BOOK REVIEWS dues nut encompass a major revision of the earlier version and, in fact, most of the plates of the earlier version appear to have been used again. The principal change, other than afew minor corrections in equations scattered here and tihere, comprises the addition of three new experiments. ??one of the previous ones have been deleted, These new experiments include two in the area of kinetics and one dealing wit,h high polymers. The two kinetics experiments inolude the familiar benzene diazoilium ion decomposition which la followed spectrophotometrically, and an interesting experiment involving a continuoits flow method to study a fast reaction. This latter experiment, as. might be expected, calls for a certain amount of apparatus building. The macromolecular experiment involves t.he helix coil transition in polypeptides and represent,^ an interesting addition to an area which has been poorly represented in physical chemistry laboratory work previously. Although t,he same format is used as for the first edition, the page size in the second edition has been increased approximately a quarter inch hi each direction which, ¥wit the use of somewhat lighter weight paper, gives a larger, thinner hook than the first which this reviewer found just a trifle too large to fit comfortably on his bookshelf. This text remains one of the outstanding physical chemistry laboratory manuals
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presently available. comment.^ made regarding the first edition still are appropriate (J. CHEM. EDUC. 41, 463 (1964)). I ' M U m v e r s z l t , of Sfzchlyan Ann Arbor. 48104 SpectroscopJTTricks
Edited 1-Leopold Mag- Jrbf Uathollc 'TkiversiBF of America, Washington, I). W. ¥enur Press. New York. 1967. - xiv i pp. Figs. and tables. 13.2 x 21 cm. ÈH.50 This book is composed, in large measure, of material first published in the Journal of Applied Speclroscovy in a section entitled, ',Spectros~opicTricks." The stated purpose of the column-still being published in the journal-is "to provide a means for communicating information on new devices, modifications of existing apparatus, n d other items of this nature to the working spectroscopist.'' Over three-fourths of the book is dcu t , e d to techniques useful in emission and infrared spectruacopy. The remainder untains material relating to mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy. This is a helpful collection of otherwise scattered material which might smooth the pat,h of the spectroscupiat. In fact,
.
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w e A 242)
BOOK REVIEWS many of the techniques (or tricks) described here are of such obvious simplicity and cleverness as to leave the reader wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?"
DWIDL. POX~ELL The College of Wmstei Wooster, Ohzo Problfns in Spectroscopy-Organic Strumre Determination by NMR, IR, UV and Mass Spectra
Barry M . Trost, University of Wisconsin. W. A. Benjamin, Inc., New York, 1967. 416 pp. 23.5 X 28 cm. $7.50. Paperbound.
This problem book in spectroscopy contains infrared, ultraviolet, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectra for two hundred organic compounds. The spectra for each compound are conveniently arranged and clearly recorded so that they can be viewed simultaneously. On the page containing the spectra are recorded the percentage composition and the osmometric molecular weight. Almost all classes of organic compounds are repre. sented. The problems are difficult and challenging. Most of them require inferences from each of the available spectra for their solution. There are no reference tables of spectra so the problem solver must use
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science. The history of this organization is closely related to that of the great German chemical industry and the latter has always supported the Gesellschaft in its many ventures. The story is told largely in terms of the men who headed it, and so we find the sections labeled the A. W. Hofmann era, the Emil Fischer era, etc. The years of growth were followed by the dark periods JOSEPHD. I-UNFOR~H that resulted from the German defeats in the two great wars and the political situaGrimell College tion during the Hitler regime. After the GrmneU, Iowa 50112 country was divided, the Gesellschaft too was split; now the Gesellschaff.Deutscher Chemiker is active in West Germany and lWJbhre Deufsche Chemische the Chemische Gesellschaft in der GeJtillschaft Deutscher Demokratischen Rebublik functions in East Germany. The Berichte has Walter Ruske, Humboldt UAjirersity, likewise been divided or rather it now anBerlin. Verlag Chemie, Wemheim/ pears as two independent journals. Bergstrasse, West Germany, 1967 260 pp 82 figures and photographs 15.5 Besides its Berichte. the Deutsche ChemX 23 5 cm. DM 14 ( = 3.50 dollars). ische Gesellschaft h& sponsored numerous literary undertakings. The most imporThis outstanding volume was commistant of these has been Beilstein, Gmelin sioned by the German Chemical Society in and since 1892, the Zenfralblatt. It ha; honor of its 100th birthday. The society also played an important part in standardwas organized on November 11, 1867, and izing the academic instruction a t the the first scientific meeting was held in German universities. All these activities Berlin on January 27, 1868. Its Berichte and more are set down in much detail in likewise dates from 1868. There is no this story. Footnotes and the many refneed here to attempt an analysis or aberences to the Berichte are of great value stract of the contents of this well reand the photographs add much. searched chronicle, which in much detail Though the German is of medium diffigives the story of the beginnings, growth, culty, this volume deserves a wide distribuvicissitudes, and present state of this ortion even in countries where German is E ganization. Every chemist knows what i t has signified in the development of our (Continued on page A246)
other sources of data. This is an experience which closely parallels that encountered in solving a research problem. Certainly, the person who successfully works the problems in this hook will be well equipped for the assignment of stmctiires from modern spectroscopic data. The book seems most a~nronriatefor advanced undergraduateband first year graduate students
