedel-Crafts and Grignard types. I t may be predicted that the necessity for these classifications will pass eventually. Furthermore the novice who looks t o "Organic Reactions'' far guidance should realize, in the opinion of the reviewer, that the propriety of honoring a chemist by naming a reaction for him has progressively decreased as the professional man becomes more dependent an accumulated published researches, and on the societies which protect and foster the profession. The graduate beginner should find ample inspiration and incentive in "Organic Reactions" other than that of personal aggrandizement. GEORGE F. WRIGHT
PHYSICO-CHEMICAL METHODS. Joseph Redly, Professor of Chemistry, University College, Cork, and William Norman Rae. Professor of Chemistry and Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Fourth edition. D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., New York, 1943. Volume I, ix 610 pp. Volume 11, vii 585 pp. Illustrated. 15.5 X 22.5 cm. $17.50 per set.
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The publication of a fourth edition of this book in such a relatively short time, with a lapse of only three years since the issue of the third edition, indicates that it has been in considerable demand. The authors state that no drastic changes have been made in the present edition, but the more elementary descriptive material, which is available elsewhere, has been omitted, and the space utilized for the inclusion of more recent advances. It is stated in the preface that numerous additions have been made and that many sections have been revised. However, some of the new material has apparently been added without repaging, for there are frequent insertions, such as 322.1, 322.2, . .. 322.5. The first volume of the work is subtitled "Measurement and Manipulation" and the second, "Practical Measurements." I t is planned to issue a third volume dealing with "molecular properties, gas analysis, micro-methods, and other cognate subjects." Some years ago, when reviewing the first edition of this book for another journal, the present writer suggested that a comprehensive treatise, such as is being aimed a t by the authors, should be written by a group of specialists rather than by one or twn men. Although this procedure has been adopted t o some extent, there is still considerable scope for its extension. In looking through the two volumes of this work, and particularly in connection with the fields with which he is most familiar, the writer is left with the uneasy feeling of something lacking. This is partly due to the inclusion of material that is obsolete. obsolescent, or elementary, while more recent developments are restricted t o bare mention or t o footnote references. A particuLsr case in point is Chapter X I , Section 1, in Volume 11, dealing with Transference Numbers. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that there is no text in the English language that covers the same ground as does that under review, and that i t fills, a t least partially, a gap in the literature of physical chemistry is shown by the fact that it is in continuous demand. SAMUEL GLASSTONE
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