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classification systems and Chemical Abstracts, hut no assistance is given in searches for theses, dissertations, unpublished data, and trade publications.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
