book reviews
Using the Chemical Literature-A Guide
Practical
Henry M. Woodburn, State University of New York at Buffalo. Marcel Dekker, h e . , New York, 1974. viii 302 pp. Figs. and tahles. 14.5 X 21.5 cm.
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This useful little hook will lighten the load of many a weary searcher of the chemical literature. I t will not he all things to all searchers. In spite of its somewhat deeept i d y modest title, it is not s youthful challenger to the well-established entries in the field by Mellon, Burman, or Bottle, the mast recent one of which is six years old. Nor is it a bibliography of sources. I t does not claim to he. It is intended for the individual searcher facing sperial problems in his quest, due to the format, organization, indexing, or sheer magnitude of some sources. I t is a friend in need, not a casual acquaintance. An admittedly subjective treatise, the book is a guide through some of the trickier aspects of the chemical literature. T h a t it is subjective can he seen from the list of topics omitted as well as those retained. While such standards as Beilstein's, Gmelin's, Sadfler's and the Tahles of Landolt- born^ stein received extended coverage, Organic Syntheses and old standards by Weissher~
ger, Kolthoff, Bailer, and Mellnr are frankly and summarily dismissed. Ample coverage is afforded to such basic topics as the library classification systems and Chemical Abstracts, hut no assistance is given in searches for theses, dissertations, unpublished data, and trade publications. I t is hoped that the reader's choice of prohlematie material coincides with the author's. While the hook is intended for speeialized interests, it should hecome a valuahle companion to anyone who needs to consult the chemical literature. I t contains updated (1973-74) references on such topics as eomouter-readahle materials. the availabilitv
on nomenclature-structure correlation, in-
cluding a thorough discussion of the Wiswesser System. As a textbook in a standard "literature" course, its usefulness is hampered by the limited scope of the work as outlined above and the absence of lihrary projects. In summary, this book is highly recommended as an advanced text to those with deep-seated search problems and as a eurrent complement to older and more standard works in the field to those with no prohlems a t all. Andrew Bramley Southern Methodist University Dallas, T m s 75275
Solid State Reactions
H. Sehmairried, lnstitut fur Theoretische Huttenkunde und Angewandte Physikalische Chemie der Technischen Universite Glausthal, Germany. Translated hy A. D. Peltnn, Montreal, Quebec. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1974. X 214 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $21.75.
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This is a compact monograph hy a recognized expert. Its translation has made available in English a modern, concise, quantitative introduction to a wide variety of inorganic solid state reactions and a handy guide to the relevant original literature. T h e author makes no attempt a t s complete survey of the field; rather he specifically limits himself to discussions of the more important and well-established concepts and to well-chosen examples. Principles rather than details are emphasized. T h e result is quite appropriate as a text for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate level courses in solid state ehemistry. I t should also be useful as a "starting point" for researchers, T h e hook is organized logically. It begins with a brief, non-quantum mechanical treatment of some fundamentals of solid state science including honding, types of reactions, and the nature of defects. T h e discussion here is probably not adequate for someone totally unfamiliar with the subject. But if some familiarity can be assumed, or if the discussion can he supplemented, this is not a serious drawback. Certainly, sufficient references t o the general and special literature are provided. (This is a strong point of the hook throughout.) Chapter 4 summarizes in moderately rigorous detail the thermodynamics of point defects, and chapter 5 similarly treats chemical diffusion. These two ehapters are the foundation for the remainder of the material. Chapters 6 . 7 , and 8 discuss quantitatively reactions in ionic crystals, reactions in metals, and reactions between solids and gases or liquids. T h e final chapter deals with a few selected examples of technologically important solid state reactions. Included are the formation of microstructure in ferrites and titanates, solid state galvanic cells, photography, and the reduction of iron ores. From a teaching standpoint, this last chapter is particularly good since it hrings together and emphasizes many of the concepts developed earlier. My only disappointment in t h e book was the complete omission of reactions in organic solids Although it is understandable that many types of reactions have to he slighted in a small hook, despite a concise style and small type face, a t least a brief treatment of such reactions and their peculiarities would have significantly strengthened the book. Overall the book is well written and the explanations are clear. Although the emphasis is on quantitative relationships, the discussion does not bog down in mathematical detail. In general, the reader is referred to the literature for the solutions of equations. T h e use of symbolic notation is consistent, and a list of symhols is given in the appendix. T h e hook is remarkably free (Contmued on page A62J
A60 / Journal of Chemical Education
book reviews of typographical errors. Of the three I found, only two are of any consequence: minus signs are omitted from the boiling and melting temperatures of hydrogen given inside the back cover, and a reference t o cwrdination number 57 on page 3 should be to atomic number 57. In my opinion the author and translator have made a valuable contribution-to the literature of inorganic solid stateteaetions. Certainly the hook goes a long wag toward the author's stated goal of making "chemical reactions in the solid state understandable." It is a pleasure to recommend i t both as a text and as a reference.
