The Central Science: E s s a y s o n t h e U s e s of Chemistry George B. Kauffman and H. Harry Szmant, (Editors). Texas Christian University Press, Fort Worth. TX. 1984. xiii f 181 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.7 cm. Written mainly for a lay audience of students and non-science professionals, this readable, concise hook (180 pp.) of twelve essays will he especially attractive to students exploring or seeking careers in chemistry, as well as t o their teachers and counselors. The authors, focusing on the multifaceted contributions of chemistrv to all amects of our Iive~,stres* the role of r h e m d science and I N hndtyy on humnn well-being,present and future. The range of topics will not only be useful to those involved in students' career choices, hut also to those who want an overview of chemistry as a backbone t o all the sciences which affect our lives as well as our environment. Essay topin include the chemistry core related to: the origin of life; nutrition; solution of short and long term energy needs; medicine; careers; crime detection and prevention; the creation and care of art; and human hehavior. The essay on warfare is one of the lengthiest, making a statement about the emphasis and concern of our era. The chapter on forensic science will he fascinating t o anyone interested in crime detection. The human behavior essay raises some compelling questions about mental health, genetics and mind control, but for same readers, it might be too technical to he appealing. Here the categories were subdivided and discussed briefly, but connections were seldom made for the reader. The essavon oceans contains wme cwrllrnr dlngralni and rhnrrs. Each r r i a y starts nith a brief aurhar'h 1w cqmphy uhich providra some pcrspertwr on t h ~ i n f l u c n in c ~that wirntist'slitrnnd adds a humsn tuuch. l l ~ raams t includr h111l1ographies which will be valuable to the student who wants t o do additional research. One important theme emphasized in same of the essays is the role which an accident or ~~~
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a particular human social problem plays in scientific discovery or progress. As an example, in response to the demands of World War 11, high octane gasoline and Teflon" were just two of the many substances developed. O n e Critical Comment: not one of the twelve authors is a female. At a time when role models can often motivate students toward career choices, couldn't the editors have attempted to include a t least one female essay writer? Mainlv., this little eem of a book.. hiehlighting chemistry's diversity, its contribution to civilization and the promise it holds for future progress would he particularly useful to chemistry teachers and their students. The reader can select only those essays which are of interest, or can read the entire hook in short segments of time. Advocates of the "One Minute Manaeer" lifestvle. as well as thosc whoimnerly k i t intim&rd by theoretical npprmchrs t u chemistry, !vould npplaud this contribution. Roy E. Mackie Chemistry Teacher-Oceanside High School Oceanside. NY Adjunct Professor-Chemistry New York City Technical College-CUNY Brwklyn. NY
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Stereochemistry 0.Bedrand Ramsay, Nobel Prize Topics in Chemistry, Heyden & Son, Ltd.. Philadelphia, PA. 1981. xvi 256 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $29.00 HB and $13.50 PB.
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This is the second volume in Heyden's Nobel Prize Topics in Chemistry, a "Series of Historical Monographs on Fundamentals of Chemistry," edited by Johannes W. van Spronsen (The first and third volnmes"Inorganic Coordination Compounds," by George B. Kauffman, and "Transmutation: Natural and Artificial," by Thaddeus J. Trenn-are reviewed separately). According to the Editor, the series "plans to cover the historv of eaeh subiect for which a Nobel Prize was awarded and to place particular
