RECENT BOOKS TOLLENS-EISNERKURZESHANDBUCU DER KOHLENWDRATE. S a m d u n g Chemischer und Chemisch-technischer Vortrsge. Dr. Horst Elmer, Berlin. Fourth edition (completely revised). The monograph is thoroughly up t o date and splendidly orTohann Ambrosius Barth Verlae. Leiozia. 1935. xxii 627 wnized. The table of contents enables one to locate anv desiri p . 10 figs. 16 X 24 em. paper, RM-39; hound, RM 41. able information, in so far as i t is available, with a minimum of effort. I t is gratifying to note that the author of the monograph The object of the fourth edition is t o provide a reasonably has seen fit to dwellat some Length on the theoretical implications priced handhwk which treats h r i d y a n d concisely recent de- of the behavior of the thioketones, instead of merely compiling velopments in the field while still including the more important the factual data. A general comparison of the behavior of the material of the earlier editions. thio compounds with the corresponding oxygen compounds is The older work has been completely rewritten and so much given in some detail. The free use of structural formulas helps material replaced by more recent data that the fourth edition considerahly the ease of assimilation of the author's views and of takes on an entirelv new aonearance. The author stresses ex- the data. .. M. S. K~ARASCU perimental facts rather than theories, compounds rather than TRBUNIVBRSITY OR CAIUOO reactions, yet he treats many of the more important contempoCHLULOO, ILLINOIS rary problems, giving in a few sentences a clear summary of the experimental facts and the resulting conclusions. Frequently CHEMICALKINETICS AND CHAIN REACTIONS.N. ~ e m e w f f , the paints to be stressed are numbered so that they become fixed Member of the Academy of Sciences, U. S. S. R. First edition, in the reader's mind and make the presentation exceptionally Oxford University Press a t the Clarendon Press, New York clear. When several methods are available for obtaining a given City, 1935. xii 480 pp. 148 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $10.50. product the author indicates those which he considers the best. The subject of chemical kinetics a t present appears t o he Irrelevant details are omitted and the related facts are well arganized. The author has skilfully dissected the available ma- passing through a period of classification and correlation, emterial and has selected that which is most valuable for use as a ploying collision theory, generalized acid-base catalysis, critical guide in carbohydrate chemistry. The style is simple so that complexes, and acidity-rate relationships, among others, as the h w k can be read by a student who has only a limited knowl- guiding principles. To this group must now be welcomed the work of N. Semenoff in the complex field of chain reactions. edge of German. The hook first presents a clear and concise mathematical deThe first part of the bwk, comprising 100 pages, deals with stereoisomerism, ringchain tautomerism, typical reactions, velopment of the theory of both non-branching and branching classification and general properties of the derivatives, en- chain reactions. This portion of the work is marked by a clearzymes, optical properties, etc. I n some instances the dis- cut statement of the assumptions involved a t each point in the cussion is perhaps too brief but this is compensated for by the derivations. Complicating factors which have been neglected large number of recent and pertinent references. The remainder in the preliminary steps are not put aside in that vast and so of the book takes up in detail the various sugars, sugar anhy- easily forgotten group of "subjects to he considered later in the drides, and polysaccharides. Approximately 316 pages (of hook" hut are actually discussed immediately following the which 108 relate to glucose) are devoted to the monosaccharides; simplified derivations, and their effect on the equations is indi21 to the sugar anhydrides; 95 t o the polysaccharides containing cated. Especially noteworthy is the conspicuous absence of the less than six monosaccharide units; and 80 t o the true polysac- ' clause "it is obvious that" as a cover fQra multitude of unstated charides. Generally, the following topics are considered: (a) and often questionable assumptions. I t is indeed unfortunate occurrence, preparation, structure, chemical and biological that the derived equations have so limited an applicability in properties of the free sugar, ( 6 ) pyranose derivatives, (c) furanose practice since so many of the parameters involved must be derivatives, (d) derivatives of the carhouyl forms, (e) substances determined, a t least for the present, by experiment. The major portion of the hook constitutes a critical although of unknown structure, (f) oxidation and reduction products. In the various descriptions the majority of the known sugar de- over-extensive review of experimental results in this field, "more rivatives are mentioned. The classification according to struc- than half of the results reported. . relat(ing) to the last four ture brings together the data for the pyranose, furanose, and yean." Results in discord with the general chain theory are carhonyl forms and emphasizes recent developlnents in structural not neglected; the experimental facts are stated and then the carbohydrate chemistry. The sugar alcohols and acids are not mechanisms and theories offered in explanation are critically given in separate sections, as in the third edition, hut are in- evaluated in the light of the facts. Wherever possible in the cluded under the respective sugars. In the reviewer's opinion experimental review, the author has attempted t o farmulate the any curtailment of this subject in Tollens' Handhuch is disad- relationships sought in precise mathematical terms rather than vantageous because the prior edition particularly excels with re- in vague language. Among the photachemical and thermal reactions considered spect to the sugar acids and their salts. The fourth edition should be of service to those engaged in in detail may be mentioned Hydrogen-Chlorine; Hydrogencarbohydrate research because it outlines recent progress, cites Bromine; Oxidation of Phosphorus, Hydrogen. Carbon Monmany important references, and contains a large amount of oxide, Hydrocarbons; Explosions and Decomposition of Chloeasily accessible data. It is suitable for instruction in advanced rine Oxides, Nitroglycerine. It is interesting to note that "The t o those (recourses because it covers the field of carbohydrate chemistry concept of chain mechanism can be applied. b r i d y hut fully and provides ample references for laboratory actions) proceeding in the liquid phase," the oxalate-iodide and the oxidation of sodium suEte reactions being taken as examples. work and collateral reading. The author has set himself a much more difficult task than the NATION^ BURBAD OR STANDARDS HORACE S. ISBELL WASBINDTON. D. C. mere critical correlation of existent data. It is his belief that "the kinetics of any chemical reaction is that of a chain mechaT~OKETONE. T~OACETALE w n AETUYLENSULPIDE.Dr. Aler- nism, and that the particular cases, involving, for instance, reunder Schanberg, Professor in the Techuischeu Hachschule, actions with very short chains or those elementary reactions . which can he interBerlin. Verlag Von Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart, 1933. 77 requiring hut little energy of activation preted without recourse t o chains, are rare." To support this pp. 16.5 X 25 cm. 6.50 RM. claim, the author sets up seven criteria for chain reactions: This comprehensive short monograph is certainly a welcome high quantum yield, pressure limits of ignition, wall effects, addition t o the long list of excellent monographs of the Ahrens' catalytic effects of traces of foreign substances, induction period.
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