drawback the book might have been considered worthwhile but for its ridiculously high price. Very few people are going to pay almost $50 for a book of such a speeialized nature which is already four years out of date, and with lihrary budgets heing what they are one could not recommend general library purchase. Paul D. Sullivan Ohio Uniwrsify Athens. Ohh 4570 1
Charles W. Owens Universityof New Hampshire Ourham, New Hampshire 03824
Quanta. A Handbook of Concepts
Edited by P. W Atkins, Lincoln College, Oxford, J. S. E. Holker, and A. K . Holliday. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1974. ii 309 pp. Figs. and tables. 22.5 X 24 cm. $21.
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EPR of Free Radicals in Radiation Chemistry
Edited by T Pick, Translated b y P. Shelnitr. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1974. viii 446 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 24.5 em. $45.75.
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This book is a fairly comprehensive account of the electron paramagnetic resonance (epr) investigations of X , y, and electron irradiated organic compounds carried out prior to 1971. The book has been well translated from Russian and there are relatively few errors to be found. There is a lengthy introductory chapter on the theory of epr for solids and liquids and a shorter introduction t o the processes of radical formation and distribution in irrediated solids. A series of chapters follows on atoms and radicals containing only a few atoms, radicals in irradiated hydrocarbons, radicals in irradiated monofunctional organic compounds and binary mixtures and radical formation in high molecular weight compounds. These chapters generally concern themselves with the epr identification of the radicals produced and with a diseussion of the radical yields and mechanisms of formation. The final three chapters discuss the stability and reactions of trapped radicals., ohotoconversions of the radiation produced radicals, and some sorbent and adsorbed radicals. Insofar as this book goes it is a comprehensive account of the field and it contains many references to the Russian literature which may not be readily available t o most people. However it suffers from the fact that the latest papers referenced are for 1971 and most of the material discussed is for the period 1962-70; much recent material particularly of liquid phase irradiations is therefore not covered. In spite of this
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A62 / Journal of Chemical Education
This is an excellent book and I recommend it to teachers of physical chemistry who can spare $21 and about one inch of shelf space. The book should also be in all chemistry libraries whose clientel includes undergraduates and graduate students. It is particularly fine for browsing. The tone and content are described by the following excerpts from the Preface. "Here is a book that attempts to explain the quantum theory without mathemat~cs." "Mast of us have our pictures of the eancepts of quantum theory-we have some way ofvisualizingorbitals, transitions, ete.and those of us who d c research are more often than not guided in broad outline by some visualizsble model of the system we are trying to describe. This book contains my ways of thinking about the concepts of quantum theory. The pictures, like all analogies and models, are only a partial representation of the true situation; but I hope they contain the heart of the matter, and enable the reader to understand each idea a t a physical, rather than mathematical, level. "I hope that a broad selection of people will find the book useful. I have had in mind both the student of chemistry who a t all levels of his studies encounters unfamiliar, little-understood, or half-forgotton concepts, and his teacher who is pressed for an explanation. I hope that by reference to this hook all will he provided with just enough information to make the concept clear and perhaps even to be stimulated to find out more. If my explanation is inadequate, my bibliography will direct the dissatisfied along a trail of others' explanations." I believe that the author has achieved these aims very well. Furthermore, he has done this in a sprightly, non-pedantic way that is often a delight to read. The hook will be especially useful to teachers who (Continued on page A64)