emphasis on the life and work of the Nohel Prize winner himself. In this way the planned Series will come to describe the whole history of chemistry. The concept is t o take one of eaeh Nobel Laureate's most significant publications, to reprint i t (as an English translation if appropriate), discuss it, and then place it within the context of the Laureate's life and works in particular and the history of science in general." Dr. Ramsay has chosen four key papers (33 pp.) to begin his book-"The Cyclohexane Problem" by Odd Hassel, "The Conformation of the Steroid Nucleus" by Derek H. R. Barton (who wrote the foreword to the book), "Newer Developments of the Chemistry of Msny-Membered Ring Compounds" by Vladimir Prelog, and "Asymmetric Methyl Groups, and the Mechanism of Malate Synthase" by John W. Cornforthet al. Hassel and Barton shared theNobel Prize in Chemistry in 1969 and Prelog and Cornforth in 1975. The papers are introduced hy a 9-page section, "Biographical Notes and Commentary on the Significance of the Articles." Fifteen detailed chapters then follow on various aspects of stereochemistry. Their titles give some idea of the scope of the book: "Early Geometrical Concepts of Matter" (9 pp.), beginning with the association of four of the five regular Platonic polyhedra with the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water); "Valeney and Chemical Structure" (17 pp.); "Optical Activity and Stereoisomerism" (12 pp.); "The Origins of Stereochemistry: The Contributions of J. H. van't Hoff and J. A. Le Bel" (Ramsay was chairman of the van't Hoff-Le Bel Centennial Symposium held a t the 168th National ACS Meeting, Atlantic City, N. J., Sept. 11-12,1974, which resulted in a book (ACS Symposium Series No. 12, 1975) under his editorship); "The Stereochemistry of Addition and Elimination Reactions" (9 pp.); "The Stereochemistry of Substitution Reactions" (9 pp.), with emphasis on the Walden inversion; "Symmetry,
(Continued on page A I N )
Reviewed In This Issue George B. Kauffman a n d H. Harry Szmant, The Central Science: Essays on t h e Uses of Chemistry 0.Bertram Ramsay, Stereochemistry Thaddeus J. Trenn, Transmutation: Natural and Artificial Stephen Hanessian, Total Synthesis of Natural Products: The "Chiron" Approach Ira N. Levine, Quantum Chemistry, Third Edition
Volume 62
Reviewer Roy E. Mackie
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George B. Kauffman George B. Kauffman Leroy G. Wade, Jr. Edward Finkei
Number 6
June 1985
189 190 190 191
A189
REVIEWf Asymmetry, and Chirality" (6pp.), in which these three sometimes confused concepts are carefully distinguished; "The Specification of Molecular Configuration" (7 pp.); "The Search for Chiral Centers Other Than Carbon" (13 pp.). (Although most of the hook deals with organic compounds, this chapter considers trivalent and "pentavalent" nitrogen and other heteroatoms); "The Stereochemistry of Trivalent Carbon Species" (6 pp.), dealing with carbonium ions, carbon "free radicals," and carbanions; "Rotational 'Barriers' about Single Bonds and Steric Effects" (11 pp.); "The Stereochemistry of Cyclic Compounds: The Early History" (18 pp.); "The Origins and Development of Conformational Analysis" (17 pp.), including both acyclic and cyclic compounds; "Asymmetric Transformations" (8 pp.); and "Some Recent Developments and Future Expectations" (24 pp.), including work on chemical "curiosities" sueh as cyclophanes, betweenanene, tetrahedrane, h m l e n e , propellanes, hullvalene. eatenanes. earbenium ions. ete. as wcll as l,i&kal &orhemistry. As the chapter headingirhuw, the wrlume gives an excellent survey of the progress of itereochemistrv from its inception to the 1YfiOs. It is n gold mine of facts, both wcll knownand little known. Intended not for rhc professional historian hut for "the chemist, the research worker and the nonsoecialist whouishesto lrring himself up ludaceon the hiumriral barkgnund." it doe* not include reiwences, but names of scientirts and dater of their dimweriec are given in the text a\ well as inn Yhn,nology oi Ewnts and I'ubl~cationsi n the Hi-tor, uf Stercuchemiutw." An important featurkof the book is the inclusion of a large number of photographs and diagrams of historic atomic and molecular models by Dalton, Hofmann, Kekul6, Dewar, KBrner, von Baeyer Patern6, Emil Fischer, and others. A most delightful and unusual appendix (9 pp.) is provided on "Stereochemical Satire," and a 4-page list of supplementary readings, a 5-page glossary, and subject (4 pp.) and name (4 pp.) indices are included. Errors in the hook are virtually nonexistent; the few that I found range from venial (Ernest Mohr for Ernst Mohr, p. 167) t o mortal (G. G. Kauffman far G. B. Kauffman, p. 248). This volume is highly recommended, and chemical educators will find it not only a fascinating story hut also a source of valuable material for classroom use. George B. Kauffman California State University. Fresno Fresno. CA 93740
Transmutation: Natural a n d Artificial Thaddeus J. Trenn, Nobel Prize Topics in Chemistry. Heyden & Son, Ltd.. Philadelphia, PA, 1981. xvi 128 pp. Figures. 14.5 X 22 cm. $29.00 HB and $13.50 PB.
