vanced undergraduate or first yew gradThis small volume, one of the "Foundauate physical chemistry course, particution of Modem Organic Chemistry" larly one which emphasizes spectroscopy. series is intended by its authors as a discussion of general equilibrium ideas and This excellent text certainly will help to guide for students who have completed the introduction to how those ideas can be eliminate these difficulties. The text is preliminary training and are embarking expressed quantitatively is laudable. But sophisticated enough to require at least a on research either as advanced underthestudent is likely to begroping for a constandard full-year physical chemistry graduates or beginning graduate students. nection after the next eight short pages of course as a prerequisite, and yet simple Considering the wide disparity in expeacids, bases, indicators, and complex ions enough so that the student does not get rience to be expected among such an under Homogeneous Equilibria. The hogged down in the mathematics, which is audience, and the vast array of techniques terminology of partition coefficients, sometimes a fault of the more advanced now practiced by organic chemists and chromatography, and electrode potentials texts in spectroscopy. Raymond Chang their hyphenated m c i a t e s , it is a task of is also treated extremely briefly. Activity points out in his preface that the book is no small order, here accomplished reasoncoefficients happily were omitted. Brevmainly designed to acquaint the student ably well. ity, coupled with the lack of examples with the general aspects of spectroscopy Techniques are divided into three (and problems) with which students can rather than to make him a specialist in classes, Resetion, Isol&m, and Structure test their comprehension is a serious any two or three areas. Determination, the last being given only handicap. The first chapter is an excellent review half the space of the first two. The Excepting the introductory chapters, of quantum mechanics and its application skimping is hilrly prejudicial, since there the author adouts a uersoective which to spectroscopy at a level which should is necessarily some overlapping in the makes sense fo; someone -who has had challenge the student, even after having arbitrary division. In fact, the last chemistry rather than a perspective that covered much of this material in his undersection deds primarily with the common is likely to make sense to someone who has graduate physical chemistry course. The instnlmental methods, many of which not. Unfortunately, "nature is no party second chapter deals with molecular symwill have been introduced to the student to our phraseolo~y" and it is doubtful metry and group theory, which also may be previously and perhaps need some dethat this book could be used without suba review. The next few chapters proceed emphasis at this stage. In any case, stantial outside explanation for a beginto cover the more familiar areas of specthese require more discussion than the ning student. Perhaps other books in the troscopy, such as nuclear magnetic length of the book allows for a solid series will modify this problem, however, resonance, nuclear quadrupole resonance, appreciation. "Acids & Bases," "Partition," "NonMBssbauer, electron spin resonance, miDiscussions of reaction and isolation Ideality" are not on the projected list. crowave, infrared, Raman and electronic. techniques are also necessarily spare but Electronic spectroscopy is conveniently cogent. All of the standard tricks of the WILLIAM A. HOFFMAN separated into the spectroscopy of atoms, trade are treated and the presentation of Denison University the spectroscopy of diatomic molecules, rationale and choices in work-up proceGranville, Ohio 43023 and the spectroscopy of polyatomic moledures should he particularly illuminating cules. The last few chapters cover photofor the intended reader. luminescence, optical rotatory dispersion, For most techniques a t least one refThe Principles of Chemical Equilibrium. masers and lasers, and photoelectron specs more detailed treatment is erence to With Appliealions in Chemislry and troscopy, areas which may not be as given, the sole importantand inexChemical Engineering familiar to the student. At the end of plicable, to my mind-exception being each chapter are a number of texts which vapor-phase chromatogrrtphy. (Here too, Kenneth Denbigh, University of Lonare suggested for further reading. These the reference to F & M Corp. is several don. Cambridge University Press, years out of date.) Generally speaking, texts are conveniently separated into Cambridge, 1971. 3rd ed. xxi f 494 introductory and intermediate-advanced. however, the citing of supplementary pp. Figs. and tables. 21.5 X 14.5 Also given as reading assignments are sources is anything but generous and em. $14. constitutes a flaw of moderate proporlists of journal articles, many being arI have reviewed both the second editicles from THIS JOURNAL. Most of the tions. tion and the first edition of this fine hook chapters end with a short problem set An extremely valuable few pages which and rated the original very highly indeed. containing approximately six problems. might have been entitled, Where to Find Apparently the author agrees with me The answers to the problems are not supOut, is hidden in the preface and not even because neither the second edition or the plied. mentioned in the Table of Contents. third edition contains any great changes, The chapters are well written. Each An index, too, would have oonsiderahly although the minor changes made do concontains a theoretical section in which the enhanced the book's usefulness. stitute improvements, but they are really theoretical aspects of the specific specBut then it is difficult to reali.listically more reprintings than they are new additroscopic technique are presented in a assess the usefnlness of a. hook of this type. tions. The principal change in the third rigorous, mathematical fashion. A short One knows that students mostly learnedition is to go aver for the most part to section describing the experimental techand leam about-research techniques by SI units. This is a. good change and I experience, observation of, and talking to nique also is given; however, as the author hope all authors make it as quickly as their fellows in the laboratory-sometimes points out, this is kept at a minimum. possible. Otherwise the contents of the even by talking to their professas. Still The object of the text is not to make the pages which I looked a t are identical with student s technician. The remainder of such a volume can often serve ass. welcome those in the second edition, indeed with the chapter is concerned with applicaadjunct, and its modest price should those in the first edition. It remains a tions, or more specifically, with the relarecommend it to many. fine book to study thermodynamics from, tionship of application to theory. Many RICHARD HIATT and to teach from, and is now among the chemical examples are given; however, Brock University first to attempt to conform to the new emphasis is placed on the physical chemiSt. Cotharines, Ontario standard of international useage. cal aspects of the spectroscopic technique rather than the analytical, although some J. A. CAMPBELL examples relating to chemical analysis are Harvey Mudd College given. This distinguishes this text from Chremont, California 91711 Basic Principles of Speclascopy those which are more suited for use in instrumental sndysis courses. Raymad Chang, Williams College, With the ever increasing role which McWilliamstown, Massachusetts. Research Techniques in Organic Grm-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971. Chemistry ix 304 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 Robert B. Bates and John P . Schaejer, X 23.5 cm. $14.95. comprehensive text is highly recommended both of University of Arizona. PrenAs an instructor of physical chemistry, tice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N. J., this reviewer is well aware of the difficul1971. xvii 125 pp. Figs. and (Continued on page AS14) ties of finding a suitable text for an adtables, 23.5 X 16 cm. $3.95.
book reviews
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Journal o f Chemical Education
