chemicals and eqoipment required, which is, in part, due to the nature of the text.. Considerable thought will he needed to stock the student desk (one modelpreparation, for example, calls for s three-necked flask and two dropping funnels) and the chemical stockroom, or to plan a course different from that outlined by the authors. The quality of this manusl is generally high, but i t has not escaped without the usual few errors. The product of one model preparation, for example, is claimed to be, 1,6-di(p-methoxypheny1)-1,4pentadien-3-one. Any instructor who is looking for a different approach or emphasis in the organic laboratory shonld certainly consider this text.
Laboratory Course in Physicol Chemistry
Hugh W . Salzberg and Jack I . Morrow, City College of New York, and Slephen R. Cohen, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Cohlmhia. University. Aeademic Press, Inc., New York, 1966. xvi 319 pp. Figs. and tahles. 16 X 23.5 cm. 57.75.
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This book is in three parts, description of methods, experiment,al direct,ions, and appendices of tabulated constants and brief instructions for simple shop operations. Of the 39 laboratory exercises given, 33 are very classical in nature, sometimes with innovations in technique, but in general qrdte familiar and well tried. The prase in these experiments and in the accompanying discussion is very straightforward and should be easily followed. The directions for the manipulations and for the treatment of data are quite explicit. The apparatus is generally simple and inexpensive. The most interesting thing ahout this, as a book appearing in 1966, is that i t @res the problems, challenges, and exoitement that are possible in teaching modem physical chemist,ry. The section on vacuum technique is completely inadequate. The section on electronics mentions neither transistors nor operational amplifiers. Some of the experiments are well suited for a first year laboratory. Such potentidly exciting material as X-ray diffraction, adsorption of a gas on a surface (BET calculstion), or vibrationrotation spectra. of simple gases is reduced to routine measurement followed by stepby-step instructions on the calculations. The student need never go to the library. No long reports are required or suggested. The outside references are minimal; none of the interesting material that has appeared in mrs JOURNALis ever cited. This book may fdfill a need, however, for use in training people who need the techniques for routine application.
FRED E. STAFFORD Northwestern Uniuemity Enanston, Illiizois
450
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Journal of Chemical Educafian
Pvinciplas of Physicol Chemistry
WiUiem H. Hamill, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana. Russell R. Williams, Jr., and Colin MacKay, both of Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania. 2nd ed. Prentice-IIall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1966. xiv 576 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 24 cm. $9.95.
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This is a rigorous text, as rigorous as many beginners can take. I t is characteked by sentences that ought to he read more than once by the student who hopes to comprehend the subject, although the style is not quite as difficult as in the first edition. Unlike some of its oompetitom which are written with a freer style, this text therefore requires the studious attention of the student. I t is arguable that by the time a student is ready to undertake physical chemistry, he also ought to he able to read with care. This text will encourage him to do so; I intend to use i t for my students. There are 17 chapters. The fimt third of the text considers thermodynamic.. from a classical point of view, thoroughly and completely. Equilibrium and mlligative properties, far example, are discussed within this framework. Entropy comes out of the Carnot cycle, with a brief aside to a statistical treatment. Despite the above remarks, this approach is questionable for a first course; but the intuitive statistical ideas about entropy can he added hy the professor, dlowing the student to benefit from the vdne of both points of view. In fact, this is one of the strengths of this text. Throughout, it allows room for clarifying remarks by the professor in the classroom without requiring him to merely paraphrase the textual material which the student has (presumably) read before hand. The remaining chapters include the usual topics, electrochemistry and solutions of electrolytes, kinetics, surface ohemistry, atomic and molecular structure much improved over the first edition, liquids and solids, photochemistry and radiation chemistry, concluding with a fine introduction to chemiealststistics. The number of problems has been suhstantially increased; the exercises within the chapters have been retained and in many cases improved. Partial differential statements hsve been added where necessary; a section in the appendix also briefly describes this important tool. The letter F, some will regret, has heen used to represent Gibbs free energy. I found no significant typographical errors in my examination. Each chapter is summarized as before, hut more completely, in separate sections. There is no chapter an nuclear ohemistry, though one of the paperback8 could of course he wed if desirable. Selected references for all the major topics are listed in the appendix, as well as various useful tables and some mathematical discussions on series expansion. To summarize, this text is not in any sense a. reprinting with a few changes here and there. I t has been carefully r e worked. The order of development of the topics remains about the same, but
tbe discussions are not in general similar to the first edition. Those who prefer an uupta-date presentation of the "basic . areas of physical chemistry . . . with w much rigor as [the student's] preparation will permit . . [in order that] he will learn haw physical chemists think about and attack chemical problem" will find thk text worth their serious consideration.
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JAY A. YOUNG King's College Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
The Molecules of Nature
James B. Hendriekson, Brandcis University, Walthrtm, Mmsarh~lietta. W. A. Benjamin, Inc., New York, 1065. xiii 189 pp. Figs. and tahles. 14.5 X 22 em. Clothhound, 87; paperbound, $3.95.
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The book is divided into five chapters: Prologue; Biogenmir of Natural Products; Acetogenins and Phenylpropsnes; Terpenes and Steroids; and Alkaloids. In the firat chapter the author presents a historical summary and describes the general techniques and approaches used in natural product chemistry. The various compendia and reference works available artre cited. In the second chapter, the hroed outline of biogenesis are given and it is clearly shown how a large number of known natural products arise from relatively few and simple routes. The routes leading to the three general classes of compounds which make up the balance of the book m e given and discussed. The last three chaptptersare devoted to specific compounds within the class headings, selected to represent structurd t y p a or because of particularly elegant chemistry involved. I n each case, general chemical approaches to the structure elucidation and synthesis of a structural type are given a? well a- the reactions for the specific compound chosen. The text is interspersed with structural problems in which the evidence is given on one page and the answer is given an the next. As the author states in the introduction, the hook can be read on several levels. I t can he read superficially in an evening and with considerable pleasure by an experienced chemist,. A beginner would require a longer time hut would find i t equally fascinating. However, t,he complete digestion of its content wonld require quite a long time, for it is not a superficid book. The author has carefully selected his material, but has covered i t with remarkable thoroughness for the size of the hook. If one had a complete understanding of everything presented, one would have quite a firm gra3p of the fundamental and many of the specific notions of natural product work. The writing itself is excellent. The author has tried to give as many interesting side comments as possible. Some of the physiological properties are noted and the impact of specific chemists on the field is mentioned. Spectroscopic prop(Continued on page A66S)