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This slim volume is the third in Heyden's Nobel Prize Topics in Chemistry, a "Series of Historical Monographs on Fundamentals of Chemistry," edited by Johannes W. van Spronsen (The first and second volumes"Inorganic Coordination Compounds," by George B. Kauffman, and "Stereochemistry," A190
Journal
of Chemical Education
hy 0. Bertrand Ramsay-are reviewed separatelv. The "Stereochemistrv" review contains &onnation about the g0al and scope of the series). Trenn's hook, which begins with a foreword by Glenn T. Seahorg, himself a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (1951), is a unique blend of the old and the new. Believing that "the speculation surrounding the transmutation of matter seemsquite unrivalled in the entire history of science," Trenn surveys his chosen theme from "the alchemical tradition dating hack over two thousand years2'tothe latest developments in nuclear technology such as the fusion power toroid reactor, which he views as the modern version of the worm of Owohoros-the tail-devouring serpent, a key alchemical symbol of the unity of matter. He pursues this unusual and provocative juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern consistently throughout the book, and he finds interesting parallels between central concepts of the ancient hermetic art and modem discoveries of nuclear chemistry and physics. For example, he sees natural and artificial transmutations as fulfillments of alchemical prophecies with subatomic particles functioning both as prima moterio and as the philosophers' stone. And although modern nuclear "alchemists" have succeeded a t tremendous cost in transmuting other elements, e.g., mercury and bismuth, into gold, Trenn, like Frederick Soddy before him, regards the true "gold" of such transfornations not as the noble metal itself but as the tremendous amount of energy released during sueh changes. In Chapter 1(30 pp.), which is alliteratively titled "Adepts, Awards, and Achievements'' ("adept" being the classical title of alchemists who had attained the secret of transmutation), Trenn prefaces the three publications by the Nobel Laureates with a 7-page "Biographical Introduction." The publications themselves are all the products of teamwork-"Radioactive Change" by Ernest Rutherford and Frederick Soddy (theory of atomic disintegration, 1903); "A New Type of Radioactivity" by Irene Curie and Fdd6ric Joliot (discovery of artificial radioactivity, 1934); and "Concerning the Existence and Behavior of Alkaline Earth Metals Resulting from Neutron Irradiation of Uranium by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann (discovery of nuclear fission, 1939). Rutherford received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908, Soddy in 1921, Joliot and Joliot-Curie in 1935, and Hahn and Strassmann, together with Lise Meitner, in 1944. Chapters 2 and 3 survey the progress of alchemy "From Antiquity to Paracelsus" (14 pp.) and "From Paracelsus to Late Nineteenth Century" (12 pp.), respectively. Chapter 4, "Transmutation in the Twentieth Century," the longest in the book (40 pp.), is divided into five sections"Natural Transmutation: 18961905;" "Artificial Transmutation: 1906-1919;" "Artificial Radioactivity: 1920-1935;" "Discovery of Fission: 19361940," and "Controlled Transmutation: 1941-1981." Each of these sections is provided with an Introduction and Conclusion which link the events to ancient alchemical concepts. Chapter 5, "Future Expectations" (12 pp.), deals with recent attempts t o put transmutation "on line" to produce energy, "the new gold." Among the topics discussed are fissile and fertile fuel, the thorium cycle, breeder, fusion, and hybrid reactors, plutonium, waste, and conservation. Trenn also
clearly differentiates the reactor made from the bomb mode of transmutation. To meet our increasing need for energy Trenn views contralled transmutation as "the only viable option for the coming generation or two." He thinks that fusion power is the ultimate power source, hut until it can he achieved economically, he favors global use of fission power. The text concludes with a 2-page epilogue, Chapter 6, "Reflections on Transmutation." Since the volume is not intended for the professional historian but far "the chemist, the researcher worker and the nonspecialist," the number of references is minimal (16), hut appendices provide a 3-page chronology, "Some Historical Data on Transmutation," a 3-page "Glossary" (defining technical terms in the text which are marked with asterisks), and a 3-page list of "Suggested Reading." Subject (6 pp.) and name (2 pp.) indices conclude the volume. The few errors are minor misspellings ("corpuscle" on p. 58 and Strassmann on o. 118). This scholarlv but readable hook orovides an excellent intro, duttion to harh alrhrmy aud nuclear rhemistry, while it simullaneuu,ly underwores the generally neglected relationship between the two. George - B. Kauffman California State University. Fresno Fresna. CA 93740 ~~
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Total Synthesis of Natural Products: T h e 'Chiron' Approach Stephen Hanessian, Pergamon Press, Elmsford. NY, 1983. xviii 291 pp. Figures. $20.00 PB and $40.00 HE.
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This hook is a detailed study of the use of carbohydrate derivatives as chiral starting materials for the synthesis of chiral natural products. I t is a highly specialized book, intended for use by professional synthetic organic chemists and advanced graduate students. A "chiron" (contraction of "chiral svnthon"). is e d a i n e d to beanenantiomerirally purp '.synthm." gcnrraliy i h t i n c d inrm an nminuacd, a terpcne,or acarlmhg. dmte. T h r book's title ir rmwwhat misleading, because its thorough coverage is limited to the use of carbohydrates. "The 'Chiron' Approach" hegins with a brief section on strategy, reviewing the types of chiral orecursors and erolainine how to find carhihydrate-typesym;nrtry i n natural p r d u r t s that du not supcriirially rcwmhle carh~,hydmtes.'l'hc rest o f t h r twok rewews over 100 natural product syntheses that exploit the stereochemistry present in earbohydrates. The brief discussions of synthetic strategy are accompanied by retrosynthetic flaw charts and the actual svntheses with , reagents. A brief drscriprion of the nuthor's romputer-assisted synrhrm program cump l e w the htmk. An excrilmr Index r ~ f e r e n c e ~ the names of the natural products synthesized, those used as synthetic precursors, and the types of reactions and reagents used. This book might be criticized for its lack of coverage of noncarbohydrate "chirons" and for its heavy emphasis on the author's own work. On the other hand, Hanessian has covered his own specific area of interest and expertise in an authoritative, current, and
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